Contributions of distractor dwelling, skipping, and revisiting to age differences in visual search

Wiegand, Iris; van Pouderoijen, Mariska; Oosterman, Joukje M.; Deckers, Kay; Horstmann, Gernot · 2025 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-83532-y

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Summary

This study investigates the specific cognitive mechanisms underlying age-related declines in visual search performance, particularly in difficult tasks where targets are hard to distinguish from distractors. While it is well-established that older adults exhibit slower search times, it remains unclear whether this slowing stems from generalized processing deficits or specific failures in distractor rejection. The authors aimed to dissociate three distinct distractor rejection processes—dwelling on distractors (processing time), skipping distractors (attentional selection), and revisiting distractors (memory/bookkeeping)—to determine how each contributes to age differences in inefficient visual search. The researchers conducted an eye-tracking experiment with 45 healthy Dutch adults aged 19 to 85. Participants performed a target-present/absent visual search task using naturalistic stimuli: they searched for a "happy" face among neutral faces. Target-distractor similarity was manipulated by varying whether the happy target had visible teeth (dissimilar) or a closed mouth (similar to distractors). Visual set size was also varied (5 or 10 items). The study measured reaction times (RT) and eye-movement metrics, including dwell times, skipping rates, and revisiting rates. Statistical analyses employed multiple linear mixed-effect regression models to assess the independent contributions of age and these three processes to search times, focusing primarily on target-absent trials to isolate distractor rejection mechanisms. The results indicated that older age was significantly associated with longer dwelling times and higher rates of revisiting distractors, while skipping rates remained unaffected by age. Specifically, older adults spent more time processing each distractor and were more likely to re-examine locations they had already inspected. In terms of contribution to overall search times, dwelling and revisiting were strong predictors of reaction times, whereas skipping had a negligible impact. This pattern held true regardless of age, but the age-related increases in dwelling and revisiting exacerbated the slowing in older adults. The findings suggest that the decline in visual search efficiency with age is driven by increased processing demands per item and reduced visuo-spatial memory for previously visited locations, rather than a failure to skip irrelevant items. The significance of these findings lies in their implication for models of cognitive aging. The study suggests that age-related slowing in difficult visual search is not due to a generalized deficit in attentional guidance or skipping, but rather to specific declines in processing speed and visual working memory. This distinction is crucial for understanding how aging affects daily tasks requiring rapid information filtering, such as driving or navigating digital interfaces. By identifying dwelling and revisiting as the primary contributors to age-related slowing, the research highlights the importance of visuo-spatial memory and processing efficiency in maintaining visual search performance in older age.

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• visual search