Cross-modal interference-control is reduced in childhood but maintained in aging: A cohort study of stimulus- and response-interference in cross-modal and unimodal Stroop tasks.

Abstract

Children and older adults struggle to inhibit information occurring in the same sense they are focusing on. However, the ability to ignore distractions occurring across the senses is maintained in aging. Thus, although children may experience distractions from all senses, in adulthood certain distractions (such as ignoring a warning light while focusing on the road when driving) may be more distracting than others (ignoring a warning sound while focusing on the road).