Premium
Individual differences in distractibility: An update and a model
Author(s) -
Sörqvist Patrik,
Rönnberg Jerker
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
psych journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.417
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 2046-0260
pISSN - 2046-0252
DOI - 10.1002/pchj.47
Subject(s) - distraction , psychology , cognitive psychology , neurocognitive , working memory , developmental psychology , task (project management) , cognition , neuroscience , management , economics
This paper reviews the current literature on individual differences in susceptibility to the effects of background sound on visual‐verbal task performance. A large body of evidence suggests that individual differences in working memory capacity ( WMC ) underpin individual differences in susceptibility to auditory distraction in most tasks and contexts. Specifically, high WMC is associated with a more steadfast locus of attention (thus overruling the call for attention that background noise may evoke) and a more constrained auditory‐sensory gating (i.e., less processing of the background sound). The relation between WMC and distractibility is a general framework that may also explain distractibility differences between populations that differ along variables that covary with WMC (such as age, developmental disorders, and personality traits). A neurocognitive task‐engagement/distraction trade‐off ( TEDTOFF ) model that summarizes current knowledge is outlined and directions for future research are proposed.