ABSTRACT
In this chapter we highlight some of the emerging patterns we have seen in our research on the development of visual attention over the life span. We began our studies of visual attention in children over 10 years ago (e.g., Enns & Brodeur, 1989; Enns & Girgus, 1985), but it is only within the past few years that we have begun to compare the trends observed at the beginning of life with those at the other end of life (Brodeur & Enns, 1997; Plude, Enns, & Brodeur, 1994; Trick & Enns, in press; Trick, Enns, & Brodeur, 1996). We hope the following story will explain why we have been at times very optimistic, and at other times more cautious, about the possibility of linking behavioral changes over the life span to theories of development, theories of attention, and to the growing understanding of the underlying neural basis of both attention and development.
