Neural Dynamics of Label Understanding and Their Role in Attentional Selection and Distractor Inhibition in Children

Previous research focuses on the ability of label representations to guide attention towards relevant features. However, the relationship between label representation and the ability to inhibit irrelevant information is less understood. The current study aims to assess how label representations can not only guide attention but suppress irrelevant distractors. To accomplish this, 36 8- to 10-year-olds performed the Dimensional Label Understanding (DLU) tasks and the additional singleton (AS) paradigm while fNIRS and EEG were measured. The AS paradigm allows for control of the saliency of distractors in the tasks by modifying the salience of distractors in different conditions. The current study seeks to analyze whether neural correlates of DLU predict individual differences in children’s reaction time during the AS paradigm. It was found that participants who were not distracted by irrelevant information in the AS paradigm activated the inferior frontal cortex and angular gyrus during the AS paradigm. In addition, these participants activated the right lateralized frontal-parietal network involved in bottom-up attentional networks during the DLU tasks, suggesting that children who have bottom-up label processing are better able to suppress irrelevant information. These results highlight the effectiveness of the attentional strategy of having a strong representation of features in order to better find targets and inhibit irrelevant information.