Memory & Cognition/Lifespan Development Job Talk - Dynamics of attention and memory formation across time and development

Attention is a powerful driver of memory formation. Yet sustaining attention is a constant challenge, and in reality, our attention waxes and wanes. This is especially true for children, whose attention is much more variable than adults’. How do attentional lapses shape memory as it unfolds across time? And are there any adaptive benefits to this frustrating attentional variability? My research tracks attention, learning, and memory formation on a moment-to-moment basis, inspiring novel questions about how external events and internal states bias learning across development. In the first part of this talk, I will present data showing that fluctuations in attention are closely intertwined with memory formation, metaphorically switching it “on” and “off"—especially in children. This work will demonstrate that attentional variability might be at the core of developmental differences in learning. I will then ask whether attentional lapses happen for a reason and hold some cognitive benefits. I will present data suggesting that lapses broaden the scope of learning to incorporate less relevant content. Finally, I will ask whether immature attention—typically considered a deficit—might explain why children and adults receive different inputs for learning, shaping the rapid pace of knowledge acquisition across development. I will end by discussing the theoretical link between distinct attentional states and different memory modes—such as encoding and retrieval—and the implications for understanding interactions between cognitive processes.