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Abstract
The ability to remain focused on goal-relevant stimuli in the presence of potentially
interfering distractors is crucial for any coherent cognitive function. However, simply
instructing people to ignore goal-irrelevant stimuli is not sufficient for preventing
their processing. Recent research reveals that distractor processing depends critically
on the level and type of load involved in the processing of goal-relevant information.
Whereas high perceptual load can eliminate distractor processing, high load on "frontal"
cognitive control processes increases distractor processing. These findings provide
a resolution to the long-standing early and late selection debate within a load theory
of attention that accommodates behavioural and neuroimaging data within a framework
that integrates attention research with executive function.