Age-Related Dynamics of Crossmodal Priming

The study is aimed at studying at determining the temporal dynamics of crossmodal priming in preschool children. The study involved 60 children aged 4 to 6 years (M = 5.6; SD = 1.2) and 20 adult subjects aged 17 to 23 years (M = 20.4; SD = 2.6). The priming paradigm was used as a research model. In this study, we determined the influence of a priori visual stimulation on the speed and accuracy of identification of test sounds, depending on the congruence of their combination with visual objects and the interval between the test and prime stimuli. In the course of the study, it was found that in 4-year-old children, a priori visual information leads to a decrease in the accuracy and speed of reaction to test sound stimuli - a negative priming effect. The magnitude of the negative priming effect decreases with an increase in the interval between prime and test stimuli. In 5-year-old children, the number of errors increases only when incongruent combinations of stimuli are presented - a negative priming effect. On the contrary, the reaction time decreases only in congruent trials with when the test stimulus is delayed relative to the prime by 150-500 ms — a positive priming effect. In 6-year-old children and adults, the accuracy of the reaction does not change, and the reaction rate significantly increases in congruent trials positive priming effect) and decreases in incongruent trials (negative priming effect). The observed dynamics of changes in the interaction of sound and visual stimulation testifies to the formation of mechanisms of attention and multisensory integration in preschool children.

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