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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

Published on: July 16, 2015

Distraction and mind-wandering under load.

Sophie Forster¹

¹Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London London, UK.

Frontiers in Psychology

|June 5, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Load Theory explains how task difficulty influences attention and distraction. Recent research extends this, showing task-unrelated stimuli, like internal thoughts, also cause distraction, regardless of task load.

Keywords:

attention distractor interference irrelevant distraction mind-wandering perceptual load task-unrelated thought

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience

Background:

Decades of research explored distraction determinants: distractor characteristics, task features, and individual differences.
Load Theory identified task-load's critical role in distractor rejection efficiency and processing stage.

Purpose of the Study:

Review recent research on task-irrelevant distractions within the Load Theory framework.
Examine distractions from external and internal stimuli, unrelated to the primary task.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies on distraction and attention.
Analysis of research extending Load Theory to task-irrelevant stimuli.

Main Results:

Distraction can arise from stimuli entirely unrelated to the task, including internal thoughts.
Load Theory principles appear applicable to a broader range of distractor types.

Conclusions:

Task-unrelated distractions are a significant aspect of attention.
Load effects are universal across different distractor types and individuals, extending Load Theory's applicability.