Mechanism and Variation in the Development of Attentional Networks

Abstract

Two major approaches to understanding development are the delineation of common mechanisms of emotion and cognition and the study of individual differences among these mechanisms. In this chapter we attempt to integrate these two approaches within the domain of attentional reactivity and self-regulation. We examine brain networks involved in orienting and executive control and discuss how they relate to temperamental differences in attention. We believe consideration of individual variations in how common mechanisms of attention function can greatly enlarge our understanding of normal and pathological development.