Distractibility is the propensity to behaviorally react to irrelevant information. Although children are more distractible the younger they are, the precise contribution of attentional and motor components to distractibility and their developmental trajectories have not been characterized yet. We used a new behavioral paradigm to identify the developmental dynamics of components contributing to distractibility in a large cohort of French participants balanced, between age groups, in gender and socioeconomic status (N = 352; age: 6–25). Results reveal that each measure of these components, namely voluntary attention, distraction, impulsivity, and motor control, present a distinct maturational timeline. In young children, increased distractibility is mostly the result of reduced sustained attention capacities and enhanced distraction, whereas in teenagers, it is the result of decreased motor control and increased impulsivity.

mailing address: CRNL Equipe DYCOG, 95 Boulevard Pinel 10 69500 Bron, France, phone number: +33 (0)4 72 13 89 00, fax: +33 (0)4 72 13 89 01 11 12 Abstract 13 Distractibility is the propensity to behaviorally react to irrelevant information in a world flooded with 14 sensory stimulation. Children are more distractible the younger they are. The precise contribution of 15 attentional and motor components to distractibility and their developmental trajectories have not been 16 characterized yet. We used a new behavioral paradigm to identify the developmental dynamics of 17 components contributing to distractibility in a large cohort of participants (N=352; age range: 6-25). We 18 assessed the specific developmental trajectories of voluntary attention and distraction, as well as 19 impulsivity and motor control. Our results reveal that each of these components present distinct 20 maturational timelines. These findings show that in young children, increased distractibility is mostly the 21 result of reduced sustained attention capacities and enhanced distraction, while in teenagers, it is the 22 result of decreased motor control and increased impulsivity. 23 24 25