Audiovisual Dual-Tasking and the Characteristics of Concurrent Information Processing in Young Children

In contemporary environments, young children are frequently exposed to diverse audiovisual stimuli and often encounter dual-task situations requiring them to process unrelated stimuli simultaneously. Although dual-task conditions impair children’s performance, few studies have systematically examined the underlying mechanisms. This study aims to provide foundational insights into young children’s audiovisual information processing abilities and offer educational implications. Seventy preschoolers (60–82 months old) were recruited, and a dual-tasking toolkit was developed using the psychological refractory period (PRP) paradigm. Participants responded rapidly to two stimuli presented at short intervals. The data revealed that the response time of Task 2 (RT2) and PRP decreased as stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) increased, particularly with the more difficult Task 1 in dual-tasking conditions. RT2 and PRP decreased further when tasks were presented in the order of auditory and visual sensory modalities; however, this difference disappeared under the high Task 1 difficulty and short SOA. These findings provide empirical evidence that young children’s dual-task performance and processing interference are influenced by the characteristics of concurrently presented stimuli and task demands. The results offer insights into early childhood education, emphasizing the importance of mitigating cognitive overload under dual-task situations and fostering both foundational and higher-order cognitive abilities in young learners.