Richards, J.E. (2004). Development of covert orienting in young infants. In L. Itti, G. Rees, & J. Tsotsos (Eds.), Neurobiology of attention (Chapter 14, pp. 82-88). Academic Press / Elsevier. (PDF)
Adults can shift attention to different regions of space without moving the eyes, i.e., covert orienting of attention. Covert orienting implies that information processing may occur for stimuli in peripheral locations. The purpose of the present chapter is to review evidence that infants in the first six months of life are able to shift attention throughout space covertly. These studies show that there is an increasing efficiency from birth to six months with which infant shift spatial attention. Some cortical areas that may be involved in the development of spatial attention will be suggested.