Synonyms
Definition
Cognitive processes that enable the selection of, focus on, and sustained processing of information. The object of attention can either be environmental stimuli actively being processed by sensory systems, or associative information and response alternatives generated by ongoing cognitive activity.
Historical Background
Attention is subjectively self-evident to all people, and terms that referred to attention-type experiences have been described by philosophers through the ages. The concept of attention is strongly linked in the philosophy to the nature of consciousness, self-awareness, and most theories of the “mind.” Accordingly, attention has been the subject of psychological inquiry from the beginning of this scientific discipline. The writings of William James captured this fact, as evident from this well-known excerpt from his Principles of Psychology (1898).
Everyone knows what attention is. It is the taking possession by the...
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Cohen, R.A. (2011). Attention. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_1267
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