Attention Mechanisms and Models

The process by which the mind selects specific stimuli from the environment while ignoring others.

The ability to focus on a single conversation in a noisy environment, despite distractions.

A theory suggesting that attention filters incoming information based on physical properties like location, pitch, and loudness, early in the processing stage.

A theory that suggests that unattended information is not completely blocked out, but instead weakened or attenuated, meaning some information still reaches awareness.

A model proposing that all incoming sensory information is initially held in a sensory buffer, and a selective filter allows only the most important information to pass for further processing based on physical properties.

An experiment using earphones to present different sentences to each ear, with participants instructed to attend to only one. It tests the extent of attention to the unattended ear.

A brain imaging technique used to measure electrical activity in the brain, often employed in dichotic listening tasks to see which hemisphere processes auditory information.

The experiment involving cats where their brain stem responses were measured to a sound. The response was weaker when the cats were attending to a mouse, suggesting attention can influence sensory processing

The ability to focus on a specific location in space, ignoring other areas.

The ability to focus on specific features or characteristics of an object, such as color or shape.

Visual search tasks involve searching for a target object among distractors. A 'pop-out' search is easy because the target is visually distinct, making it stand out quickly.

Visual search tasks become harder when the target shares features with distractors, requiring a more thorough search.

A brief visual stimulus presented to test where attention is directed. Its effect on brain activity can be measured.

An electroencephalogram (EEG) wave that reflects sensory processing in the visual cortex. It can be modulated by attention.

A technique that records the electrical activity of individual neurons in the brain of an animal.

A brain region responsible for early visual processing, receiving information directly from the eyes.

A brain region involved in more complex visual processing, receiving input from V1.

Using an external cue (e.g., an arrow pointing to a location) to direct attention.

Using internal knowledge or goals to guide attention.

The area of the visual field where a particular neuron is most responsive to stimulation.

A brain imaging technique that measures blood flow to different areas of the brain, revealing which areas are active.

The orderly representation of the visual field within the brain, where locations on the retina are mapped to specific areas of the visual cortex.

The ability to use fMRI and retinotopy to identify specific areas of the brain involved in visual attention.

A non-invasive imaging technique that measures the tiny magnetic fields produced by the brain's electrical activity. It provides real-time information about brain function and offers high temporal resolution.

An experimental method where different sounds are presented simultaneously to each ear, one to the left and one to the right. It examines how the brain processes auditory information and how attention affects this processing.

A type of attention that is triggered by a sudden, unexpected event in the environment. It is automatic and involuntary. Example: A loud bang makes you turn your head.

A type of attention that is focused and sustained, driven by our intentions and goals. It is voluntary and goal-directed. Example: Watching a movie for two hours.

The ability to attend to a specific feature of a stimulus, regardless of its location in space. Example: Searching for someone wearing a red coat in a crowd.

The ability to attend to a whole object, which automatically spreads to its different parts. Example: Looking at a car and noticing its wheels, body, and windows.

A task that examines how visual cues influence attentional allocation in space and its effect on reaction times and accuracy. Valid cues correctly predict the location of the target, while invalid cues do not.

The first negative deflection in the event-related potential (ERP) waveform recorded during auditory tasks. It reflects sensory processing and is linked to the early selection theory of attention.

A theoretical framework suggesting that attentional filtering occurs early in the processing stream, before stimuli are fully analyzed for meaning. It implies that we process only the information we attend to.

A theoretical framework suggesting that attentional filtering occurs after sensory information has been fully processed for meaning. It proposes that all stimuli are analyzed, and then we select particular information based on its relevance.

A state of decreased attentional sensitivity to a stimuli as it becomes repetitive or familiar. It can occur during automatic attention and is linked to the idea that the brain focuses on new or changing information.

A component of the event-related potential (ERP) that reflects early visual processing. Its amplitude is modulated by attention, suggesting attention affects sensory processing in the visual cortex.

The ability to direct attention to a location in space without any outward sign or bodily movement, such as eye movements or head turns.

The ability to direct attention to a location in space by physically moving your sensory organs, such as your eyes, head, or body. It is observable.

The process in the brain where neurons compete for processing resources, with attention enhancing the activity of neurons processing the attended stimulus and suppressing others.

Attention enhances the activity of neurons in brain areas specialized for processing the attended feature, such as motion or color.

Attentional modulation of neuronal activity, where the firing rate of a neuron increases when the stimulus it processes is the focus of attention.

The dorsal stream processes spatial information, including location and motion. The ventral stream processes object recognition, including color and shape.

Attentional effects can be measured in different brain regions using fMRI, demonstrating how attention modulates brain activity in a feature-specific way.

A behavioral experiment that demonstrates the effect of object-based attention on reaction times. Participants respond faster to targets appearing at cued locations within the same object, than at uncued locations on different objects.

fMRI experiments show that brain activity is stronger in visual cortical areas (V1-V4) for cued locations, and even stronger for uncued locations on the same object compared to different objects, highlighting the influence of object attention.

The ability to select specific stimuli for processing while ignoring others, often compared to focusing on one conversation in a noisy room.

A theory suggesting that attention is a process of choosing which information to process further, with early selection theories suggesting selection occurs early in processing, and late selection theories suggesting selection happens later.

Studies investigating the neural activity of single neurons, particularly in areas like V4, provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of attention.

Attentional modulation of neuronal activity, where attention influences the firing rate of neurons, providing more evidence for the biased competition model.