Attention

Change Blindness

The failure to notice changes in a stimulus, even when attention is directed at that stimulus.

Attention

Taking possession by the mind, in a clear and vivid form, of one out of several potential objects or trains of thought.

Selective Attention

The process of selecting which stimulus to focus on while ignoring others.

Unattended Information

The information that is not focused on and is often overlooked.

Regional Cortex Blood Flow

Blood flow to relevant brain areas, which decreases significantly with age and increases in the first few years of life.

ADHD

A disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interfere with functioning or development.

Inattentional Blindness

The inability to see objects that are not being attended to.

Feature Search

A search for a single feature that is very fast and requires little attention.

Conjunctive Search

A more complex search that requires looking for a combination of features and takes more attention.

Spotlight Model

The model describing how we can move our attention in a manner similar to moving our eyes.

Diving Attention

A scenario where a task demands substantial processing resources.

Limitations of Attention: Tracking Speed

The speed at which attended objects move and the rapidity of eye movement required to keep up.

Limitations of Attention: Capacity

The number of objects that can be processed simultaneously.

Limitations of Attention: Crowding

The difficulty in identifying objects that are close to one another.

Reaction Time

The time it takes to respond to a stimulus.