Sabine Kästner, Timothy J. Buschman · Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Neuroscience · 2017
Natural scenes are cluttered and contain many objects that cannot all be processed simultaneously. Due to this limited processing capacity, neural mechanisms are needed to selectively enhance the information that is most relevant to one’s current behavior and to filter unwanted information. We refer to these mechanisms as “selective attention.” Attention has been studied extensively at the behavioral level in a variety of paradigms, most notably, Treisman’s visual search and Posner’s paradigm. These paradigms have also provided the basis for studies directed at understanding the neural mechanisms underlying attentional selection, both in the form of neuroimaging studies in humans and intracranial electrophysiology in non-human primates. The selection of behaviorally relevant information is mediated by a large-scale network that includes regions in all major lobes as well as subcortical structures. Attending to a visual stimulus modulates processing across the visual processing hierarchy with stronger effects in higher-order areas. Current research is aimed at characterizing the functions of the different network nodes as well as the dynamics of their functional connectivity.
Cited by 4
Falk Huettig, Ramesh Kumar Mishra, Christian N. L. Olivers · 2012
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Marvin M. Chun, Jeremy M. Wolfe, E. B. Goldstein · 2001
Spatial attention: Visual selection and deployment over space The attentional spotlight and spatial cueing Attentional shifts, splits, and resolution Object-based Selection The visual search paradigm Top-down and bottom-up control of attention Inhibitory mechanisms of attention Invalid cueing Negative priming Inhibition of return Temporal attention: Visual selection and deployment over time Single target search Attentional blink and attentional dwell time Repetition blindness NEURAL MECHANISMS OF SELECTION Single-cell physiological method Event-related potentials Functional imaging: PET and fMRI
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Alan Allport · 1993
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Allen Allport · 1989
Cited by 1,021
Wright, Richard D. · 1998
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Karla K. Evans, Todd S. Horowitz, Piers D. L. Howe et al. · Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Cognitive Science · 2011
A typical visual scene we encounter in everyday life is complex and filled with a huge amount of perceptual information. The term, 'visual attention' describes a set of mechanisms that limit some processing to a subset of incoming stimuli. Attentional mechanisms shape what we see and what we can act upon. They allow for concurrent selection of some (preferably, relevant) information and inhibition of other information. This selection permits the reduction of complexity and informational overload. Selection can be determined both by the 'bottom-up' saliency of information from the environment and by the 'top-down' state and goals of the perceiver. Attentional effects can take the form of modulating or enhancing the selected information. A central role for selective attention is to enable the 'binding' of selected information into unified and coherent representations of objects in the outside world. In the overview on visual attention presented here we review the mechanisms and consequences of selection and inhibition over space and time. We examine theoretical, behavioral and neurophysiologic work done on visual attention. We also discuss the relations between attention and other cognitive processes such as automaticity and awareness. WIREs Cogni Sci 2011 2 503-514 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.127 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Cited by 56
Rensink, Ronald A. · PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation) · 2003
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Craddock, K. · OpenGrey (Institut de l'Information Scientifique et Technique) · 1983
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2008
Atypical visual scene contains far too much information for the human brain to process simultaneously. In order to use visual information to effectively guide behaviour (eg Figure 1), some kind of selective mechanism is required. Attention is the name given to the process of selecting out the ‘important ’ aspects of a visual scene for further processing, while relegating the rest to limited analysis. Parietal and prefrontal cortex appear to be critical in mediating the control of this selective process. Visual attention plays a remarkably important role in our perception of the world. Despite the subjective impression that we are aware of the entire visual field, it is surprising how little we actually see when we do not pay attention. Figure 1: A crocodile hiding in the grass. In complicated and cluttered visual scenes it can be vital for survival that ‘important ’ visual
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Marvin M. Chun, Jeremy M. Wolfe, E. B. Goldstein · 2001
Spatial attention: Visual selection and deployment over space The attentional spotlight and spatial cueing Attentional shifts, splits, and resolution Object-based Selection The visual search paradigm Top-down and bottom-up control of attention Inhibitory mechanisms of attention Invalid cueing Negative priming Inhibition of return Temporal attention: Visual selection and deployment over time Single target search Attentional blink and attentional dwell time Repetition blindness NEURAL MECHANISMS OF SELECTION Single-cell physiological method Event-related potentials Functional imaging: PET and fMRI
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Subutai Ahmad, Subutai Ahmad, Subutai Ahmad Ph. D et al. · 1991
One of the challenges for models of cognitive phenomena is the development of efficient and flexible interfaces between low level sensory information and high level processes. For visual processing, researchers have long argued that an attentional mechanism is required to perform many of the tasks required by high level vision. This thesis presents VISIT, a connectionist model of covert visual attention that has been used as a vehicle for studying this interface. The model is efficient, flexible, and is biologically plausible. The complexity of the network is linear in the number of pixels. Effective parallel strategies are used to minimize the number of iterations required. The resulting system is able to efficiently solve two tasks that are particularly difficult for standard bottom-up models of vision: computing spatial relations and visual search. Simulations show that the network’s behavior matches much of the known psychophysical data on human visual attention. The general architecture of the model also closely matches the known physiological data on the human attention system. Various extensions to VISIT are discussed, including methods for learning the component modules.
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Dingil, Baris · The Institutional Repository at DePaul University (DePaul University) · 2023
This research presents an innovative approach to improving visual-spatial attention using a research tool based on the web. Recognizing the significant role visual-spatial attention plays in everyday life and cognitive function for humans, this research was undertaken with the aim of developing a user-friendly, accessible web-based tool called Attention Visual (attentionvisual.com) to enhance this crucial cognitive skill. This tool also facilitates data collection, potentially accelerating the pace and enhancing the quality of related research. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized for data collection and analysis. In order to stimulate improvements in visual-spatial attention, the tool’s algorithm was structured to adjust task difficulty according to the user’s performance; heightened performance would yield more challenging tasks, whereas lower performance would result in easier tasks, fostering an adaptive and progressive learning environment. The main hypothesis that underlies this research was that regular use of this tool could result in measurable enhancements in visual-spatial attention. This has potential benefits for various population groups, from athletes to individuals with certain cognitive conditions. The results of the research validate this hypothesis, demonstrating the effectiveness of the webbased tool in enhancing visual-spatial attention and indicating that the design elements of the tool have a positive impact on user performance. The research additionally highlighted a wide range of participant diversity, thanks to the online nature of the tool, enhancing the robustness and generalizability of the data collected. These findings contribute significantly to the fields of cognitive science, neuroplasticity, and digital tool development, offering valuable insights for future research. They demonstrate the effectiveness of web-based tools in cognitive science research and suggest potential avenues for future investigation, such as exploring other aspects of visual cognition or the application of such tools in practical settings like cognitive therapy and rehabilitation.
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1998
Abstract Paying attention is something we are all familiar with and often take for granted, yet the nature of the operations involved in paying attention is one of the most profound mysteries of the brain. This book contains a rich, interdisciplinary collection of articles by some of the pioneers of contemporary research on attention. Central themes include how attention is moved within the visual field; attention’ s role during visual search, and the inhibition of these search processes; how attentional processing changes as continued practice leads to automatic performance; how visual and auditory attentional processing may be linked; and recent advances in functional neuro-imaging and how they have been used to study the brain’ s attentional network
Cited by 20
Rensink, Ronald A. · PhilPapers (PhilPapers Foundation) · 2003
Cited by 0
Baris Dingil · The Institutional Repository at DePaul University (DePaul University) · 2023
This research presents an innovative approach to improving visual-spatial attention using a research tool based on the web. Recognizing the significant role visual-spatial attention plays in everyday life and cognitive function for humans, this research was undertaken with the aim of developing a user-friendly, accessible web-based tool called Attention Visual (attentionvisual.com) to enhance this crucial cognitive skill. This tool also facilitates data collection, potentially accelerating the pace and enhancing the quality of related research. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized for data collection and analysis. In order to stimulate improvements in visual-spatial attention, the tool’s algorithm was structured to adjust task difficulty according to the user’s performance; heightened performance would yield more challenging tasks, whereas lower performance would result in easier tasks, fostering an adaptive and progressive learning environment. The main hypothesis that underlies this research was that regular use of this tool could result in measurable enhancements in visual-spatial attention. This has potential benefits for various population groups, from athletes to individuals with certain cognitive conditions. The results of the research validate this hypothesis, demonstrating the effectiveness of the webbased tool in enhancing visual-spatial attention and indicating that the design elements of the tool have a positive impact on user performance. The research additionally highlighted a wide range of participant diversity, thanks to the online nature of the tool, enhancing the robustness and generalizability of the data collected. These findings contribute significantly to the fields of cognitive science, neuroplasticity, and digital tool development, offering valuable insights for future research. They demonstrate the effectiveness of web-based tools in cognitive science research and suggest potential avenues for future investigation, such as exploring other aspects of visual cognition or the application of such tools in practical settings like cognitive therapy and rehabilitation.
Cited by 0
Stephanie A. McMains, Sabine Kästner · 2008
Cited by 32
Andrew T. Duchowski · 2003
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Stefan Treue, Steffen Katzner · Elsevier eBooks · 2009
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Watkins, S, Rees, G · UCL Discovery (University College London) · 2006
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