User:Ungulates/attention rewrite
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This is a scratchpad for a proposed rewrite of the article "Attention".
New ToC:
- Intro
- Definition (Types of attention...)
- Special states of attention (Attention deficit disorder, mindfulness, flow...)
- Historical approaches
- In cognitive science
- Cultural aspects
- Open questions
Attention is the behavioral and cognitive process of selectively concentrating on certain information while ignoring other perceivable information. It has long been a central topic of experimental psychology and cognitive psychology. In 1890, William James wrote:
Every one knows what attention is. It is the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. Focalization, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence. It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others, and is a condition which has a real opposite in the confused, dazed, scatterbrained state which in French is called distraction and Zerstreutheit in German. [1]
— William James, The Principles of Psychology
While there is no universally accepted definition of attention (cite), James' touches on several widely-noted properties of attention. Intuitively, attention seems to involve orienting toward certain aspects of information while filtering out distracting details. It usually involves a deliberate choice to concentrate on something, while attending less to other things. The "opposite" condition, a lack of attention, corresponds with the idea that attention is a depletable resource. (cite)
Attention is thought to play an important roles in mental processes such as memory, consciousness, learning, and decision making (cite) and it remains a major field of study within education, psychology, and neuroscience, and other areas of cognitive science. One important open question within attention research concerns the reasons that people with ADHD have difficulty paying attention and the development of effective treatments.