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Attentional Capture: Why Your Brain Loses Focus

By Mohammed looti / / 1 min read
Scientifically Reviewed · Dr. Marwa Abd-Alazim · August 31, 2026
Medically & Scientifically Reviewed Verified: August 31, 2026
Dr. Marwa Abd-Alazim PhD in Psychology
Faculty Member • University of Kerbala
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This content undergoes rigorous scientific peer-review and medical editorial standards at Arab Psychology Network to ensure clinical accuracy, validity, and compliance with evidence-based guidelines from leading psychological and healthcare authorities (APA / WHO).

Attentional Capture: Why Your Brain Loses Focus
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

the unintentional focusing of attention, for example by a change in a stimulus, which interrupts other processing – for example, the person paying attention to the dog immediate shifted his or her attention to the motor vehicle accident next to him or her.

ATTENTIONAL CAPTURE: “A loud noise that made the person’s head turn rapidly, could be said to have been a source of attentional capture.”
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About the Author: Mohammed looti

An academic and researcher specialized in educational psychology and a faculty member at the University of Kerbala. He holds a PhD in his field, and his research interests center on positive psychology, the development of psychological scales, and cognitive emotion regulation. Dr. Looti is distinguished by his contemporary research approach, focusing on the psychological effects of modern technology and artificial intelligence on mental health and identity formation among young people. His scholarly contributions also extend to studying the dynamics of family communication and its role in building self-efficacy and leadership skills, in addition to his research on mindfulness programs and psychological recovery — making him an active researcher enriching the field of educational and applied psychology.

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Cite This Article

looti, M. (2026, August 31). Attentional Capture: Why Your Brain Loses Focus. Encyclopedia of psychology. https://encyclopedia.arabpsychology.com/attentional-capture/
looti, Mohammed. “Attentional Capture: Why Your Brain Loses Focus.” Encyclopedia of psychology, 31 August 2026, https://encyclopedia.arabpsychology.com/attentional-capture/.
looti, Mohammed. “Attentional Capture: Why Your Brain Loses Focus.” Encyclopedia of psychology. August 31, 2026. https://encyclopedia.arabpsychology.com/attentional-capture/.

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