Selective Inattention: A Review of Neuroscience and Cognitive Psychology Findings
Selective inattention is a cognitive process by which individuals selectively attend to certain stimuli, while filtering out or ignoring other stimuli. It is an important cognitive ability in everyday life, as it allows individuals to focus on important tasks while ignoring irrelevant or distracting information. This review provides an overview of current research on selective inattention from the fields of neuroscience and cognitive psychology.
Neuroscience research suggests that selective inattention is a form of top-down processing, in which higher-level cognitive processes influence the selection of which information will be attended to and which will be ignored. Specifically, research has demonstrated that selective inattention is mediated by the prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex, which are both involved in attentional control and executive functions. Additionally, research has shown that the limbic system is involved in emotional regulation, and is important for filtering out emotionally salient information.
Cognitive psychology research has investigated the cognitive processes involved in selective inattention, and has found that attentional control, working memory, and inhibitory control are all important factors in this ability. Specifically, attentional control allows individuals to select which stimuli will be attended to, while working memory is necessary for maintaining focus on the target stimulus. Inhibitory control is necessary for filtering out irrelevant or distracting information. Additionally, research has shown that individual differences in cognitive abilities, such as intelligence and working memory capacity, can influence the effectiveness of selective inattention.
Overall, this review has provided an overview of current research on selective inattention from the fields of neuroscience and cognitive psychology. This research has demonstrated that selective inattention is a form of top-down processing, and is mediated by the prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex. Additionally, cognitive processes such as attentional control, working memory, and inhibitory control are all important factors in this ability. Future research should further investigate individual differences in cognitive abilities and the role of emotional regulation in selective inattention.
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