Attentional load and attentional boost: A review of data and theory
Both perceptual and cognitive processes are limited in capacity. As a result, attention is selective, prioritizing items and tasks that are important for adaptive behavior. However, a number of recent behavioral and neuroimaging studies suggest that, at least under some circumstances, increasing att...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2013-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00274/full |
| _version_ | 1818191266272247808 |
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| author | Khena M Swallow Khena M Swallow Yuhong V Jiang Yuhong V Jiang |
| author_facet | Khena M Swallow Khena M Swallow Yuhong V Jiang Yuhong V Jiang |
| author_sort | Khena M Swallow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Both perceptual and cognitive processes are limited in capacity. As a result, attention is selective, prioritizing items and tasks that are important for adaptive behavior. However, a number of recent behavioral and neuroimaging studies suggest that, at least under some circumstances, increasing attention to one task can enhance performance in a second task (e.g., the attentional boost effect). Here we review these findings and suggest a new theoretical framework, the dual-task interaction model, that integrates these findings with current views of attentional selection. To reconcile the attentional boost effect with the effects of attentional load, we suggest that temporal selection results in a temporally specific enhancement across modalities, tasks, and spatial locations. Moreover, the effects of temporal selection may be best observed when the attentional system is optimally tuned to the temporal dynamics of incoming stimuli. Several avenues of research motivated by the dual-task interaction model are then discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T00:11:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a388dcff2ccd4a88bcb7a6c60d337a1d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T00:11:52Z |
| publishDate | 2013-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a388dcff2ccd4a88bcb7a6c60d337a1d2022-12-22T00:44:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782013-05-01410.3389/fpsyg.2013.0027446594Attentional load and attentional boost: A review of data and theoryKhena M Swallow0Khena M Swallow1Yuhong V Jiang2Yuhong V Jiang3University of MinnesotaUniversity of MinnesotaUniversity of MinnesotaUniversity of MinnesotaBoth perceptual and cognitive processes are limited in capacity. As a result, attention is selective, prioritizing items and tasks that are important for adaptive behavior. However, a number of recent behavioral and neuroimaging studies suggest that, at least under some circumstances, increasing attention to one task can enhance performance in a second task (e.g., the attentional boost effect). Here we review these findings and suggest a new theoretical framework, the dual-task interaction model, that integrates these findings with current views of attentional selection. To reconcile the attentional boost effect with the effects of attentional load, we suggest that temporal selection results in a temporally specific enhancement across modalities, tasks, and spatial locations. Moreover, the effects of temporal selection may be best observed when the attentional system is optimally tuned to the temporal dynamics of incoming stimuli. Several avenues of research motivated by the dual-task interaction model are then discussed.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00274/fullAttentiondual-task interferenceLoad theorytemporal selectionattentional boost effect |
| spellingShingle | Khena M Swallow Khena M Swallow Yuhong V Jiang Yuhong V Jiang Attentional load and attentional boost: A review of data and theory Frontiers in Psychology Attention dual-task interference Load theory temporal selection attentional boost effect |
| title | Attentional load and attentional boost: A review of data and theory |
| title_full | Attentional load and attentional boost: A review of data and theory |
| title_fullStr | Attentional load and attentional boost: A review of data and theory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attentional load and attentional boost: A review of data and theory |
| title_short | Attentional load and attentional boost: A review of data and theory |
| title_sort | attentional load and attentional boost a review of data and theory |
| topic | Attention dual-task interference Load theory temporal selection attentional boost effect |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00274/full |
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