Why visual attention and awareness are different

Now that the study of consciousness is warmly embraced by cognitive scientists, much confusion seems to arise between the concepts of visual attention and visual awareness. Often, visual awareness is equated to what is in the focus of attention. There are, however, two sets of arguments to separate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inTrends in cognitive sciences Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 12 - 18
Main Author Lamme, Victor A.F.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Elsevier Ltd 2003
Elsevier
Subjects
Biological and medical sciences
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Perception
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Vision
Human
Selective attention
Consciousness
Awareness
Vision
Perception
Cognition
Visual attention
Comparative study
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Summary:Now that the study of consciousness is warmly embraced by cognitive scientists, much confusion seems to arise between the concepts of visual attention and visual awareness. Often, visual awareness is equated to what is in the focus of attention. There are, however, two sets of arguments to separate attention from awareness: a psychological/theoretical one and a neurobiological one. By combining these arguments I present definitions of visual attention and awareness that clearly distinguish between the two, yet explain why attention and awareness are so intricately related. In fact, there seems more overlap between mechanisms of memory and awareness than between those of attention and awareness.
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ISSN:1364-6613
1879-307X
DOI:10.1016/S1364-6613(02)00013-X