Aufmerksamkeits

Aufmerksamkeit is a central cognitive process that allows organisms to selectively focus on specific information while filtering out distractions. It coordinates perception, working memory, and action by allocating processing resources over time and space. In German, Aufmerksamkeits- serves as a productive bound form used to form compounds describing attention-related phenomena, for example Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung and Aufmerksamkeitsökonomie.

Types of attention include selective attention, sustaining attention over time (sustained attention), dividing attention between tasks (divided attention), and shifting attention between tasks or stimuli (alternating attention). Researchers employ tasks such as the Stroop test, the Posner cueing paradigm, and dichotic listening to measure performance, typically using metrics like reaction time and accuracy. Neurophysiological methods such as EEG/ERP and fMRI illuminate the neural correlates of attentional processes.

Neural basis and networks: Attentional control involves multiple brain networks. The dorsal frontoparietal network supports goal-directed, top-down attention, while the ventral attention network mediates stimulus-driven reorienting to salient events. Subcortical structures, including the thalamus and locus coeruleus, contribute to arousal and gain control, modulating the strength of attentional focus.

Development, variation, and clinical relevance: Attention develops throughout childhood and can be affected by aging. Clinically relevant conditions include ADHD, characterized by persistent inattention and/or hyperactivity, and unilateral neglect following brain injury, typically due to parietal damage. Interventions range from behavioral and educational strategies to pharmacotherapy for ADHD. Understanding attention informs education, human–computer interaction, and safety-critical design.

See also: Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung, Aufmerksamkeitsökonomie, Aufmerksamkeitssteuerung.