Perhatiattention

Perhatiattention is a term used in cognitive science and human-computer interaction to describe a proposed integration of attentional selection with perceptual encoding. It characterizes how the brain dynamically couples where and how to process sensory input, optimizing information intake under varying cognitive demands.

The term blends the Indonesian word perhatian, meaning attention, with the English word attention, and was introduced in contemporary discussions as a way to distinguish the combined process from pure attention or pure perception. It is not yet universally defined or standardized and is used variably across studies.

Core ideas include the notion that attentional control does not simply select stimuli but also biases early perceptual processing toward task-relevant features. This implies coordinated activity between frontoparietal networks responsible for control and occipitotemporal regions underpinning perceptual encoding. Neural correlates often discussed include synchronized oscillations in theta and alpha bands and ERP components linked to selective processing.

Empirical work on perhatiattention has used visual search, change-detection, and rapid serial visual presentation tasks, as well as neuroimaging and electrophysiology, to examine how attentional focus and perceptual processing interact over time. In applied contexts, the concept informs design of educational tools, user interfaces, and assistive technologies aiming to improve information uptake.

Criticism notes that perhatiattention is not a single, unitary mechanism and may overlap with established theories such as perceptual load, biased competition, and attentional control. Its utility depends on clearer operational definitions and converging evidence across methods.