Tähelepanematusseisundit

Tähelepanematusseisundit, often translated as inattentional blindness or looked-but-failed-to-see, describes a psychological phenomenon where an individual fails to notice a fully visible, but unexpected, stimulus in their environment because their attention is engaged elsewhere. This is not a failure of vision or sensory perception, but rather a limitation of attention. Despite the stimulus being present and perceivable, it does not reach conscious awareness.

This effect is famously demonstrated in the "invisible gorilla" experiment. Participants in this study were asked to count the number of basketball passes made by one team. While engrossed in this task, a person in a gorilla suit walked through the scene. A significant percentage of participants, often over half, failed to notice the gorilla's presence. This highlights how deeply focused attention can lead to overlooking even salient and unusual events.

Tähelepanematusseisundit has significant implications in various real-world contexts. For instance, it is a factor in traffic accidents, where drivers may fail to see pedestrians or other vehicles due to preoccupation with driving tasks or other distractions. In medical settings, it can affect professionals' ability to spot anomalies in scans or patient conditions. Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for designing systems and training individuals to mitigate its potential dangers and improve situational awareness.