The Difference between Visual Attention and Awareness: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective

Visual awareness is often equated to what is in the focus of attention. There are a number of reasons from the psychological or theoretical perspective to distinguish between the two, but perhaps the clearest argument to separate attention from awareness can be made from the neural perspective. In neural terms, definitions of visual attention and awareness can be formulated that clearly distinguish between the two, yet explain why attention and awareness are so intricately related. Attention can be defined as the convolution of sensory processing with long- and short-term memory. Awareness, on the other hand, depends critically on recurrent processing. By combining the two, we understand why we seem only capable of conscious reports about what is in the focus of attention. At the same time, we must conclude, however, that we also have phenomenal experience of what is outside that focus.

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