Selective Attention
Selective attention is the cognitive process of selecting some sensory inputs for processing while filtering out others.
The classic debate is when selection happens:
- Early selection (Broadbent’s Filter Theory): unattended input filtered out before meaning is processed
- Late selection (Deutsch-Norman Late Selection): more information is processed before selection kicks in
Counter-evidence to strict early selection
The Cocktail Party Effect shows personally relevant info (like your name) can break through from an unattended channel, so the filter can’t be total.