Page 53 - The CoESPU Magazine N 1 - 2018

Attention like a cognitive function: the core of

the reaction time

In the last newsletter we have spoken about the differences between “Time of Reaction” and “Reflexes”
and how “Time of Reaction” is strictly connected with a specific function of our brain: the “Attention”.
Attention is a cognitive function but there is a lack of uniformity regarding its definition, both in
everyday and scientific language. Intuitively, everybody understands this term, but when attempts are
made to describe its different components and characteristics or to devise ways of measuring its
parameters, it becomes clear just how many aspects and processes, each requiring a precise definition
and specific testing instruments, are encompassed by this one term alone. Some researchers as Van
Zomeren and Brower observe “terminology in the domain of attention has been a source of confusion
since all researchers use their own favored terms, a choice which largely depends upon their respective
backgrounds”.
In support of their argument THE DIFFICULTY IN ACHIEVING UNITARY VISION OF
they cite Moray, a British- ATTENTION STEMS FROM THE FACT THAT ONE CAN
Canadian academic and
DISTINGUISH DISTINCT AND PARTIAL ASPECTS OF
Professor at the Department
THE SAME PHENOMENON
of Psychology of the
University of Surrey, known
1
from his 1959 research of the cocktail party effect , who states that “terminology in the area of
attention has been at best confused, at worst, a muddle”, and Donchin who sees attention as just a
metaphor, “a term, which although ill -defined, is used to label a highly complex set of processes”.
The difficulty in achieving unitary vision of attention stems from the fact that one can distinguish
distinct and partial aspects of the same phenomenon. So when we trait with the attention like a
cognitive function, we have to consider:
1) the close relationship with baseline activation if one consider attention as the prerequisite for
any interaction with the world;
2) the presence of automatic attentional processes that precede, accompany or impede voluntary

ones;
3) the differentiation of attentional processes in relation to the nature of the task.
Now we are going to see some elements very important to understand what is attention as a brain
function .
Along with the discovery of the role of the brain stem reticular formation in maintaining wakefulness,
came recognition of the existence of cerebral activation and physiological readiness to respond to
internal or external stimuli. This activation may be pinpointed along a continuum, starting at a level
consistent with coma, that is a state of unconsciousness where a person is unresponsive and cannot be

1
The cocktail party effect is the phenomenon of the brain's ability to focus one's auditory attention (an effect of selective
attention in the brain) on a particular stimulus while filtering out a range of other stimuli, as when a partygoer can focus
on a single conversation in a noisy room.

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