At any given time, a vast amount of information reaches our senses. Spatial attention is the cognitive mechanism that allows us to select visual information by focusing on a specific location of the visual scene at the expense of others. This mechanism is traditionally distinguished based on whether it is oriented according to our intentions (endogenous attention) or if it is "captured" by new and unexpected events (exogenous attention). However, in recent years, research has demonstrated a substantial link between both types of attention, bringing this dualism into question. For example, endogenous attention can prevent the exogenous capture of an unexpected event.
Various factors can influence the interplay between these attentional modes, and motivation likely plays a prominent role. Motivation refers to a range of urges aimed at meeting a variety of internal (e.g., physiological needs) and external (e.g., social appreciation) demands. However, it remains unclear whether motivation directly impacts spatial attention. For example, while human studies suggest that spatial attention and incentive motivation mainly operate independently, research on nonhuman primates suggests an interaction between them.
Motivation may interact with the attentional system by directing a recalibration of ongoing attentional priorities. Consider the following scenario: a university student is immersed in studying while at the beach, and an ice cream cart passes by. If the student leaves the book to enjoy the refreshing ice cream, one can conclude that the exogenous shifting of attention towards the approaching cart was more important than the proximity of the university exam date. In this example, the inner motivation affected the voluntary attentional focus on the text reading.
To date, we lack a cohesive theoretical framework describing how motivation affects attentional control, and our understanding of this topic is incomplete.
The ongoing research activity aims to investigate the role of motivational factors in influencing the interplay between endogenous and exogenous attention, as well as their impact on filtering out distracting stimuli. Widely speaking, researchers are addressing whether motivational factors act independently of attentional control or whether they exert a synergistic effect.
To update the literature in the argument, this Research Topic welcomes studies that contribute to enhancing our understanding by the analysis of multi-dimensional, possibly cross-species datasets associated with the behavioral and neural correlates of such motivational factors. Works covering a broad spectrum of approaches characterized by diverse spatial and temporal resolution, including behavioral studies, EEG, TMS, fMRI, computational models and electrophysiological recordings, are strongly encouraged.
Keywords:
Motivation, Attention
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
At any given time, a vast amount of information reaches our senses. Spatial attention is the cognitive mechanism that allows us to select visual information by focusing on a specific location of the visual scene at the expense of others. This mechanism is traditionally distinguished based on whether it is oriented according to our intentions (endogenous attention) or if it is "captured" by new and unexpected events (exogenous attention). However, in recent years, research has demonstrated a substantial link between both types of attention, bringing this dualism into question. For example, endogenous attention can prevent the exogenous capture of an unexpected event.
Various factors can influence the interplay between these attentional modes, and motivation likely plays a prominent role. Motivation refers to a range of urges aimed at meeting a variety of internal (e.g., physiological needs) and external (e.g., social appreciation) demands. However, it remains unclear whether motivation directly impacts spatial attention. For example, while human studies suggest that spatial attention and incentive motivation mainly operate independently, research on nonhuman primates suggests an interaction between them.
Motivation may interact with the attentional system by directing a recalibration of ongoing attentional priorities. Consider the following scenario: a university student is immersed in studying while at the beach, and an ice cream cart passes by. If the student leaves the book to enjoy the refreshing ice cream, one can conclude that the exogenous shifting of attention towards the approaching cart was more important than the proximity of the university exam date. In this example, the inner motivation affected the voluntary attentional focus on the text reading.
To date, we lack a cohesive theoretical framework describing how motivation affects attentional control, and our understanding of this topic is incomplete.
The ongoing research activity aims to investigate the role of motivational factors in influencing the interplay between endogenous and exogenous attention, as well as their impact on filtering out distracting stimuli. Widely speaking, researchers are addressing whether motivational factors act independently of attentional control or whether they exert a synergistic effect.
To update the literature in the argument, this Research Topic welcomes studies that contribute to enhancing our understanding by the analysis of multi-dimensional, possibly cross-species datasets associated with the behavioral and neural correlates of such motivational factors. Works covering a broad spectrum of approaches characterized by diverse spatial and temporal resolution, including behavioral studies, EEG, TMS, fMRI, computational models and electrophysiological recordings, are strongly encouraged.
Keywords:
Motivation, Attention
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.