Is Attention Necessary for Consciousness?
"All the experiments described in [our] book demonstrate that when one takes the proper measures to eliminate voluntary attention, the intention to intend to what is displayed, there is a drastic reduction in what is perceived, at least on a conscious level. In fact, unless certain kinds of objects are presented in our critical trial, the rule seems to be that nothing is perceived consciously."
(Arien Mack and Irvin Rock, Inattentional Blindness)
Some questions:
- What is meant by "blindness"?
- What form(s) of inattention give rise to it?
Alternative interpretations of the "inattentional blindness" findings
- Inattentional amnesia
- Inattentional agnosia
- Inattentional apraxia
Possible examples of consciousness without attention
- Perceptual gist
- Perceptual crowding
Gist Perception
