Causes and consequences of limited attention. Export

@article{citeulike:3478544, abstract = {This review focuses on the evolutionary causes and consequences of limited attention, defined as the restricted rate of information processing by the brain. The available data suggest, first, that limited attention is a major cognitive constraint determining animals' search for cryptic food, and, second, that limited attention reduces animals' ability to detect predators while involved in challenging tasks such as searching for cryptic food. These two effects of limited attention probably decrease animal fitness. Furthermore, a simulated evolutionary study provides empirical support for the prediction that focused attention by predators selects for prey polymorphism. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying limited attention have been widely studied. A recent incorporation of that mechanistic knowledge into an ecological model suggests that limited attention is an optimal strategy that balances effective yet economical search for cryptic objects. The review concludes with a set of testable predictions aimed to expand the currently limited empirical knowledge on the evolutionary ecology of limited attention.}, author = {Dukas, R.}, citeulike-article-id = {3478544}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000076781}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://view.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15084813}, citeulike-linkout-2 = {http://www.hubmed.org/display.cgi?uids=15084813}, doi = {10.1159/000076781}, issn = {0006-8977}, journal = {Brain, behavior and evolution}, keywords = {animals, attention, evolution, fitness, human, review}, number = {4}, pages = {197--210}, posted-at = {2008-11-04 13:41:07}, priority = {2}, title = {Causes and consequences of limited attention.}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000076781}, volume = {63}, year = {2004} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:3478544 L3 - citeulike-article-id:3478544 N2 - This review focuses on the evolutionary causes and consequences of limited attention, defined as the restricted rate of information processing by the brain. The available data suggest, first, that limited attention is a major cognitive constraint determining animals' search for cryptic food, and, second, that limited attention reduces animals' ability to detect predators while involved in challenging tasks such as searching for cryptic food. These two effects of limited attention probably decrease animal fitness. Furthermore, a simulated evolutionary study provides empirical support for the prediction that focused attention by predators selects for prey polymorphism. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying limited attention have been widely studied. A recent incorporation of that mechanistic knowledge into an ecological model suggests that limited attention is an optimal strategy that balances effective yet economical search for cryptic objects. The review concludes with a set of testable predictions aimed to expand the currently limited empirical knowledge on the evolutionary ecology of limited attention. IS - 4 JF - Brain, behavior and evolution SN - 0006-8977 EP - 210 TI - Causes and consequences of limited attention. VL - 63 SP - 197 KW - animals KW - attention KW - evolution KW - fitness KW - human KW - review AU - Dukas, R PY - 2004/// UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000076781 ER -