What does selective attention result in?

Selective attention refers to the cognitive process by which a person focuses on a specific aspect of information while ignoring others. This process allows for the filtering of stimuli so that the brain can effectively concentrate on what is deemed important at a given moment. In doing so, selective attention can lead to overlooking significant information that may be occurring in the periphery or in the background, resulting in a potential loss of context or important details.

For instance, when someone is deeply engaged in reading a book, they may not notice sounds around them or people entering the room, even if those stimuli could be significant. This illustrates how selective attention narrows the focus, enhancing the processing of the chosen stimuli while making it difficult to recognize or respond to other relevant information.