Definitionv1DF-064
Reactive attention
the default cognitive state where attention scatters to the most salient environmental stimulus because no explicit intention has been declared to bias attention toward specific information
Why This Is a Definition
This definition precisely establishes what constitutes reactive attention by specifying its causal condition (absence of intention) and its behavioral outcome (scattering to salient stimuli). It distinguishes this from intentional attention and explains the underlying mechanism through which attention becomes reactive.