Concept

Bottom-Up Attention (Attentional Capture)

Bottom-up attention, also known as attentional capture, is an involuntary shift of focus triggered by a prominent stimulus from the environment. For example, if you are concentrating on a conversation in a noisy restaurant, the sudden and loud crash of a dropped tray will likely break through your attentional filters and grab your focus. This response is considered bottom-up because it is driven directly by the external sensory event rather than by internal goals or expectations.

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Updated 2026-05-02

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