The phenomenology of attentional control: a first-person approach to contemplative science and the issue of free will
Frontiers in Psychology March 12, 2024 Terje Sparby, Dirk Cysarz, David Hornemann V. Laer et al. 1 citation
Attentional control has two basic aspects: directing attention to different objects is experienced as easy and a sign of freedom, while sustaining attention on a chosen object is difficult because mind-wandering is inevitable. This raises the question of whether we are fundamentally unfree. An introspective study with six people performing various attention tasks over a month examined whether it is possible to experience the source of attention—the subject enacting freedom through attention. Common and contrasting experiences are reported, forming a basis for discussing the method of introspection and how to handle conflicting reports.