Consciousness, Attention, and the Motivation-Affect System
Journal of Consciousness Studies August 1, 2023 DOI: 10.53765/20512201.30.7.139 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe motivation-affect system controls a subtype of attention called 'alerting attention' to bring various goals and stimuli to consciousness, thereby prioritizing those contents for action. This view fleshes out the global workspace theory of consciousness and explains some phenomenal characteristics of conscious experience.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Philosophy |
| Key finding | The motivation-affect system controls alerting attention to bring goals and stimuli to consciousness and prioritize them for action. |
Abstract
It is an important feature of creatures like us that our various motivations compete for control over our behaviour, including mental behaviour such as imagining and attending. In large part, this competition is adjudicated by the stimulation of affect — the intrinsically pleasant or unpleasant aspects of experience. In this paper I argue that the motivation-affect system controls a sub-type of attention called 'alerting attention' to bring various goals and stimuli to consciousness and thereby prioritize those contents for action. This view allows me to flesh out the global workspace theory of consciousness, as well as some of the phenomenal characteristics of conscious experience.