How do attentional blinks affect focus?

Attentional blinks can significantly impact one's ability to focus, particularly by causing brief lapses in attention during which another stimulus can be missed. When focusing on a particular object or task, the neurological 'celebration' of identifying the target temporarily disrupts the ability to perceive another stimulus nearby. This phenomenon is common and can be more pronounced in individuals with ADHD, who might experience a higher frequency of attentional blinks compared to those without ADHD. Therefore, attentional blinks illustrate a form of cognitive overload where focusing too intently on one thing can cause other stimuli to be missed.

For example, in an experiment where participants were asked to identify specific letters in a sequence, noticing one letter often caused them to miss the next letter—a clear demonstration of how attentional blinks work. This has broader implications for understanding distractions and focusing difficulties in general, including in ADHD, where these blinks might be more frequent and significant. Such insights suggest that strategies enhancing focus should consider the mechanisms behind attentional blinks to be more effective in improving overall attention and reducing distractibility 1.