More than a century ago, William James offered this concise description of attention: `Every one knows what attention is. It is the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. Focalization, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence. It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others....'

What I want to focus on in this talk is the last sentence of James's description. `It involves withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others.'

`Physiological Studies of Attention in Autism: Implications for Autistic Cognition and Behaviour', Matthew Belmonte, 26 January 2002