注意の分類と検査法

Subcategories of Attention Function and Its Assessment Methods

注意機能の下位分類にはさまざまな分類方法がある。本論では神経心理に適応しやすい下位分類，すなわち，選択性注意，持続性注意，空間性注意，抑制性注意，配分性注意，転換性注意を挙げた。ただ，この分類同士にもオーバーラップが認められる。さらにはワーキングメモリや遂行機能などと重複する機能も多い。われわれの認知活動は注意機能と絡んで行われるため，純粋に特定の注意機能を抽出するのは困難である。

Abstract

The subcategories of attention function have various classification methods. In this section, we have listed subcategories that are easily applicable to neuropsychology, namely selective, sustained, spatial, and divided attention, attentional inhibition, and attention shifting. Among them, selective attention is a function excluding unnecessary information from a myriad of data while selecting essential information. Sustained attention, in contrast, is a function directing attention to information over a certain period and maintaining it during task execution, are the two basic subfunctions in attention. Attentional inhibition, divided attention, and attention shifting are regarded as attentional control functions or executive control of attention, which are closely related with working memory and executive function. However, there is also an overlap observed among these subfunctions. Since our cognitive activities are intertwined with attention functions, it is challenging to purely extract specific attention functions.