Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

904
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
904
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective01:23

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

327
In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
327
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

465
The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing,...
465
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

47.5K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
47.5K
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons02:54

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

6.8K
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
6.8K
Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

31.3K
Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
31.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Coordinating with Peers vs. Adults.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same author

Three-year-old children understand the false beliefs of their partner in collaborative decision making.

Child development·2026
Same author

It's the cost that counts! Young children's reciprocity is sensitive to subjective cost.

Child development·2026
Same author

Thought and language: Effects of group-mindedness on young children's interpretation of exclusive we.

Child development·2023
Same author

Apes reciprocate food positively and negatively.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2023
Same author

The coordination of attention and action in great apes and humans.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2022
Same journal

The cognitive foundations of children's culture.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

Let the kids play: Children's folklore, Newell's paradox, and the triviality barrier.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

Variable cultural acquisition costs may explain contextual variation in peer cultures.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

What's special about peer cultures? The opportunity for disagreement.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

The adaptive role of peer culture is shaped by risk landscapes.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

Hidden cultures: How parental control shapes children's cultural adaptation in East Asian societies.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 10, 2026

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
09:03

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Published on: May 21, 2019

10.0K

Attention in evolutionary perspective.

Michael Tomasello1,2

  • 1https://ror.org/00py81415Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|November 26, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Organisms evolved attention beyond basic perception to aid value-based decision-making. This distinct attention focuses on entire relevant situations, not just isolated stimuli, for goal-directed behavior.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Exploring Behavioral Pathways Through Cross-Species Insights in Foraging and Communication
03:53

Author Spotlight: Exploring Behavioral Pathways Through Cross-Species Insights in Foraging and Communication

Published on: November 17, 2023

1.5K
Automated Measurements of Sleep and Locomotor Activity in Mexican Cavefish
05:10

Automated Measurements of Sleep and Locomotor Activity in Mexican Cavefish

Published on: March 21, 2019

7.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 10, 2026

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
09:03

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Published on: May 21, 2019

10.0K
Author Spotlight: Exploring Behavioral Pathways Through Cross-Species Insights in Foraging and Communication
03:53

Author Spotlight: Exploring Behavioral Pathways Through Cross-Species Insights in Foraging and Communication

Published on: November 17, 2023

1.5K
Automated Measurements of Sleep and Locomotor Activity in Mexican Cavefish
05:10

Automated Measurements of Sleep and Locomotor Activity in Mexican Cavefish

Published on: March 21, 2019

7.5K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Perception allows organisms to sense their environment.
  • Attention is a cognitive process that selects information for further processing.
  • The evolutionary advantage of attention distinct from perception is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of attention as distinct from perception in freely behaving organisms.
  • To understand how attention contributes to goal-directed behavior and decision-making.

Main Methods:

  • Observational studies of organisms in naturalistic settings.
  • Analysis of behavioral data related to decision-making processes.
  • Distinguishing attentional processes from general perceptual capabilities.

Main Results:

  • Attention, separate from perception, is crucial for value-based decision-making in goal-directed organisms.
  • The focus of attention is on entire relevant situations or scenes, not isolated stimuli.
  • This broader attentional scope supports complex behavioral choices.

Conclusions:

  • Attention evolved as a distinct mechanism to facilitate complex decision-making.
  • Understanding attention requires studying organisms in natural, goal-directed contexts.
  • Attention directs cognitive resources towards ecologically relevant situational information.