INHIBITION OF RETURN Meaning and
Definition
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Inhibition of return refers to a phenomenon observed in cognitive psychology where there is a delay or decrease in the efficiency of processing or responding to a stimulus that has been previously attended to or examined. This inhibitory effect can occur in various sensory modalities such as vision, audition, or touch.
When a person attends to a specific location or object, the sensory and motor systems associated with that attention become primed to process subsequent stimuli in the same area. However, inhibition of return suggests that there is a mechanism in the brain that operates to prevent the re-engagement of attention to the same location or object after some time has passed.
This mechanism is thought to serve an adaptive purpose by promoting exploration of the environment by shifting attention away from previously attended locations and promoting the exploration of new regions. Inhibition of return is believed to enhance the efficiency of searching for novel stimuli and may prevent one from becoming fixated on already processed information.
The phenomenon of inhibition of return has been extensively studied in visual attention research, but its principles have been applied to other modalities as well. By understanding how inhibition of return affects attention, researchers can gain insights into the mechanisms and processes underlying attentional selection and the control of visual exploration.
