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The (mis)use of the gate metaphor for attention
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 November 2025
Abstract
The field has chosen gate as its preferred metaphor for attention. This commentary will discuss the power and the consequences of this choice. It will make the case that a better metaphor is needed, to liberate our understanding of attention from the constraints imposed by the gate metaphor.
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- Type
- Open Peer Commentary
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- Copyright
- © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press
References
Hulleman, J. & Olivers, C. N. L. (2017). The impending demise of the item in visual search. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 40, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X15002794
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Target article
Visual Attention in Crisis
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Author response
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