LTW - Attentional subsystems

 Living in Two Worlds - ATTENTIONAL subsystems

1. The integration of the two worlds in which we live into one single world is the product of a functional system of our brain: an ATTENTIONAL system (Ceccato's model)
   
   
2. ATTENTION, conceived as a system that we can control (cybernetic system), is the system that we use:
   a) to control the shared PHYSICAL world
   b) to construct our individual LOGICAL world
    
3. In the attentional system we can distinguish 4 subsystems:
   
   a) SENSORY subsystem and MOTOR subsystem that enable us to control the shared PHYSICAL world by coordinating sensory experiences (seeing, hearing) with motor actions (reaching, touching).
   
   b) SCHEMA system and EQUILIBRATION system by which we construct our individual LOGICAL world (see next)
   
    
4. These four subsystems are under the control of the attentionl system (core system)
   
   
5. The SCHEMA system includes the functions of
   
   a) schematisation: for constructing mental constructs by means of action schemata (see Piaget)
   
   b) assimilation (Piaget): for fitting new mental constructs into existing cognitive structures (networks of mental constructs)
   
    
6. The EQUILIBRATION system includes the functions of
   
   a) evaluation: for assessing the consistency of our cognitive structures
   
   b) accomodation (Piaget): for adapting existing cognitive structures to new mental constructs, when there are inconsistencies, contradicitions etc.