Paying attention can be defined in terms of a conscious intent to attend and direct focus to particular objects, events, or processes. In neuroscience, attention has been associated with increased firing of neurons in associated brain regions, which creates greater perceptual saliency and facilitates encoding of pertinent information in memory. A key aspect of paying attention therefore consists in the intentional allocation of cognitive resources with the aim of attending to relevant elements in a particular context. As such, within psychology, paying attention constitutes a central part of many cognitive processes and is closely linked to the efficient functioning of executive functions.

See also: attention, awareness, suffering, awakening, emptiness