Abstract
Interest in attention, once prominent declined, but psychological investigations have returned this phenomenon to prominence as a topic of research. The older views of attention of James and Judd, as well as experimentation on selective attention initiated in World War II are recalled. Broadbent and Treisman's theories together with recent physiological and brain-research findings on attention have given impetus to renewed research. Finally, experimentation has turned to investigations of classroom problems and to developmental changes in attention, especially during the school years.