Flexible behavior requires guidance not only by sensations that are available immediately but also by relevant mental contents carried forward through working memory. Therefore, selective-attention functions that modulate the contents of working memory to guide behavior (inside-out) are just as important as those operating on sensory signals to generate internal contents (outside-in). We review the burgeoning literature on selective attention in the inside-out direction and underscore its functional, flexible, and future-focused nature. We discuss in turn the purpose (why), targets (what), sources (when), and mechanisms (how) of selective attention inside working memory, using visual working memory as a model. We show how the study of internal selective attention brings new insights concerning the core cognitive processes of attention and working memory and how considering selective attention and working memory together paves the way for a rich and integrated understanding of how mind serves behavior.

中文翻译：

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将注意力从内到外：工作记忆如何服务于行为


灵活的行为不仅需要立即可用的感觉的指导，还需要通过工作记忆传递的相关心理内容的指导。因此，调节工作记忆内容以指导行为（由内而外）的选择性注意功能与那些作用于感觉信号以生成内部内容（由外而内）的功能同样重要。我们回顾了由内而外方向选择性注意的新兴文献，并强调其功能性、灵活性和面向未来的本质。我们以视觉工作记忆为模型，依次讨论工作记忆中选择性注意的目的（为什么）、目标（什么）、来源（何时）和机制（如何）。我们展示了内部选择性注意力的研究如何带来关于注意力和工作记忆的核心认知过程的新见解，以及如何将选择性注意力和工作记忆结合起来为对思维如何服务于行为的丰富而全面的理解铺平道路。