Conceptual attention focusing

Conceptual attention emerged in humans as a result of evolution. Thanks to it, people started not only distinguishing individual objects, but also classes of objects, determining relationships between them, and establishing cause-and-effect connections. This was not always the case: for example, it took humanity quite a few years to accept the idea that the sun shining yesterday and today is the same object, not some new copy of the sun (because yesterday's sun died). It took a long time, but now we can generalize information and build models - all thanks to conceptual attention.

Conceptual attention allows taking an abstract concept or idea from somewhere external, for example, from a textbook, and finding a corresponding object in the physical world. This operation is called grounding. For example, taking the concept of "associative attention" and trying to find an example of its activation in your life. Or studying a textbook or article on marketing and calculating the customer churn rate for your business (instead of using abstract numbers from a textbook example). Or even creating a concept based on your existing knowledge and the presence of such an object in the physical world. For instance, you can identify a specific object of attention for your business, such as the quality of knife sharpening in a sharpening workshop, introduce the concept of "sharpness of knives" into the language used in the workshop, and track the sharpness of a specific knife for a specific client to assess how well the craftsman did the job.

Conceptual attention operates thanks to S2. This means that it requires a lot of resources, is activated for a relatively short period during the day (most of the time we operate on autopilot), and requires learning. By default, people do not view the world through concepts. This is evident in individuals where S2 barely functions (the biocomputer is physically damaged). They are not fully capable of conceptual attention, although they can be partially "trained" thanks to S1.

However, a well-functioning biocomputer is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for conceptual attention. To achieve this, one must learn: literally study the information about the concept, find a corresponding object in the world, then find similar objects (other samples) and learn to recognize that they can also be identified by that concept, then learn to recognize them in different contexts, and so on. For example, a student studies the concept of "role." Initially, they familiarize themselves with the description in the "Modeling and Integral Thinking" course - or look into the "Roles" section of the "Systems Thinking" course. They read the description, examples of roles "by the textbook" (e.g., the role of an operations manager), and the pitfalls in role definitions (mistaking taking on the position of "manager" for a role). Then they learn to identify roles in their own activities while completing homework in the "Modeling and Integral Thinking" and "Systems Thinking" courses. When doing homework, the student keeps the textbook close by and tries to identify roles, cross-referencing with the textbook instructions, and receives feedback. As the student completes tasks successfully, they gain some experience in focusing their attention on the concept of a role. It becomes easier for them to try to identify roles "on the go," for example, during a meeting, and respond to the interlocutor considering the objects of attention (concerns) by role. If the student continues practicing identifying roles, they gradually acquire the skill of role definition, doing so faster and easier. At some point, the skill internalizes, transitioning to an automatic or semi-automatic mode. Roles are identified on the go, and the conversant can consider this in the conversation, making it more productive.

Thus, the transition of conceptual attention to automation is possible, but it requires a lot of practice and effort. Usually, most people do not do this: by default, people minimize effort and do not want to expend a lot of energy. Additionally, sometimes it seems faster to "just do it." In the short term, on an individual occasion, this may be correct, but in the long term, conceptual attention pays off multiple times: a person who possesses it has the opportunity to save effort (including the activation of S2!) throughout their entire life by selecting a clear language and concepts that not only precisely describe the problem but also quickly find a solution. For example, meetings often run longer than planned, and the meeting goals are frequently not achieved, and agendas get diluted. Each such meeting can be seen as a unique case, or a group of "ineffective meetings" can be identified, uncovering why this happens and working to address those reasons rather than treating symptoms.

Conceptual attention also helps with establishing habits of focus, such as the habit of thinking in writing. You often read, occasionally take notes while reading, but the notes are sparse and usually get lost (and very rarely do ideas from them get implemented). You want to start changing your activities after taking notes and also "boost your thinking" - delve deeper into the emerging ideas. To achieve this, you decide to diligently read and take notes each day, connect them together. However, the enthusiasm quickly fades. Why? Because it's not just about applying a practice once, but about establishing a "habit." The concept of a "habit" implies that you automatically follow a certain algorithm when new conditions arise. Having a habit also means that it is embedded into your lifestyle. You do not need to constantly think about when you will think in writing (and whether you will), where to record ideas, in what form to do it, how to process notes afterward, and so on. Having a habit also requires the right environment - for instance, a creative thinking space (knowledge base). Accordingly, to establish a "habit," you should not force yourself to think in writing every time, but create conditions for its emergence: choose a suitable cortex for thinking in writing, set up standard note-taking formats, select places to store temporary (disappearing) notes and permanent notes, free up time in your schedule for note-taking, immerse yourself in reading about thinking in writing (e.g., read the book "Smart Notes" by Sönke Ahrens, listen to podcasts on this topic). Therefore, lacking knowledge of the concept of a "habit" will hinder your ability to establish one.

Selecting concepts that accurately describe reality is particularly important when there are no ready-made recipes, and you need to create them yourself. For example, when you need to play the role of an ontologist and develop an enterprise ontology for the first time. In this case, you should use an ontological metamodel and "ground" it in the reality of the enterprise so that employees understand what lies behind the words and can easily agree. Or play the role of a strategist and develop a business strategy - an effective strategy, not just a set of slogans like "we need to be #1 in the industry."

To create quality descriptions with suitable concepts, you need to source them from somewhere - which means selecting a role to compile the description from the outset.