We model this mental attention (MA) mechanism in terms of a dialectical
system of four functional resources, which we discuss in four MA points :
MA1. The first constituent of mental attention is the currently dominant
cluster of executive schemes that carry cognitive goals and are activated ini-
tially by affective goals. Notice that our model does not contain the construct
of a single central executive. Rather, we propose a repertoire of context-
bound (more or less situation specific) executive schemes that rally in clusters
of compatible schemes (this is a competition model based on overdeter-
mination), with the result that the currently dominant cluster of compatible
executive schemes runs the show. These executive schemes can mobilize and
allocate the resources (MA2) and (MA3). In Fig. 8.1 these compatible and
dominant executive schemes are symbolized by the letterE. Although the
concept of executive processes is not altogether clear in the literature, it is
generally agreed that these processes (which in our construal are executive
- AFFECT, SELF-MOTIVATION, AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 205
FIG. 8.1. Model of endogenous mental attention.