The 1980s saw a new paradigm emerge in psychology -- the field of cognitive
neuroscience. Cognitive neuroscience has the premise that it is necessary
to understand brain and neural systems in the study of cognition. Starting
with animal and neuropsychological experiments, the field has emerged
to using neuroimaging techniques (PET, MRI, fMRI, EEG/ERP, MEG),
controlled invasive animal and human work, and experimental psychology
using models of neuroscience to guide its work. One aspect of this work
has been a developmental approach to cognitive neuroscience -- "develop-
mental cognitive neuroscience." The developmental approach asserts that
changes in brain structure and function underlie much of cognitive de-
velopment. Theories and experiments in cognitive development must rely
on an understanding of neural development. Developmental research may
provide a "model preparation" that aids work in cognitive neuroscience.
The onset and development of specific neural-behavioral systems may
tease apart the roles of separate systems in cognitive neuroscience models.

Attention has long been of interest to psychologists. William James saw
it as an important field for psychological research, and it has always played
a role in explanations of behavior. Cognitive psychologists, and cognitive
developmental psychologists, have studied attention as a foundational area.
It was only natural that in the very beginnings of cognitive neuroscience
an understanding of the role of neural systems in attention was of interest.
Early cognitive neuroscience studies of attention using primates and
neuropsychological models have now been enhanced with neuroimaging

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