Attention might be considered a key component of intelligence, and its cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms probably underwent profound changes in the course of human evolution. Attention can be conceived as a “limiting factor” for general intelligence (g), as the ability to maintain a selective coordination of specific cognitive processes through time regardless of conflicting stimuli. In this perspective review, we consider the paleontological and archaeological evidence that may supply information on the evolution of the attention system in the human genus. In terms of anatomy, the paleoneurological record suggests that the parietal cortex experienced a relative enlargement in Neandertals and, most prominently, in modern humans. These anatomical variations match cultural changes associated with technological and social complexity. Inferences in cognitive archaeology indicate that Homo sapiens is also specialized for working memory and visuospatial integration, when compared with extinct human taxa. These features are likely associated with changes in the attention system, and in cognitive processes dealing with meta-awareness, conscious control of mind wandering, resistance to distractors, and management of emotional clues. Although these inferences are inevitably speculative, they might stimulate a comprehensive interpretation of the technological and social behaviours associated with the evolution of the human genus, bridging together psychology and evolutionary anthropology.

注意力可能被认为是智力的关键组成部分，其认知和神经生物学机制可能在人类进化过程中发生了深刻的变化。注意力可以被认为是一般智力的“限制因素”（g)，作为在时间上保持特定认知过程的选择性协调的能力，而不考虑相互冲突的刺激。在这篇透视综述中，我们考虑了可能提供有关人类注意力系统进化信息的古生物学和考古学证据。在解剖学方面，古神经病学记录表明，顶叶皮质在尼安德特人中经历了相对扩大，在现代人类中最为突出。这些解剖变异与与技术和社会复杂性相关的文化变化相匹配。认知考古学的推论表明智人与已灭绝的人类分类群相比，它还专门用于工作记忆和视觉空间整合。这些特征可能与注意力系统的变化以及处理元意识、有意识地控制走神、抵抗干扰和管理情绪线索的认知过程有关。尽管这些推论不可避免地是推测性的，但它们可能会激发对与人类进化相关的技术和社会行为的全面解释，将心理学和进化人类学联系在一起。