Example 1: Andrew is dialing his cell phone. At the moment, he has just “zeroed in” on the shiny blueness of the brushed aluminum phone case. He is not, at that moment, paying attention to the number he is dialing; his experience has momentarily left that task (which continues as if on autopilot) to be absorbed in the shiny blueness.

Example 2: Betty is in conversation with her friend Wendy, and as Wendy speaks, Betty takes a sip of Dr. Pepper. At that moment, Betty is drawn to the coldness of the liquid as it moves through her throat. Wendy continues to talk, but Wendy's voice is not part of Betty's experience; Betty is focused on the coldness in her throat.

Example 3: Carol's friend Candy is telling Carol how to log on to a computer Web site. Carol is paying attention to the sweetly longish a sound in Candy's slight drawl; at that moment, Carol is not paying attention to what Candy is saying about the log-on procedure.

Example 4: Damian is checking out at the grocery store, and at the moment is noticing a twinge in the back of his neck – a slight stabbing sensation. He is in the act of putting three candy bars on the conveyer, but at that moment he is not at all noticing candy bars, the checker's activity, or anything else in his environment – his attention is occupied by the neck sensation.