Inhibition theory is based on the basic assumption that, during the performance of any mental task, which requires a minimum of mental effort, the subject actually goes through a series of alternating states of distraction (non-work) and attention (work). These alternating states of distraction (state 0) and attention (state 1) are latent states, which cannot be observed and which are completely imperceptible to the subject. Additionally, the concept of inhibition or reactive inhibition is introduced, which is also latent. The assumption is made, that during states of attention inhibition linearly increases with a certain slope a1 and during states of distraction inhibition linearly decreases with a certain slope a0. According to this view the distraction states can be considered as a sort of recovery states. It is further assumed, that when the inhibition increases during a state of attention, depending on the amount of increase, the inclination to switch to a distraction state also increases and when the inhibition decreases during a state of distraction, depending on the amount of decrease, the inclination to switch to an attention state increases. The inclination to switch from one state to the other is mathematically described as a transition rate or hazard rate, which makes the whole process of alternating distraction times and attention times a stochastic process.
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