Selective attention is the cognitive process that allows individuals to focus on specific stimuli while ignoring others. This ability helps people manage the overwhelming amount of information they encounter daily, enabling them to concentrate on what is most relevant or important at any given moment. For example, when attending a party, a person may engage in a conversation with a friend while filtering out background noise and other conversations. This phenomenon is crucial for tasks such as studying or driving, where focusing on specific details, like textbooks or traffic signals, is essential for effective performance.