Humans possess two attentional spotlights, allowing for the ability to multitask by splitting attention between two different locations or activities.

“I should mention there are very good data that we can split our attention into two but probably not more than two spotlights”

“Because in old world primates, of which humans are, we are able to do what's called covert attention. We can place a spotlight of attention on something, for instance, something we're reading or looking at, or someone that we're listening to, and we can place a second spotlight of attention on something we're eating and how it tastes, or our child running around in the room, or my dog. You can split your attention into two locations, but of course, you can also bring your attention, that is your perception, to one particular location.”