From Renaissance scholars to Sigmund Freud, scholars have used the word fascination to describe the same hypnotic power of persuasion. But fascination is not the same as interest. Fascination is a neurological state of intense focus, one that creates an irresistible feeling of engagement. It's almost the same as falling in love.
When you are fascinated, you are in the moment. You are in the flow. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes this "flow state" as:
"Being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one. Your whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost."