Attention

Attention is the ability to actively process specific information in the environment while
tuning out other details. Attention is limited in terms of both capacity and duration, so it is
important to have ways to effectively manage the attention resources we have available in
order to make sense of the world.

In his 1890 book “The Principles of Psychology,” psychologist and philosopher William
James wrote that attention "is the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of
one out of what may seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought…It
implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others."

Attention is a state of consciousness in which a person can respond to a stimulus or stimuli.

In psychology, a stimulus can be a required task, an object, or an event that requires a
response. Attention is a combination of how long a person can focus and how many things
they can focus on. Attention processes are the factors that influence focus and behaviour
towards a stimulus. Essentially, it is how the brain decides to process information related to a
stimulus. What type and how long a person can sustain their attention is influenced by those
factors.
Attention is studied by cognitive psychologists. Cognitive psychologists are trained in
neuroscience and are considered experts in memory, memory loss, and mental processes.
Since attention and memory are connected to learning, the purpose of a cognitive
psychologist is to make sense of how people attain knowledge, process and understand
concepts, solve problems, or recall information.

The Role of Attention in Learning and Thinking

Attention is a basic component of our biology, present even at birth. Our orienting reflexes
help us determine which events in our environment need to be attended to, a process that aids
in our ability to survive.

New-borns attend to environmental stimuli such as loud noises. A touch against the cheek
triggers the rooting reflex, causing the infant to turn his or her head to nurse and receive
nourishment. These orienting reflexes continue to benefit us throughout life.

Attention plays a critical role in almost every area of life including school, work, and
relationships. It allows people to focus on information in order to create memories. It also
allows people to avoid distractions so that they can focus on and complete specific tasks.

There has been a tremendous amount of research looking at exactly how many things we can
attend to and for how long. Key variables that impact our ability to stay on task include how
interested we are in the stimulus and how many distractions there are.

Types of Attention

There are many different types of attention that people may use. Some of these include:
Sustained Attention

This form of attention, also known as concentration, is the ability to focus on one thing for a
continuous period. During this time, people keep their focus on the task at hand and continue
to engage in a behaviour until the task is complete or a certain period of time has elapsed.

Alternating Attention

This type of attention involves multitasking or effortlessly shifting attention between two or
more things with different cognitive demands. It's not about focusing on more than one thing
at the same time, but about stopping attending to one thing and then switching to the next
task.

Selective Attention

Since attention is a limited resource, we have to be selective about what we decide to focus
on. Not only must we focus our attention on a specific item in our environment, but we must
also filter out an enormous number of other items.

Selective attention involves being able to choose and selectively attend to certain stimuli in
the environment while at the same time tuning other things out. For example, you might
selectively attend to a book you are reading while tuning out the sound of your next-door
neighbour’s car alarm going off.

This type of attention requires you to be able to tune out extraneous external stimuli, but also
internal distractions such as thoughts and emotions in order to stay selectively attuned to a
task.

Focused Attention

This type of attention involves being able to be suddenly drawn to a specific visual, auditory,
or tactile stimuli such as a loud noise or a flash of light. It is a way of responding rapidly to
external stimuli, which can be particularly important in situations where something in the
environment requires immediate attention and quick action.

Limited Attention

Limited attention, or divided attention, is a form of attention that also involves multitasking.
In this case, however, attention is divided between multiple tasks. Rather than shifting focus,
people attend to these stimuli at the same time and may respond simultaneously to multiple
demands.

Improving Attention

For the most part, our ability to focus our attention on one thing while blocking out
competing distractors seems automatic. Yet the ability of people to selectively focus their
attention on a specific subject while dismissing others is very complex.

But even people without attention problems can benefit from using strategies designed to
improve attention and focus. Some things you can try include:

• Avoiding multitasking: If you want to improve your focus, try to avoid multitasking.
Trying to juggle multiple tasks hurts productivity, so you can make the most of your
limited attention research by only working on one thing at a time.
• Getting enough sleep: Research has shown that sufficient sleep is essential for
maintaining optimal levels of attention. Not only that, the two appear to have a
 bidirectional relationship; sleep helps regulate attention, but attentional demands can
also play a role in sleep.
• Practicing mindfulness: Mindfulness, which involves paying attention to the present
moment, is sometimes conceived of as a form of attention. Research has shown that
mindfulness training may be helpful for improving attention.

Attention Span

Attention span refers to an individual’s ability to attend to a stimulus or object over a period
of time. This ability is also known as sustained attention or vigilance.

Attention span typically has an inverse relationship with task difficultly. For example, a
brilliant English student who struggles with math may fly through their English homework
without distraction but find it difficult to focus on their math homework.

Attention span is a measure for how easily distracted a person is, and longer attention
spans usually make it easier for people to complete tasks and remain organized. A
person’s attention span also affects social interactions; some people struggle to remain
focused on conversations without becoming distracted or fidgeting.

A person’s attention span varies with context and the type of task. Some people are able
to concentrate longer on certain kinds of tasks, such as games, reading, or conversations,
than they can focus on other types of tasks. Distraction-filled environments can decrease
a person’s attention span. People generally have shorter attention spans in loud, chaotic
environments or when they are stressed.
Some researchers have expressed concern that the proliferation of technology and social
networking is decreasing people’s attention spans. The need to respond quickly to texts,
emails, online chats, and social networking statuses can make it difficult to focus on a
single task for a long period of time. People may also have fewer opportunities to
practice focusing for long periods of time and may crave more distractions and
stimulation, both of which can make it more difficult to focus.

Estimates of the average attention span range from 5–20 minutes, but these are only
estimates, and can vary greatly from person to person.

ATTENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH

A variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and ADHD can
affect a person’s ability to focus. A combination of psychotherapy, lifestyle changes, and
in some cases medication can help improve a person’s attention span. Some people need
to institute specific strategies, such as taking frequent breaks or turning off electronics,
to remain focused.
FLUCTUATION OF ATTENTION

The phenomenon of fluctuation of attention was experimentally recorded for the first time by
the psychologist Urban tschitsch in 1875. While testing the auditory sensation he observed
that the subject was not able to continuously hear the sound of an alarm clock placed at a
distance.

Maintaining attention to a single task for an extended duration requires considerable

cognitive effort. Conse- quently, sustained attention is not a constant all-or-none phenomenon
but fluctuates, leading to varying degrees of stable/accurate (in-the-zone) and variable/error-
prone (out-of-the-zone) performance.

This is known as the fluctuation of attention. Example: When we are paying attention to
eating, our attention may temporarily shift to a crow sitting on the branch of a tree outside our
window and then again we pay attention to eating.

Notice how there is a sudden spike from the normal baseline; this is a fluctuation effect. The
fluctuation is usually temporary; after a brief period of time, the risk level returns to the base
level. When considering process effects, it is important to think in terms of baselines.
Major Conditions of Attention

Four major conditions of attention which refer to the duration and degree of attention are as
follows:

1. Fluctuation of Attention

2. Distraction of Attention

3. Division of Attention

4. Span of Attention/ Apprehension.

There are four conditions of attention which refer to the duration and degree of attention.

1. Fluctuation of Attention:
It appears for us that our attention can be concentrated on a particular act for more time. But
careful observation clearly shows that we cannot concentrate on a single act or stimulus for
more than few seconds.

When we are seeing an object or listening to a sound, after few seconds, the attention will be
shifted towards other stimulus or other area of the stimulus for a fraction of time and returns
to the original stimulus.
This process is called fluctuation. Here we will be unable to notice this short shrift. This
phenomenon can be demonstrated experimentally. In Figure 3.1 on constant observation the
figure of the book appears for some time as partially closed and partially open for some time.
Similarly, in the figure of a woman, constant attention leads to perception of the faces of old
woman and young lady alternately. Such a temporary shift in attention is called fluctuation of
attention.

2. Distraction of Attention:
When our attention is concentrated on a particular act or stimulus, some other more powerful
stimulus may draw our attention and holds it to remain there for more time.

It may or may not return to the earlier stimulus. For example, while reading a book, our
concentration will be on the book. Meanwhile if we listen to an attractive music sound, our
attention may be shifted towards that under such circumstances, physically we may be
reading the book, but we may not follow the contents. Students are much affected by
distraction. Hence, they should learn to have concentration of mind on studies.

3. Division of Attention:
Attending to more than one act at a time is known as division of attention. In such situations,
we will divide our attention towards more than one act. For example, a tailor will be stitching
the cloths and also speaking to his customers.
A nurse will be observing the pulse of a patient and also changes on his face. We ride a
scooter while speaking to our friends. In such activities the attention is not divided, but it is
possible to perform more than one act because, either our attention is shifted from one act to
another rapidly, or our attention is concentrated on only one act and the remaining activities
are carried on automatically.

Such activities do not need our attention, because these are almost mechanical. But in some
technical jobs, attention has to be divided to perform more than one act at a time. However,
under such circumstances, the quality and quantity of the task is affected. This can be proved
experimentally by using a “Division of attention board”.

4. Span of Attention/Apprehension:
Span refers to the number of letters or digits or sounds that an individual can grasp within a
given period of time. Using an instrument called ‘Tachistoscope’, it is experimentally proved
that an individual can grasp 4-5 digits or letters easily within a fraction of time.

It is also proved that span will be more for meaningful material like words, than digits or non-
sense syllables. It may be observed that digits on number plates of automobile vehicles are
restricted to 4 only.