Attention- Cognitive Process- Psychology

Useful for B.Sc nursing Students

1. Mr.Visanth V S Asso.Professor IGSCON, Amethi ATTENTION

2. ATTENTION- Meaning Attention is a complex process. It is the state of focused awareness with a readiness to respond. The process of attend divides our field of experience into a focus and a margin. Attention is the term used or given to the perceptual processes that select certain inputs for inclusion in our conscious experience. It is the process involving the act of listening, and concentrating on a topic, object or event for the attainment of desired ends.

3. Definition Attention is the concentration of consciousness upon one object other than upon another . Dumville Attention is the selective activity of consciousness Collins & Drever Attention is the process of getting an object or thought clearly before the mind Ross

4. Nature of Attention Thus attention is essentially process and not a product. Attention is selective In a given time, we can concentrate or focus our consciousness on a particular object only. Attention is a mental process and not a mental power. There can be no attention in the absence of interest. Attention creates readiness for doing a work. It helps in our awareness or consciousness of our environment

5. Types of Attenti on

6. NON-VOLITIONAL OR INVOLUNTARY ATTENTION This type of attention is aroused without the play of will. Enforced: The attention which is aroused by the instincts is called “enforced non-volitional attention”. Eg : Giving attention out of curiosity, attention towards the members of the opposite sex Spontaneous: The type of attention is produced by the sentiments is called “spontaneous non-volitional attention”. Eg : Mothers attention towards crying baby.

7. VOLITIONAL OR VOLUNTARY ATTENTION When the ‘exercised will’ is called upon, it becomes volitional attention. It demands the conscious efforts from our part.   Implicit attention : a single act of will is sufficient to bring the attention is called implicit. Eg : Attention paid at the time of solving an assigned problem of mathematics Explicit attention : in this we need repeated acts of will to sustain the attention. Eg : Answering question in an examination hall

8. DETERMINANTS OF ATTENTION/ FACTORS AFFECTING ATTENTION

9. Factors affecting attention may be divided into the following types they are ; External factors Internal factors

10. External Factors Nature of the stimulus: All types of stimuli are not able to bring the same degree of attention. Stimulus that have form, color and sound attract our attention. Eg : A picture attracts attention more readily than words. Among the pictures, the pictures of human beings invite more attention and those of human beings related to beautiful women or handsome men. Intensity of the stimulus: In comparison with the weak stimulus, the intense stimulus attracts more attention of an individual. Eg : a loud sound, a bright light or a strong smell. Size: . As a general rule bigger size attracts or a small advertisement on a very big background attracts attention. Contrast: Any object that is strikingly different from its surroundings will tend to stand out and attract our attention. Eg : small black dot on a white sheet, Presence of a woman among men.

11. Novelty: Any object that is new or different from those we have encountered makes a powerful appeal for our attention. Eg : A new fashion in dress. Repetition of stimulus: Repetition is the factor of great importance in securing attention. E.g . a miss-spelled word is more likely to be noticed, if it occurs twice in the same paragraph than, if it occurs only once. Movement of the stimulus: The moving stimulus catches our attention more quickly than a stimulus that does not move. E.g . advertisers make use of this fact and try to catch the attention of people through moving electric lights.

12. Internal or Subjective Factors Interest: Interest is said to be the mother of attention. We attend to objects in which we have interest. We would like to watch a movie or a serial in TV because we are interested in the subject around which the movie or serial revolves. Motives: Our basic needs and motives to a great extent determines our attention, thirst, hunger, sex, curiosity, fear are some of the important motives that influence attention, e.g. small children get attracted towards eatables.

13. Mind set: Person’s readiness to respond determines his attention. At a time when students are expecting the examination time table by the end of the semester the time table put out on the notice board along with other notices would attract their attention easily. Moods and attitudes: What we attend to is influenced by the moods and attitudes. When we are disturbed or in angry mood, we notice the smallest mistake of others very easily. Past experience : different people perceive the same object differently as per their experience.

14. Span o f Attention The maximum amount of materials or items that can be attended to/in the given period of time is called span of attention. Using an instrument called ‘Tachistoscope’, A subject is given a momentary glance from 1/5 th  to 1/10 th  of a second on regular or irregular groups of dots or letter and is required to tell how many he had observed. 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.

15. Division of Attention It refers to attending to two tasks simultaneously while maintaining the efficiency. 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.

16. 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 . Any stimulus whose presence interferes with the process of attention is called distraction. 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.

17. 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. 

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