Attention is a process in which consciousness is focused on particular stimuli. It is a mental resource that can be vigilant and sustained or divided and selective. Attention has limited span or range and it has property of fluctuation and shifting.
Our cognitive resources are focused on certain aspects of the environment rather than on others and the central nervous system is in a state of readiness to respond to stimuli = psychophysiological state of ACTIVATION (readiness for activity, performance). Our ability to attend to stimuli is linked with overall condition of the organism. Fatigue and drop in activation state has a protective function, it is a signal our organism needs rest in order to regenerate.
Attention be captured by qualities of stimuli in the environment = objective determinants of attention
- novelty
- intensity
- movement
- repetition
- contrast
- novelty
- duration
- change
Or stimuli from the organism itself = subjective determinants of attention
- (physiological) needs
- discomfort, pain
- strong emotions
- worries, problems, conflicts
- curiosity, interest
- subjective meaning of stimuli
Types of attention
1) Unintentional attention (passive, spontaneous) - this form of attention comes from the orientation-search reflex. It begins early in development and prevails in a child until the beginning of younger school age (6-7 years). S/he is attracted to sudden, conspicuous, strong, new, unknown, contrasting stimuli. However, it is also influenced by the subconscious needs or interests of man (motivational sphere, subconscious).
2) Intentional attention (active, focused) - achieving a certain level of attention is tied to the overall development of the nervous system (myelination of nerve fibers stabilizes the conduction of stimuli) and the psyche. This attention is conditioned by the development of thinking, imagination, memory, awareness of the goal, the development of free action, character traits, motivation, interests. It is by arousing the child's interest in the activities, we support the growth of unintentional attention into intentional.
A play naturally arouses the child's interest and attracts his or her attention. It is extremely important for the development of intentional attention to let the child explore and play in an unstructured manner (activity unorganised by others). A signal that intentional attention is developing may be a reduced willingness of the child to disengage from the activity (Not now, wait until I finish it!).
3) Involuntary attention - it is activated mainly by a somatic stimuli from which the attention cannot be shifted (toothache, headache).
The brain varies in its current level and type of activity, consciousness is transitory. Awareness of ourselves and our environment is dependent on functional state of the brain:
Awareness operates on two levels and humans fluctuate between the high and low thinking states.
- Low awareness of subtle and even subliminal influences can become conscious as a result of cues or stimulus of significant meaning.
- High awareness refers to our consciousness of what is going on around us.
For teachers it is essential to make sure their pupils are either paying focused attention, or at least are in the state of normal wakefulness.
Daydreaming, or being "lost in thought", is common activity, when awareness of our surroundings drifts away, but can be alerted by relevant stimuli. Mild forms of dissociation in daydreaming are non-pathological way of coping with stress...to certain extent.
Meditative state (or drowsiness) refers to internal focus of attention towards something specific (an object, a word, one’s breathing), with the goal of ignoring external distractions. The relaxation it provides can be restorative.
Hypnosis is a mental state characterized by deep relaxation, and intense focus induced by a specialist on hypnosis.
Sleep is unique because while we lack full awareness in this state of consciousness, the brain is still active. Sleep serves the function of mental and physical restoration.
Altered states of consciousness (voluntary material)People throughout the history have tendency to alter their state of consciousness (curiosity, boredom, self-medication, social experience, spiritual experience).
Non-chemical ways: rhytmic movement (dance), meditation, orgasm, hypnosis, hypoxia, starvation, holotropic breathwork, sensory deprivation.
Chemical ways (psychoactive drugs): - Stimulants, including caffeine, nicotine, and amphetamines, increase neural activity by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the CNS.
- Depressants, including, alcohol, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines, decrease consciousness by increasing the production of the neurotransmitter GABA and decreasing the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
- Opioids, including codeine, opium, morphine, and heroin, produce euphoria and analgesia by increasing activity in opioid receptor neurons.
- Hallucinogens, including cannabis, mescaline, and LSD, create an extreme alteration of consciousness as well as the possibility of hallucinations.
Drug use is influenced by social norms as well as by individual differences. People who are more likely to take risks are also more likely to use drugs. |
Stroop test Read out loud and say the color of the word, not the word ie. GREEN.
New, unknown activities require intentional effort, while the activities that we have repeatedly practiced are performed automatically. Stroop's test takes into account the effect of over learning (perfect mastery created by frequent repetition). Therefore your mastery in reading impairs you in Stroop test and it takes great deal of effort (voluntary attention) to persevere in the task. Stroop test assesses the ability to inhibit cognitive interference, which occurs when the processing of a stimulus feature affects the simultaneous processing of another attribute of the same stimulus. |
