Attention

The focus of the subject's activity at a given point in time on some real or ideal object (object, event, image, reasoning, etc.). There are three types of V. The simplest and genetically initial is involuntary V. It has a passive character, since it is imposed on the subject by events external to the goals of his activity. V. serves as a physiological manifestation of this type. If the activity is carried out in line with the conscious intentions of the subject and requires volitional efforts on his part, then they speak of arbitrary V. It is distinguished by an active character, a complex structure, mediated by socially developed ways of organizing behavior and communication, and in its origin is associated with labor activity. As the operational and technical side of activity develops in connection with its automation and the transition of actions into operations, as well as as a result of changes in motivation (for example, a motive for a goal), the so-called post-voluntary V may appear. At the same time, the direction of activity remains consistent with consciously accepted goals, but its implementation no longer requires special mental efforts and is limited in time only by fatigue and depletion of the body's resources.

Among the characteristics of V., determined by experimental studies, are selectivity, volume, stability, the possibility of distribution, and switchability.

Brief psychological dictionary. - Rostov-on-Don: PHOENIX. L.A. Karpenko, A.V. Petrovsky, M. G. Yaroshevsky. 1998 .

Attention

The focus of the subject's activity at a given moment of time on some real or ideal object - an object, event, image, reasoning, etc. Attention is also characterized by the consistency of various links in the functional structure of an action, which determines the success of its implementation (for example, the speed and accuracy of solving a problem). Attention occupies a special place among mental phenomena. Acting as an inseparable side of knowledge, feeling and will, it is not reduced to any of these three spheres of the mental. Attention is the dynamic side of consciousness, which characterizes the degree of its focus on the object and focus on it in order to ensure its adequate reflection during the time required to perform a certain act of activity or communication. It manifests itself in the selective reflection of objects in accordance with the needs of the subject and the goals and objectives of his activity. This is a kind of expedient will, a very important component in the structure of independence. It provides the individual with the possibility of concentration and direction of consciousness on objects that he perceives in the course of activity and about which he thinks or speaks. Thanks to steady attention, he becomes more aware of his practical life and activities, which ensures a selective attitude towards the world, people, business and himself. The main characteristics of attention determined experimentally include:

1 ) selectivity - associated with the possibility of successful tuning - in the presence of interference - to the perception of information related to a conscious goal;

2 ) volume (breadth, distribution of attention) - is determined by the number of "simultaneously" (within 0.1 s.) clearly perceived objects; practically does not differ from the volume of direct memorization, or short-term memory; this indicator largely depends on the organization of the memorized material and its nature and is usually taken equal to 5 - 7 objects; attention span is assessed using tachistoscope presentation ( cm.) sets of objects (letters, words, shapes, colors, etc.);

3 ) distribution - is characterized by the possibility of the simultaneous successful implementation of several different types of activities (actions); is studied under the conditions of simultaneous performance of two or more actions that do not allow the possibility of execution by quickly switching attention;

5 ) stability - is determined by the duration of concentration of attention on the object;

6 ) switchability (switching speed) - a dynamic characteristic of attention, which determines its ability to quickly move from one object to another; to determine the switchability and stability of attention, methods are used to describe the dynamics of the performance of cognitive and executive actions over time, in particular when changing goals. There are three types of attention:

1 ) involuntary attention - the simplest and genetically original; represented by an indicative reflex that occurs when exposed to unexpected and new stimuli;

2 ) arbitrary attention - due to the setting of a conscious goal;

3 ) post-voluntary attention.

Depending on where the object of attention is located - in the external world or in the subjective world of a person - external and internal attention are distinguished. In the course of training, education, activity and communication, a person develops the properties of attention and its types, relatively stable combinations of them are formed - individual typological features of attention, also determined by the type of nervous system. In domestic psychology, a theory of attention has been developed as a function of internal control over the correspondence of mental actions to programs for their implementation. The development of such control improves the effectiveness of any activity and its systematic formation ( cm.), allows you to overcome some defects in attention, such as absent-mindedness. Experiments with dissected hemispheres of the brain show that the processes of attention are closely related to the work of the corpus callosum; while the left hemisphere provides selective attention, while the right hemisphere supports the general level of alertness.

Dictionary of practical psychologist. - M.: AST, Harvest. S. Yu. Golovin. 1998 .

Specificity.

Ordering the information coming from outside in terms of the priority of the tasks facing the subject. Experiments with a dissected hemisphere of the brain cover that attention processes are closely related to the work of the corpus callosum, while the left hemisphere provides selective attention, and the right hemisphere supports the general level of alertness.

Properties.

The efficiency of attention can be determined by the level of attention ( , ), volume (breadth, distribution of attention), switching speed and stability.

Diagnostics.

There are a number of methods:

To determine the amount of attention, the tachistoscopy technique of D. Kettel, W. Wundt is intended;

To determine the concentration and stability - B. Bourdon's proofreading test;

To determine the speed of switching attention - the method of Schulte tables.

Kinds.

Arbitrary attention is due to the setting of a conscious goal;

The involuntary is represented by an orienting reflex that occurs when exposed to unexpected and new stimuli.

Psychological Dictionary. THEM. Kondakov. 2000 .

ATTENTION

(English) attention) - the process and state of the subject's adjustment to the perception of priority information and the fulfillment of the assigned tasks. Theoretically and operationally, V. (tuning) is characterized by the level (intensity, concentration), volume (breadth, distribution), selectivity (see. , , ), switching (movement) speed, duration and stability.

For the study of V., a large number of techniques have been developed: a tachistoscopic technique for determining the volume of V. (D. Kettel, AT.Wundt); various variants of a correction test for determining the concentration and stability of V. (the first version was proposed in 1895 by the French psychologist B. Bourdon); the Schulte table method for determining the speed of switching V.; (K. Cherry; see also ); methods of selective reading and selective observation (W. Neisser and R. Becklin); Strupp test (see Strupp effect), etc. The distribution of V. is studied in experiments in which the performance of another task is added to the performance of one task. Successful distribution is said to be in the event that the additional task does not impair the performance of the first (main) one. It is shown, in particular, that the deterioration of the motor activity of the arms and legs occurs with the simultaneous pronunciation of an incoherent set of words and does not occur with repeated pronunciation of the phrase "To be or not to be?". Quite understandable interest in the distribution of V. was shown by engineering psychologists, who, moreover, significantly enriched V.'s factography with numerous works on vigilance(vigilance) and operator noise immunity.

Along with the so-called. voluntary attention also highlights its involuntary form - orienting reaction that occurs when exposed to unexpected ("new") stimuli. With this reflex reaction, however, one should not confuse the involuntary and automatic processes of adjustment included in every process of voluntary activity.

In modern experimental studies, attempts are being made to separate internal (ideal) components and external motor components in V.'s processes. For example, it has been established that, regardless of eye movements, V.'s focus can move in the field of view at a speed of 125 arcsec. deg/s

Introduction

The relevance of the topic is due to the fact that the psychology of attention is one of the classical areas of psychology. It was studied by N. N. Lange, P. Ya. Galperin, N. F. Dobrynin and many others. Its arsenal has accumulated a large number of methods that allow you to explore and diagnose different aspects of attention, a lot of general recommendations and specific techniques for the active development of the attention of children of different ages and adults. attention physiological concentration

A certain difficulty that confronts a person who wants to understand the psychology of attention is that, on the one hand, the answer to the question of what attention, attentiveness and inattention is, at a practical, everyday level, is known not only by any adult, but almost every child. On the other hand, attention is a very complex section of psychological knowledge, which has recently attracted more and more interest from psychologists and gives rise to complex and ambiguous theories of explanation.

The problem of attention is often considered only in connection with other mental functions: memory, thinking, imagination, perception. Indeed, manifestations of attention cannot be seen separately from them, in their pure form. Therefore, in many psychology textbooks, attention is treated as a kind of secondary, auxiliary mental function. Without attention as the ability to actively focus on one thing, the main thing, discarding everything random, unnecessary at the moment, life is impossible.

The concept of attention in psychology

Attention is the focus and concentration of our consciousness on a particular object. Anything can be the object of attention - objects and their properties, phenomena, relationships, actions, thoughts, feelings of other people and one's own inner world.

Attention is not an independent mental function; it cannot be observed by itself. This is a special form of human mental activity, and it is included as a necessary component in all types of mental processes. Attention is always a characteristic of some mental process: perception, when we listen, examine, sniff, trying to distinguish any visual or sound image, smell; thinking when we solve some problem; memory, when we remember something specific or try to remember; imagination, when we try to visualize something clearly. Thus, attention is the ability of a person to choose what is important for himself and focus his perception, thinking, recollection, imagination, etc. on it.

Attention is a necessary condition for the quality performance of any activity. It performs the function of control and is especially necessary in learning, when a person is faced with new knowledge, objects, phenomena.

Both the schoolboy and the student, no matter how talented or capable they may be, will always have gaps in knowledge if their attention is not sufficiently developed and they are often inattentive or distracted in class. Attention largely determines the course and results of educational work.

The physiological basis of attention is orienting-exploratory reflexes, which are caused by new stimuli or unexpected changes in the situation. I. P. Pavlov called them “what is it?” reflexes. He wrote: “Every minute every new stimulus that falls on us causes a corresponding movement on our part in order to better, more fully inquire about this stimulus.

Types of attention

Attention can be involuntary (unintentional) or voluntary (deliberate). The term "arbitrary" is formed not from the word "arbitrariness", but from the word "volition", meaning will, desire. Involuntary attention does not depend on our desire, nor on our will or intentions. It happens, arises as if by itself, without any effort on our part.

What can attract involuntary attention? There are a lot of such objects and phenomena, they can be divided into two groups.

Firstly, this is everything that attracts attention with its external properties:

Bright light phenomena (lightning, colorful advertising, lights suddenly turned on or off);

Unexpected taste sensations (bitterness, acidity, unfamiliar taste);

Something new (a friend's dress, a passing car of an unknown brand, a changed expression on the face of a person who was just talking to, etc.);

Objects and phenomena that cause surprise, admiration, delight in a person (paintings by artists, music, various manifestations of nature: sunset or sunrise, picturesque river banks, gentle calm or a formidable storm at sea, etc.), while many aspects of reality seem to fall out of his sight.

Secondly, everything that is interesting and important for this person. For example, we are watching an interesting movie or TV show, and all our attention is directed to the screen. An ordinary person will not pay attention to any traces in the forest, but the attention of a hunter, a ranger will be literally absorbed by these traces, and the attention of a mushroom picker will be directed to mushrooms.

A book on dog breeding will arouse the involuntary attention of a cynologist (a person who professionally breeds dogs), but the same book will be uninteresting and will not attract the attention of a person who is indifferent to dogs.

Most often, what is interesting for a person is what is connected with his main, favorite activities in life, with the business that is important to him.

Involuntary attention can also be caused by the internal state of the body. A person experiencing a feeling of hunger cannot but pay attention to the smell of food, the sound of dishes, the sight of a plate of food.

When it comes to involuntary attention, we can say that we do not pay attention to certain objects, but they themselves capture our attention. But sometimes, and very often, you have to make an effort on yourself - to break away from an interesting book or other activity and start doing something else, intentionally switch your attention to another object. Here we are already dealing with arbitrary (intentional) attention, when a person sets a goal for himself and makes efforts to achieve it. In other words, a person has certain intentions, and he tries (himself, of his own free will) to carry them out. Conscious goal, intention is always expressed in words.

The ability to arbitrarily direct and maintain attention developed in a person in the process of labor, since without this it is impossible to carry out a long and systematic labor activity.

The implementation of educational activities places high demands on the level of development of voluntary attention. A number of conditions for organizing educational activities contribute to the development and strengthening of the voluntary attention of schoolchildren:

Awareness by the student of the significance of the task: the more important the task, the stronger the desire to complete it, the more attention is attracted;

Interest in the final result of the activity makes you remind yourself that you need to be careful;

Raising questions in the course of performing activities, the answers to which require attention;

Verbal report of what has been done and what still needs to be done;

Certain organization of activities.

Voluntary attention sometimes turns into so-called post-voluntary attention. One of the conditions for such a transition is an interest in a particular activity. As long as the activity is not very interesting, volitional efforts are required from a person to focus on it. For example, in order for a person to solve a mathematical problem, he must constantly keep his attention on it. However, sometimes the solution of a problem becomes so interesting for a person that the tension is weakened, and sometimes disappears completely, all attention itself is focused on this activity, and he is no longer distracted by the conversations of other people, the sounds of music, etc. Then we can say that attention from voluntary it turned again into involuntary, or post-voluntary (post-voluntary).

Attention is a mental cognitive process aimed at reflecting the mental properties, states of an object, which ensures the concentration of consciousness. Such a focus on certain subjects has a selective focus and contributes to the formation of an individual attitude towards them.

As objects attention can be both other persons and inanimate objects. Phenomena of nature, objects of art and science are also often in the field of attention of the subject. It must be admitted that only those objects that arouse significant interest in him, or are due to the social need for study, fall into the zone of human attention. The development of attention directly depends on such factors as the age of a person, the purposefulness of his aspirations, interest in the subject or phenomenon being studied, the regularity of performing special exercises.

Types of attention

involuntary attention

It is characterized by the absence of a conscious choice of a person. It occurs when an influencing stimulus appears, which makes you momentarily distract from everyday affairs and switch your mental energy. This type of attention is difficult to manage, since it is directly related to the internal attitudes of the individual. In other words, we are always attracted only by what is of significant interest, what excites and makes the feelings, the emotional sphere “move”.

The objects of involuntary attention can be: unexpected noise on the street or in the room, a new person or a phenomenon that appeared before the eyes, any moving objects, the mental state of a person, individual mood.

Involuntary attention is valuable for its immediacy and naturalness of occurrence, which always provides a lively emotional response. But, at the same time, it can distract a person from performing urgent tasks, solving significant problems.

As a rule, in preschool children, involuntary attention predominates. Educators of children's institutions, of course, will agree that their attention can only be attracted by bright, interesting images and events. That is why classes in kindergarten are so replete with beautiful characters, attractive tasks, and a huge scope for imagination and creativity.

Arbitrary attention

It is characterized by conscious retention of concentration on the object. Arbitrary attention begins when motivation appears, that is, a person understands and consciously focuses his attention on something. Stability and perseverance are its essential attributes. In order for the necessary action to be performed, a person is required to make an effort of will, come into a state of tension, and activate mental activity.

For example, a student before an exam tries his best to focus on the material being studied. And even if he is not entirely interested in what he will have to tell the teacher, his attention is maintained due to serious motivation. The need to close the semester, to come home as soon as possible, sometimes adds a powerful incentive in order to stretch a little, put aside all entertainment and travel.

However, it should be remembered that prolonged concentration of voluntary attention leads to a state of fatigue, even severe overwork. Therefore, between serious intellectual work, it is recommended to take reasonable breaks: go outside to breathe fresh air, do simple physical exercises, exercises. But you don’t need to read books on abstract topics: the head will not have time to rest, in addition, the presence of excess information can provoke further unwillingness to return to business. It has been noticed that a strong interest induces activity, activates the work of the brain, and this can and should be strived for.

Post-voluntary attention

It is characterized by the absence of tension in the subject of activity when performing a task. In this case, the motivation and desire to achieve a specific goal is strong enough. This type of attention differs from the previous one in that internal motivation prevails over external. That is, a person, his consciousness is guided not by social necessity, but by an individual need for action. Such attention has a very productive effect on any activity, gives significant results.

Basic properties of attention

The properties of attention in psychology are a number of significant characteristics that are closely related to the components of the activity of the individual.

• Concentration- this is a deliberate focus on the object of activity. Attention retention occurs due to strong motivation and the desire of the subject to perform the action as best as possible. The intensity of concentration on the subject of interest is controlled by the consciousness of the individual. If the concentration is high enough, then the result will not be long in coming. On average, without a break, a person can focus attention for 30 to 40 minutes, but a lot can be done during this time. It should be remembered that when working at a computer, you should take short breaks of 5 to 10 minutes for yourself to rest your eyes.
• Volume is the number of objects that consciousness can hold simultaneously in its field of vision. In other words, the volume is measured in the mutual ratio of objects and the degree of stability of attention to them. If a person is able to maintain focus on objects for a sufficiently long time and their number is large, then we can talk about a high amount of attention.
• Sustainability. Stability is the ability to keep attention on one object for a long time and not switch to another. If there was a distraction, then they usually talk about lability. Sustainability of attention is characterized by the ability to discover new things in familiar things: to discover relationships and aspects that were not previously noticed and not studied, to see prospects for further development and movement.
• switchability. Switchability is a meaningful purposeful change in the direction of the focus of attention. This property is characterized by the conditionality of external circumstances or phenomena. If the switching of attention does not occur under the influence of a more significant object and does not differ in special intentionality, then one speaks of simple distractibility. It must be admitted that it is difficult to switch attention from one object to another due to strong concentration. Then it even happens that a person moves on to another activity, but mentally continues to concentrate on the previous one: he thinks over the details, analyzes, and emotionally worries. Switching attention is needed to relax after intense mental work, to be included in a new activity.
• Distribution. Distribution is the ability of consciousness to simultaneously focus attention on several objects that are approximately in the same position in terms of importance. The ratio of objects among themselves, of course, has an impact on how this distribution occurs: the transition from one object to another. At the same time, a person often experiences a state of fatigue, caused by the need to be in one focus point to constantly remember about other existing ones.

Features of the development of attention

The development of human attention is necessarily associated with the ability to focus on one or more objects for a certain period of time without any distraction. This is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. After all, in order to focus on something, you need to be sufficiently interested in your business. So, for the development of involuntary attention, only an interesting object is required, on which one could focus the gaze. Arbitrary attention, however, requires a serious approach: purposefulness of actions, strong-willed effort, the ability to control one's feelings in order to prevent distraction at the most inopportune moment are needed. Post-voluntary attention is the most productive of all, as it does not require overcoming and additional efforts.

Attention Development Methods

At the moment, there are a variety of techniques for developing attention that allow you to achieve high results and learn how to control attention.

Development of concentration

It is recommended to choose an object for observation, and for a certain period of time try to focus your attention on it. Moreover, the simpler this subject, the better. For example, you can put a book on the table and imagine what it is written about, what are the main characters. One can only think of a book as an object made of paper and cardboard, imagine how many trees it took to make it. In the end, you can just pay attention to its color and shape. Which direction to choose is up to you. This exercise perfectly trains the focus of attention itself, allows you to develop the duration of concentration on one object.

If you wish, you can try to practice holding two or more objects in your field of vision. Then, to all of the above, it is necessary to add the development of the ability to switch attention from one object to another, memorizing and noting the significant features of each of them.

Development of visual attention

Exercises should be aimed at expanding the ability of the individual to focus on the object. For example, you can put an object in front and set yourself the task of looking at it for 3 to 5 minutes, highlighting as many details as possible. First, you will begin to develop a general idea of ​​​​the subject: its color and shape, size and height. However, gradually, the more you concentrate, the more clearly new details will begin to appear: small details, minor adaptations, etc. They, too, must be seen and noted to yourself.

Development of auditory attention

To improve this type of attention, you need to set yourself the goal of concentrating on the sounding voice for no more than ten minutes. It is best if it is meaningful human speech, however, if you want to relax, you can include birds singing here or any melody that meets the requirements of relaxing music.

If human speech sounds, while listening, it is important to note the speed with which the lecturer speaks, the degree of emotionality of the presentation of the material, the subjective usefulness of the information. It is also quite acceptable to listen to fairy tales, stories in the recording, and then try to remember and reproduce their content. In the case of listening to music, it is important to capture the levels of vibration of the sound wave, try to "connect" to the reproduced emotions and imagine the details of something.

How to manage attention?

Many people who want to increase their level of attention face constant difficulties. Some may not be able to concentrate on the details, others have difficulty with when to perceive the subject as a whole. In this case, I would like to advise you to train at different facilities in all directions and do it every day. Agree, it’s not difficult to spend 5-10 minutes a day working on yourself.

Thus, the problems of developing attention are quite multifaceted and deep. It is impossible to consider this type of cognitive processes only as a component of activity. We must also remember that we always need attention in everyday life, therefore it is important to be able to focus on simple things, to notice even small details.

Attention is the focus and concentration of consciousness on some real or ideal object, which implies an increase in the level of sensory, intellectual or motor activity of the individual.

Attention has its own organic basis, which is the brain structures that ensure the functioning of attention and are responsible for the external manifestations of its various characteristics. Among the several billion nerve cells that make up the human brain, there are those that are especially closely related to the work of attention. They are called novelty detector neurons. Such nerve cells differ from others in that they are included in active work only when a person, in his sensations and perception, encounters certain objects and phenomena that are new to him and attract his attention.

Irritants that have become habitual usually do not cause a reaction of cells - detectors of novelty. Such cells, apparently, are responsible for involuntary human attention.

The general state of attention, in particular, such a characteristic of it as stability, is apparently associated with the work of the reticular formation. It is the thinnest network of nerve fibers, which is located deep in the central nervous system between the brain and spinal cord, covering the lower sections of the first and the upper sections of the second. Nerve pathways leading from the peripheral sense organs to the brain and back pass through the reticular formation. The reticular formation also regulates the tone of the cerebral cortex and the sensitivity of receptors, changing the dynamic characteristics of attention: its concentration, stability, etc.

Functions and types of attention
Attention in human life and activity performs many different functions. It activates the necessary and inhibits currently unnecessary psychological and physiological processes, promotes an organized and purposeful selection of information entering the body in accordance with its actual needs, provides a selective and long-term focus of mental activity on the same object or type of activity.

Consider the main types of attention. These are natural and socially conditioned attention, involuntary, voluntary and post-voluntary attention, sensual and intellectual attention.

According to the person in the organization of attention, three types of attention are distinguished: involuntary, voluntary and post-voluntary.

Involuntary attention is the concentration of consciousness on an object due to its peculiarity as an irritant.

Arbitrary attention is a consciously regulated concentration on an object, directed by the requirements of activity. With voluntary attention, the focus is not only on what is emotionally pleasing, but to a greater extent on what should be done. After about 20 minutes, a person gets tired using this kind of attention.

Involuntary attention is not associated with the participation of the will, and voluntary attention necessarily includes volitional regulation. Finally, voluntary attention, in contrast to involuntary attention, is usually associated with a struggle of motives or motives, the presence of strong, oppositely directed and competing interests, each of which is capable of attracting and holding attention in itself.

In this case, a person makes a conscious choice of a goal and, by an effort of will, suppresses one of the interests, directing all his attention to satisfying the other. But such a case is also possible when voluntary attention is preserved, and efforts of the will to maintain it are no longer required. This happens if a person is passionate about work. Such attention is called post-voluntary.

According to its psychological characteristics, post-voluntary attention has features that bring it closer to involuntary attention, but there is also a significant difference between them. Post-voluntary attention arises on the basis of interest, but this is not an interest stimulated by the characteristics of the subject, but a manifestation of the orientation of the personality. With post-voluntary attention, the activity itself is experienced as a need, and its result is personally significant. Post-voluntary attention can last for hours.

The considered three types of attention in the practical activity of a person are closely intertwined with mutual transitions and rely on one another.

Natural attention is given to a person from his very birth, in the form of an innate ability to selectively respond to certain external or internal stimuli that carry elements of informational novelty. The main mechanism that ensures the work of such attention is called the orienting reflex. It, as we have already noted, is associated with the activity of the reticular formation and neurons - novelty detectors.

Socially conditioned attention develops in vivo as a result of training and education, is associated with volitional regulation of behavior, with a selective conscious response to objects.

Direct attention is not controlled by anything other than the object to which it is directed and which corresponds to the actual interests and needs of the person.

Indirect attention is regulated with the help of special means, for example, gestures, words, pointing signs, objects.

Sensual attention is primarily associated with emotions and the selective work of the senses.

Intellectual attention is associated with concentration and direction of thought.

In sensory attention, a sensory impression is at the center of consciousness, while in intellectual attention, the object of interest is a thought.

Attention Properties
Attention has certain parameters and features, which are largely a characteristic of human abilities and capabilities. The main properties of attention usually include the following.

1. Concentration. This is an indicator of the degree of concentration of consciousness on a particular object, the intensity of communication with it. Concentration of attention means that a temporary center (focus) of all psychological activity of a person is formed.

2. The intensity of attention is a quality that determines the effectiveness of perception, thinking, memory and clarity of consciousness in general. The greater the interest in an activity (the greater the consciousness of its significance) and the more difficult the activity (the less familiar it is to a person), the greater the influence of distracting stimuli, the more intense the attention will be.

3. Sustainability. The ability to maintain high levels of concentration and intensity of attention for a long time. It is determined by the type of nervous system, temperament, motivation (novelty, significance of needs, personal interests), as well as external conditions of human activity. Stability of attention is maintained not only by the novelty of incoming stimuli, but also by their repetition. The stability of attention is associated with its dynamic characteristics: fluctuations and switchability. Attention fluctuations are understood as periodic short-term involuntary changes in the degree of attention intensity. Fluctuations in attention are manifested in a temporary change in the intensity of sensations. So, listening to a very weak, barely audible sound, for example, the ticking of a clock, a person first notices the sound, then stops noticing it. Such fluctuations of attention can be carried out with different periods, from 2-3 to 12 seconds. The longest oscillations were observed upon presentation of sound stimuli, then upon presentation of visual stimuli, and the shortest, upon presentation of tactile stimuli.

4. Volume - an indicator of the number of homogeneous stimuli that are in the focus of attention (for an adult, from 4 to 6 objects, for a child, no more than 2-3). The amount of attention depends not only on genetic factors and on the ability of an individual's short-term memory. The characteristics of the perceived objects (their homogeneity, interrelations) and the professional skills of the subject himself also matter.

5. Switching attention is understood as the possibility of a more or less easy and fairly quick transition from one type of activity to another. Switching is also functionally related to two processes in different directions: turning attention on and off. Switching can be arbitrary, then its speed is an indicator of the degree of the subject's volitional control over his perception and involuntary, associated with distraction, which is either an indicator of the degree of mental instability or indicates the appearance of strong unexpected stimuli.

Switching efficiency depends on the characteristics of the previous and subsequent activities (switching indicators decrease significantly when moving from easy to difficult activity, and they increase with the reverse bariant). The success of the switch is related to the person's attitude to the previous activity, the more interesting the previous activity and the less interesting the next one, the more difficult the switch. There are significant individual differences in switchability, which is associated with such a feature of the nervous system as the mobility of nervous processes.

Many modern professions (weavers, mechanics, managers, operators, etc.), where a person deals with frequent and sudden changes in the objects of activity, place high demands on the ability to switch attention.

Of great importance is the switching of attention in the educational process. The need to switch the attention of students is due to the peculiarities of the process itself: the change of various subjects during the day, the sequence of stages in the study of material in the classroom, which involves a change in the types and forms of activity.

Unlike conscious switching of attention, distraction is an involuntary disconnection of attention from the main activity to extraneous objects. Distractions have a negative effect on work performance. The distracting effect of extraneous stimuli depends on the nature of the work performed. Sudden, intermittent, unexpected stimuli, as well as those associated with emotions, are very distracting. With prolonged performance of monotonous work, the effect of side stimuli intensifies as fatigue increases. The distracting effect of extraneous stimuli is more pronounced in mental activity that is not associated with external supports. It is stronger with auditory perception than with visual perception.

The ability to withstand distractions is called noise immunity. In the development of this ability in people, there are significant individual differences due to both differences, namely, its strength, and special training aimed at increasing noise immunity.

6. Distribution, that is, the ability to focus on several objects at the same time. At the same time, several focuses (centers) of attention are formed, which makes it possible to perform several actions or monitor several processes at the same time, without losing any of them from the field of attention.

In complex modern types of labor, activity can consist of several different, but simultaneously occurring processes (actions), each of which corresponds to different tasks. For example, a weaver working on a loom must carry out numerous control and management operations. This is also typical for the activities of seamstresses, drivers, operators and other professions. In all such activities, the worker needs to distribute attention, i.e. simultaneously focus it on various processes (objects). An exceptional role is played by the ability to distribute attention in the activities of the teacher. So, for example, while explaining the material in the lesson, the teacher must simultaneously monitor his speech and the logic of presentation and observe how students perceive the material.

The level of distribution of attention depends on a number of conditions: on the nature of the combined activities (they can be homogeneous and different), on their complexity (and, in this regard, on the degree of mental stress required), on the degree of familiarity and familiarity with them (on the level of mastering the basic techniques activities). The more complex the combined activities, the more difficult it is to distribute attention. When combining mental and motor activity, the productivity of mental activity can decrease to a greater extent than that of motor activity.

It is difficult to combine two types of mental activity. The distribution of attention is possible if each of the activities performed is familiar to a person, and one of them is familiar to some extent, automated (or can be automated). The less automated one of the combined activities, the weaker the distribution of attention. If one of the activities is fully automated and only periodic control of consciousness is required for its successful implementation, a complex form of attention is noted - a combination of switching and distribution.

Development of attention
Attention as a mental process, expressed in the orientation of consciousness to certain objects, often manifesting itself, gradually turns into a stable property of the individual - mindfulness. At the same time, the range of objects can be limited to one or another type of activity (and then they talk about the mindfulness of the individual in this type of activity, most often this is professional activity), it can extend to all types of activity (in this case, they talk about mindfulness as a general property of the personality). People vary in the degree of development of this property, the extreme case is often called inattention. It is practically important for an engineer to know not only what the level of mindfulness formation among workers is, but also the reasons for his inattention, since attention is associated with cognitive processes and the emotional-volitional sphere of the individual.

Depending on the forms of inattention, we can speak of three types of it. The first type - absent-mindedness - occurs with distractibility and a very low intensity of attention, excessively easily and involuntarily switching from object to object, but not lingering on any one. This type of inattention is figuratively called "fluttering" attention. Such inattention in a person is the result of a lack of skills for concentrated work. Another type of inattention is determined by high intensity and difficult shifting of attention. Such inattention may arise due to the fact that a person's attention is focused on some events or phenomena that have previously occurred or met him, which he emotionally perceived. The third type of inattention is the result of overwork, this type of inattention is due to a permanent or temporary decrease in the strength and mobility of nervous processes. It is characterized by a very weak concentration of attention and even weaker switching.

The formation of mindfulness consists in managing the attention of a person in the process of his labor and educational activities. At the same time, it is necessary to create conditions that would contribute to the formation of his attention: to accustom him to work in a variety of conditions, not succumbing to the influence of distracting factors; exercise voluntary attention; to achieve awareness of the social significance of the type of work being mastered and a sense of responsibility for the work performed; associate attention with the requirements of the discipline of industrial labor, etc.

The volume and distribution of attention should be formed as a certain labor skill of simultaneous performance of several actions in conditions of an increasing pace of work.

The development of stability of attention must be ensured by the formation of volitional qualities of the individual. For the development of switching attention, it is necessary to select appropriate exercises with a preliminary explanation of the "switching routes". A prerequisite for the formation of mindfulness in a person is under no circumstances to allow him to do any work carelessly.

Stability of attention is one of the properties that characterizes the ability to concentrate on the same process or phenomenon for a long period of time.

What is attention

Attention is (in psychology) the purposeful perception of a certain object or phenomenon. It is important to understand that this is a rather changeable phenomenon, which can be influenced by both internal and external factors.

Attention is in psychology a kind of attitude of a person to an object with which he interacts. It can be influenced not only by mental and psychological characteristics, but also by the interest of the individual in working with one or another object.

We can say that the stability of attention is one of the most important conditions for successful activity in absolutely any field. Thanks to this category, the clarity of human perception of the world and the processes that take place in it is determined. Despite the fact that when concentrating on the main object, everything else seems to fade into the background, attention can constantly switch.

Scientists devote a lot of time to the study of attention; it cannot be considered a self-sufficient psychological phenomenon or process. It is inextricably linked with many other phenomena and is considered only in close connection with other accompanying processes, being one of their many properties.

Types and forms of attention

We can say that attention is a rather complex and multifaceted phenomenon. It can differ on the basis of primary or secondary perception of information. Thus, voluntary and involuntary attention can be distinguished.

If a person unconsciously concentrates on a particular object or process, then this is called involuntary. We are talking about unconscious attitudes that can be caused by a strong sudden exposure to a stimulus. This type often develops into conscious voluntary attention. Also, passive concentration is quite often caused by past impressions, which are repeated to some extent in the present.

Thus, if we summarize the above information, we can say that involuntary attention is due to the following number of reasons:

• unexpected exposure to an irritant;
• power of influence;
• new, unfamiliar sensations;
• the dynamism of the stimulus (it is moving objects that most often cause concentration of attention);
• contrasting situations;
• mental processes.

Occurs as a result of conscious excitatory processes in the cerebral cortex. Quite often, for its formation, extraneous influence is necessary (for example, teachers, parents, authoritative personalities).

It is important to understand that voluntary attention is an indispensable attribute of a person's labor activity. It is accompanied by physical and emotional effort, and also causes fatigue, like physical work. That is why psychologists recommend sometimes switching to abstract objects so as not to expose your brain to colossal stresses.

Psychologists distinguish not only arbitrary and involuntary attention. After a person has concentrated on an object and studied it well, further perception occurs as if automatically. This phenomenon is called post-arbitrary, or secondary.

If we talk about the forms of attention, then we can distinguish external (on surrounding objects), internal (on mental processes), and also motor (moving objects are perceived).

Basic properties of attention

Psychologists distinguish the following stability, focus, distribution, volume, intensity, switchability, concentration. Let's consider them in more detail.

• Concentration is the ability to keep attention on any particular object or process. This means that it stands out and stands apart from the general background. The strength of the connection with the object is determined by how bright, pronounced and clear it is.
• The amount of attention implies the number of objects that can be captured by the human mind at a time. Depending on this, people can perceive a different number of information units. The volume can be determined using special tests. Depending on the results, special exercises to increase it may be recommended.
• Stability of attention is an indicator that determines the duration of concentration on the same object.
• Switchability is a purposeful change in the object of attention. This may be due to both the nature of the activity and the need for rest and relaxation.
• Distribution determines the ability of attention to simultaneously concentrate on several objects of different nature. In this case, different organs of perception can be involved.

What is attention span

Sustainability of attention is a property that is determined by the ability to maintain focus on an object or activity for a long period of time. We can say that this is a characteristic that determines the duration of concentration.

It should be noted that the stability of attention cannot be determined in relation to any one object. A person can switch between objects or activities, however, the general direction and meaning must remain constant. Thus, if a person over a certain period of time is engaged in activities (or several types of activities) to achieve a specific goal, then one can judge the stability of his attention.

This category is characterized by a number of requirements, the main thing is the diversity of actions and impressions that they bring. If the nature of the stimulation remains unchanged, then in that part of the brain responsible for this or that activity, inhibition is observed, and, as a result, attention begins to dissipate. If the nature and conditions of activity constantly vary, then the concentration will be long-term.

It should be noted that the concentration and can alternate, depending on internal and external conditions. Even if the individual is in a state of highest concentration, due to internal brain processes, some fluctuations may occur. If we talk about external stimuli, then they can not always lead to distraction of attention (this largely depends on their intensity).

Distribution of attention

Divided attention is a state that occurs as a result of the simultaneous performance of several actions. So, for example, the driver of a minibus not only controls the vehicle, but also controls the situation on the road. The teacher, while conveying information to the students, also monitors the observance of discipline. This category can also be illustrated by the work of a cook who can simultaneously control the cooking process of several products.

Psychologists study not only the phenomenon of distribution itself, but also its physiological nature. This process is due to the appearance in the cerebral cortex of a certain focus of excitation, which can spread its influence to other areas. In this case, partial inhibition may be observed. Nevertheless, it absolutely does not affect the performance of actions if they are brought to automatism. This explains the ease of implementation of complex processes in people who have mastered their profession well.

The distribution of attention can be difficult if the individual simultaneously tries to perform actions that are in no way connected with each other (this has been proven by numerous experiments). However, if one of them is brought to automatism or habit, then the task is simplified. The ability to combine the performance of several actions at the same time belongs to such a category as health factors.

attention levels

The level of attention is the dependence of concentration on a certain activity on physiological and mental processes. So, we can talk about the following categories:

• the level of the physical body implies the realization that the objects to which attention is directed are separated from the organism itself, and therefore are foreign (this makes it possible to perceive them regardless of physiological processes);
• the energy level implies a higher level of interaction with objects, which consists in receiving some internal sensations associated with the work process (they can contribute to concentration or dispersion of attention);
• the level of energy metabolism implies that a high degree of concentration is achieved due to the fact that a person receives moral and physical satisfaction from the performance of a particular process;
• the level of common space implies that the concentration and stability of attention can to some extent come from the mere fact of being with the subject within the same limited territory;
• extra-spatial attention is associated with internal mental and psychological processes (we are talking about unconditional understanding or knowledge that an individual receives with the experience of activity);
• the level of will is the ability to force oneself to concentrate on an unwanted or uninteresting activity because it is necessary to achieve a certain result;
• the level of awareness implies that concentration occurs when a person understands the meaning and anticipates the results of the activity.

How to develop attention span

At the moment, there are many methods and tests that allow you to determine the levels of attention stability. Unfortunately, their results are not always satisfactory, but this situation is quite fixable. The development of attention stability becomes possible thanks to the techniques developed by psychologists. This improves performance and learning.

The most effective and frequently used are the following exercises:

• Set your cell phone timer to two minutes. All this time, you should completely focus your attention on the tip of your finger (no matter which one). If you can handle this task without problems, then try to complicate it. For example, turn on the TV and try to keep your attention on your finger against its background. It is best if you make such workouts daily.
• Get in a comfortable position and focus entirely on your breathing. You can also try to feel the heartbeat. At the same time, the room does not have to be perfect silence, you can turn on the music. This exercise is useful not only for developing concentration, but also for relaxation.
• When on public transport, take a seat by the window and concentrate fully on the glass, ignoring the objects behind it. Change the priority later.
• The following exercise is performed before going to bed, because it not only develops concentration, but also helps to relax. Take a standard sheet of text and put a dot in the middle with a green felt-tip pen or marker. You need to look at it for 5 minutes, while not allowing any extraneous thoughts to enter your consciousness.
• If your activity is connected with the perception of sounds, then it is necessary to train this particular apparatus. It is advisable to go to the park and for 10 minutes try to hear only the sounds of nature, while not paying attention to the conversations of passers-by or the noise of passing cars.

Psychological health factors are largely related to the ability to maintain stability of attention. This brings success in professional and daily activities. If your natural abilities are not at the highest level, then you need to develop them with the help of special exercises.

Neuropsychology

The neuropsychology of attention is a separate field of knowledge that deals with the study of concentration issues, linking them with nervous processes. Initially, such studies were carried out exclusively on animals, by connecting electrodes to certain areas of the brain. In order to investigate the stability of human attention, electroencephalogram technology is used. To do this, the body must be in an awake state. Thus, it is possible to fix the excitation or inhibition of nerve impulses during the performance of a certain kind of activity.

In this context, the psychologist E. N. Sokolov plays a huge role. Through a large number of studies, he proved that when the same action is performed repeatedly, attention becomes automatic. Thus, the brain ceases to actively respond to the stimulus, which affects the results of the electroencephalogram. The brain decides that in this case there is no need for excitation, because the body has a certain mechanical memory.

Selective Concentration Process

It is a psychological and mental process that consists in filtering out external stimuli and stimuli in order to isolate those that really require concentration and focus.

This phenomenon is constantly being studied by psychologists for the extent to which mental processes are dependent on the selective activity of the brain. This can be explained with a simple example. If at first we hear a hum of voices in a noisy place, then as soon as someone speaks directly to us, we begin to focus our attention only on this while the background noises are lost.

Psychologists conducted such an experiment: headphones were inserted into the ears of the subject, into which different sound sequences were fed. To their surprise, the man heard only one of the tracks. At the same time, when a certain signal was given, attention switched to another melody.

Selective attention concerns not only hearing, but also visual perception. If you try to catch different pictures on two monitors with each eye, then you will not succeed. You will only be able to see one image clearly.

Thus, we can say that the human brain has the ability to filter information that comes through certain channels, focusing on only one of the essential points. Concentration and switching of attention can be determined by internal or external factors.

Conclusion

Sustainability of attention is the ability of a person to focus on studying a particular object or performing a particular type of activity. It is this factor that largely determines the efficiency and volume of perceived information. It is important to understand that concentration of attention allows you to cast all secondary factors into the background, but this does not mean at all that a change of emphasis is excluded.

If we talk about the types of attention, we can distinguish voluntary and involuntary. The first one is conscious. The focus is on the object that directly interests the individual. At the same time, if such concentration occurs regularly, the brain begins to concentrate automatically. This kind of attention is called post-voluntary. But it often happens that an individual completely unexpectedly switches to objects or phenomena that have no direct relation to his activity. In this case, we can talk about involuntary attention. It can be harsh sounds, bright colors and so on.

Attention has a number of properties. The main one is concentration. It implies the ability to keep a specific object in the spotlight for a certain period of time. Volume characterizes the number of objects or activities that a person can focus on at the same time, but stability is the time during which a given state can be maintained.

Quite interesting is such a phenomenon as the distribution of attention. This means that it is not at all necessary for a person to concentrate on only one single type of activity. Sometimes, due to the specifics of the activity, several processes have to be performed simultaneously. At the same time, some of them are brought to automatism, while others require certain mental and psychological efforts. The most striking examples are the professional activities of a teacher or a driver of a vehicle.

It is important to understand that not every person is able to keep the same object in the spotlight for a long time or perform a homogeneous activity. In order to find out your abilities, you can pass certain psychological tests. Based on their results, it is easy to determine the level of stability of attention. If it turns out to be unsatisfactory, it is recommended to resort to a number of special exercises.

Quite actively psychologists study such a phenomenon as selective concentration. This mechanism allows you to select the desired object from a number of similar ones. Moreover, we can talk about visual, auditory, tactile and other types of perceptions. Among the noise of voices, a person can distinguish the speech of the interlocutor, from several melodies he hears only one, and if we are talking about two images, then it is impossible to catch them with each eye separately.