Prepared by

DR: Shimaa
Elgamal
Lecturer of
neurology
Faculty of
medicine
Kafr Elsheikh
university
Objectives
 Introduction
Definition
Characteristics
types
Uses
 Factors influencing attention
Meaning:
• Attention is an active part of consciousness.
• The activity of concentrating mind on a particular matter is called
attention.
• Attention is not possible in the absence of consciousness, but
attention and consciousness are not one.
• The field of consciousness is vast and attention is one of its parts.
For example, I am reading at this time Book, note, table, chair, etc.,
all this can be under my consciousness, but my attention is on the
words being read on the paper.
Definition:
Attention is the concentration of consciousness upon one object rather than
others .
Attention is the process of getting an object of thought clearly before the
mind.
Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect
of the environment while ignoring other things .
Attention is being keenly alive to some specific factor in our environment. It is
a preparatory adjustment for response .
Attention can be thought of as the bridge over which some parts of the
external world the aspects selectively focused on are brought into the
subjective world of our consciousness so that we may regulate our own
behaviour.
Nature:

Attention is focusing of consciousness on a particular object.

Attention is constantly shifting/changeable
Attention is selective
Attention is a mental process
Attention is a state of preparedness or alertness
Attention has narrow range/span
Characteristics of attention

It is a selective mental activity

It constantly shifts from one object to another or from one aspect to another.

Attention is focus of the consciousness on one particular object.

Attention is the state of preparedness or alertness

Attention requires some motor and sensory adjustments on the part of the
person being attentive.
Definition

Attention is defined as a process which compels the individual to select a

particular stimulus according to his interest and attitude out of the multiple
stimuli of the environment.

Attention is the concentration of consciousness upon one object rather than

upon another.
Voluntary attention
 Requires conscious effort on the part of the person.

 Eg: problem solving, answering in the examination.

 Further types
1. Implicit volitional attention‫انتباه ارادي ضمني‬
2. Explicit volitional attention ‫واضح‬
Implicit volitional attention
 A single act of will is responsible for arousing
attention.‫رد الفعل هو المسوول عن جذب االنتباه‬
 Eg: home work given by teacher and the fear of
punishment mat arouse attention in the student to
complete the given tasks.
Explicit volitional attention
 Attention is obtained by repeated acts of will.

 One has to struggle hard for keeping oneself attentive.it requires strong will
power and motivation to keep the attention focused.

‫ فهو يتطلب قوة إرادة قوية ودافًع ا للحفاظ على تركيز‬،‫يجب على المرء أن يكافح بشدة للحفاظ على انتباهه‬
‫االهتمام‬.

 Eg: during the preparatory days of the examination.

 ‫ خالل األيام التحضيرية لالمتحان‬:‫على سبيل المثال‬.
Involuntary attention ‫االهتمام الالارادي‬
 This type of attention is aroused without the conscious effort .
 Eg: bright lights, loud noise and strong odours, pain etc.

 This type of attention can be aroused by instincts called enforced non volitional
attention.

 Attention given due to preformed sentiments , to people objects and things.

Uses
It provides strength and ability to continue the task despite the obstacles
present in the environment.

Helps in better organization of the perceptual field for maximum clarity and
understanding.

It helps by providing the deeper concentration by focusing ones consciousness

upon required object or idea.

Helps in bringing mental alertness and preparedness.

Factors Related to Attention
Methods for arousing
Attention: Certain factors produce and control the
condition of attention in the person.

Attention depends upon several factors.

These factors may be of two types:
A. External and
B. Internal.
External...

Repetition: If a thing or person or event is repeated several times, then our

attention drawn to it. When an advertisement is repeated in the walls drawn
our attention.
Duration: attention is drawn to a thing that lasts longer. A sales person draws
attention by lengthening his voice.
Change: Change draws our attention easily. In the midst of continuous noise a
slight moment of silence draws our attention.
Novelty: Newness attracts quickly than traditional one. A new teacher
attracts the children very much in the school.
External factors
1. Motion of the object:
 The moving stimulus attracts more attention than the stagnant one.
2. Definite form of the object:
3. A sharply defined object attracts more attention than a vaguely defined
object
Internal Factors
The internal factors are concerned with the individual. So, these are also called
subjective factors.
Interest: we are interested in some things and disinterested in other things.
Interesting things draws our attention soon. An engineer and a botanist going
down the same path will attend entirely different things on the way. Engineer
attention will be on the buildings and botanist attention will be on the trees.

Desire: A person’s desire becomes a cause of paying attention to a thing. For

example, a person has to desire of buying a hammer. There are many things
available in a market, but when he goes to a shop where hammers are available.
Internal...
Motives: Basic motives are important in drawing attention. Human motives like
hungry, thirst, sex, safety, etc., play a vital role in drawing attention. A thirst
person attention always on where water is available.

Aim/Goal: Every man has some immediate aim and ultimate goal in their life.
The immediate aim of a student is to pass in the examination while his ultimate
goal may be to become a doctor. The student, whose goal is not to pass the
examination, will not be concerned with textbooks or note, etc, but who has
the aim to pass in the examination, will at once attend to them.
Internal...
 Habit: Habit is also a vital determinant of attention. The kind of habit we found
in our life, our attention is drawn to such things. if a person has habit to play
cricket, then his attention is always drawn to it, and he will listen to cricket
commentaries with attention.
 Past Experience: It is also affect attention. If we know by our past experience
that a particular person is sincere to us, we shall pay attention to whatever he
advises us. If our experience is contrary, we shall not attend even to his most
serous advice.
 Apart from these above factors, aptitude, attitude, mental set, disposition
and temperament etc., are also an internal factors.
Inattention...

Inattention is required for attention. If we want to pay attention to a thing,

we will have to overlook other things.

If a student wants to pay attention to his lesson, then it is necessary that he
diverts his attention from other things.
• Distraction: Meaning

 Distraction means the driving of attention or some interference in attention.

 For example, when one is studying, the sound of a song or noise breaks in
upon attention.

 The object which causes the distraction is called distractor.

• Distraction: Definition

 Distraction may be defined as any stimulus whose presence interferes with

the process of attention or draws away attention from the object to which we
wish to attend .

 A distraction may be defined as any factor which normally tends to break up

attention .
Sources of Distraction
 The sources of distraction can be roughly divided into two - external and
internal sources.
 External Factors: It is also called environmental factors.
These are more common and prominent.
 Noise, music, improper lighting, uncomfortable seats, inadequate ventilation,
defective method of teaching, improper use of teaching aids, defective voice of
the teacher are the common external distractors in the classrooms.
 Internal Factors:
 Emotional disturbances, ill-health, anger, fear, feeling of insecurity, boredom,
lack of motivation, feeling of fatigue, lack of interest, unrelated subject matter
are the examples for internal distractor.
• Forms of Distraction:

Continuous Distraction: As the name suggests, it is the continuous distraction

of attention.
For example, the sound of radio or gramophone played continuously, the noise
of market place etc. Experiments say adjustment to continuous distraction takes
place quickly.
Discontinuous Distraction: This type of distraction is irregular, being
interspersed with intervals.
For example, the hearing of somebody’s voice every now and then. It interferes
with work because of the impossibility of adjustment.
Span of Attention:

Span of attention refers to the number of objects, letters and digits one can
attend to in a fraction of a second so as exclude eye movement or counting .

The extent or limit of the ability of a person to attend to a concentrate on

something. The length of time which a reader can concentrate on what he is
reading without thinking of anything else is called Span of attention.
Attention Span:

 It varies with age, physical, mental and emotional condition and nature of
material read.

 Attention brings an object into consciousness. How many objects can be

brought into consciousness at a time, the number of them is called span of
attention. On an average span of attention of a child is limited to 4 to 5 whereas
for adults it is within 6 to 7 letters or digits.

 Touchidoscope is the apparatus using for determine the span of attention.

 Causes of impaired attension
1. Normal causes: as during sleep, dreams, hypnosis, fatigue or boredom
2. Neurological causes: organic brain lesion e.g., head injury, epilepsy or
increased intracranial tension.
3. Intoxication: acute intoxication by drugs or alcohol.
4. Psychogenic causes: as in cases of: Attension deficit hyperactivity disorder,
hysterical dissociation and in Mania
Attention:
Meaning: active part of consciousness.
 Definition: concentration of consciousness upon one object rather
than others .
 Nature:
 Types of Attention:
 Non-volitional Attention: It is also called involuntary attention.
 Enforced Attention: instincts.
 Spontaneous Attention: internal motivation and sentiments
 Volitional Attention: It is also called voluntary attention.
 Implicit Attention: ordinary efforts
 Explicit Attention: make efforts for a number of times
 Factors related to Attention:
 External Factors:
Size, Intensity, Repetition, Duration, Movement, Contrast, Change, Novelty,
 Internal Factors: Interest, Desire, Motives, Aim/Goal, Habit, Past
Experience, aptitude, attitude, mental set, disposition and temperament etc.

 Inattention: required for attention.

Distraction:
 Meaning: interference in attention.
 Definition: any factor which normally tends to break up attention
 Sources of Distraction
 External Factors: Noise, music, improper lighting, uncomfortable seats, inadequate
ventilation, defective method of teaching, improper use of teaching aids, defective voice of
the teacher, etc.
 Internal Factors: Emotional disturbances, ill- health, anger, fear, feeling of insecurity,
boredom, lack of motivation, feeling of fatigue, lack of interest, unrelated subject
matter, etc.
 Forms of Distraction
 Continuous Distraction
 Discontinuous Distraction
 Span of Attention: limit of the ability of a person to attend to a concentrate on something.
Conclusion
 Attention is one of the most important higher order mental functions.
 Its cardinal for assessing the mentally ill patients.
 Alteration in the attention span and its ability can lead to diagnosis of various
psychopathologies.
 Correctly assessing the attention in MSE can give us insight about the
psychiatric illness.