Types Of Attention PDF

Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana Bengaluru 560105 Week 2: Module 4: TYPES OF ATTENTION Learning Objectives To understand different facets of attent...

Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana Bengaluru 560105 Week 2: Module 4: TYPES OF ATTENTION Learning Objectives To understand different facets of attention and concentration To internalize the types of attention and their applications We already know that, while disregarding other perceivable information, attention is a behavioural and cognitive activity that involves deliberately focusing on a distinct component of information, whether it is seen as subjective or objective. Renowned Psychologist, William James, in his famous book, Principles of Psychology defines attention as attention is taking possession of the mind. In clear and vivid form, of one out of what seems several simultaneously possible objects or train of thoughts …. It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others” He further describes the nature of attention to have the following attributes: It is changeable It is selective It is a mental process It is a state of preparedness It is alertness It has a narrow span It is to focus on a particular object Attention is what makes the difference for sensory perceptions Hearing + attention = listening Seeing + attention = observing Touch + attention = feeling 1  Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana Bengaluru 560105 Types of attention Based on the need, the attention can be classified into various types: Focussed attention: Focused attention is the brain’s ability to concentrate its attention on a target stimulus for any duration. Focussed attention refers to the power of our attention system to be ‘caught’ by a specific stimulus (e.g., a noise, pain, a light flash, our name) to which we can respond. Unless they remain in a coma, most people with brain injury regain focussed attention, though this may initially be limited to their own internal experiences (e.g., pain or discomfort). As they recover, they may be increasingly responsive to external stimuli but not constantly the most helpful or valuable stimuli. Focussed attention is a rapid process whereby our attention is grabbed by something to which we can then respond. It is reduced in disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and dementias. It may also reduce in traumatic brain injury or stroke. Focused attention is often increased in anxiety disorders, where one is unable to modify the focus and thus gets anxious. Please note that, in the context of neurological rehabilitation, Focussed attention does not refer to the ability to sustain attention, however, it is a necessary prerequisite for other types of attention. Selective attention This is the process of attending to information that is relevant and important and ignoring other non-relevant information. e.g. Have you ever been at a loud concert or a busy restaurant, and you are trying to listen to the person you are with? Selective attention takes place when we block out certain features of our environment and focus on one particular feature, like the conversation you are having with your friend. This is essentially the means of concentrating your body/senses/mind on a particular object. Such selective attention is essential to reduce distraction and focus on the desired objects. 2  Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana Bengaluru 560105 Selective attention is often impaired following brain injury and impairment may cause difficulties with: Increased distractibility e.g. to noise, light, movement, other people, pain, the person’s own thoughts and concerns. Completing everyday tasks such as washing and dressing. Understanding and taking in information. Following a conversation. Maintaining the topic of a conversation. Managing to get things done, including work. Problems with selective attention may make the person appear quite chaotic and disorganised in their approach to tasks. Sustained attention (Attention span) It is the ability to maintain a consistent behavioural response during a continuous and repetitive activity. Sustained attention is a process that enables the maintenance of response persistence and continuous effort over extended periods of time. Eg. Someone who can work at one task for a long time? If yes, he/she using sustained attention. This happens when we can concentrate on a task, event, or feature in our environment for a prolonged period of time. Sustained attention is also commonly referred to as one’s attention span. It takes place when we can continually focus on one thing happening, rather than losing focus and having to keep bringing it back. People can get better at sustained attention as they practice it. Alternating/shifting attention (attentional shift): The ability of mental flexibility that allows individuals to shift their focus of attention and move between tasks having different cognitive requirements. Attentional shift (or shift of attention) occurs when directing attention to a point increases the efficiency of processing of that point and includes inhibition to decrease attentional resources to unwanted or irrelevant inputs. Shifting of attention is needed to allocate attentional resources to more efficiently process information from a stimulus. 3  Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana Bengaluru 560105 Unitary resource and multiple resource models According to the unitary resource model of attention, there is a single resource of attention divided among different tasks in different amounts, and attention is voluntarily shifted when demands on attention needed exceeds the limited supply of attentional resource available. In contrast, there are also multiple resource models of attention that propose that different attentional resources exist for different sensory and response modalities, which would mean that tasks requiring different senses or different kinds of responses should be easier to switch attention to and from, and that switching costs would be less for similar tasks than tasks that involve different resources. The spotlight and gradient theories In attention research, one prominent theory attempting to explain how visual attention is shifted is the moving-spotlight theory. The primary idea being that attention is like a movable spotlight that is directed towards intended targets, focusing on each target in a serial manner. When information is illuminated by the spotlight, hence attended, processing proceeds in a more efficient manner, directing attention to a particular point and inhibiting input from any stimuli outside of the spotlight. However, when a shift of spatial attention occurs, the spotlight is, in effect, turned off while attention shifts to the next attended location. Attention, however, has also been proposed to adhere to a gradient theory in which attentional resources are given to a region in space rather than a spotlight, so that attentional resources are most concentrated at the center of attentional focus and then decrease the further a stimuli is from the center. Attention in this theory reflects both current and previous attentional allocation, so that attention can build up and decay across more than one attentional fixation over time. This means that time to detect a target may be dependent upon where attention was directed before the target was presented and attention needed to be shifted. Three stages of attention orienting Another influential idea came from Posner and Petersen in 1990, who theorized that the orienting of attention could be organized into three distinct stages. They argue that in order for a person to orient to a new location, they first have to disengage, or take attention away from where it is currently focusing. Next, the shifting of one’s attention would occur from one stimulus to another. Finally, attention would be engaged, or focused onto the new target. This 4  Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana Bengaluru 560105 review attempts to look at the research regarding neural correlates of these physical shifts of attention, specifically focusing on the areas of covert and overt attention, as well as, voluntary and automatic attention shifts. Research often disagrees about the amount of overlap in the neural systems for these different types of attention, and therefore research supporting both views is discussed below. Overt vs. covert attention Changes in spatial attention can occur with the eyes moving, overtly, or with the eyes remaining fixated, covertly. Within the human eye only a small part, the fovea, is able to bring objects into sharp focus. However, it is this high visual acuity that is needed to perform actions such as reading words or recognizing facial features, for example. Therefore, the eyes must continually move in order to direct the fovea to the desired goal. Prior to an overt eye movement, where the eyes move to a target location, covert attention shifts to this location. However, it is important to keep in mind that attention is also able to shift covertly to objects, locations, or even thoughts while the eyes remain fixated. For example, when a person is driving and keeping their eyes on the road, but then, even though their eyes do not move, their attention shifts from the road to thinking about what they need to get at the grocery store. The eyes may remain focused on the previous object attended to, yet attention has shifted. Divided attention: This refers to the ability to respond simultaneously to multiple tasks or multiple task demands. It is very important aspect of attention that is required to all of us for everyday activities. E.g. Talking to a friend on the phone while you’re straightening up the house. When we are paying attention to two things at once, we are using divided attention. However, there is possibility of losing focus from both activities Summary Attention and concentration have multifold applications in our everyday activities Different types of attention are required to perform different forms of activities 5