Did you know that there are different types of attention in psychology? Although it is customary to speak of attention as a single process, the truth is that, depending on the circumstance, the mind may or may not activate a particular type of attention. Furthermore, attention is one of the main functions of the human mind. In fact, without it, it would be almost impossible to remember, learn and internalize the relevant information and stimuli offered by the environment around us.
In addition, this cognitive-behavioral process is what allows us to determine which aspects of the environment are important at that moment. Without attention we would not be able to think, solve problems or communicate effectively with others. For you to know more details about how the human mind can focus the elements, in this Psychology-Online article you will discover what are the types of care and their characteristics.
There are several types of attention in psychology. Also, this is not a unitary process. Rather, it comprises a set of cognitive and behavioral factors, in which the frontal lobe, the reticular system and the parietal lobe to process stimuli, as well as information that occurs internally and externally.
In fact, many researchers, such as the philosopher and writer William James in 1980, affirm that attention is not only noticing the stimuli, but to manifest the approach to filter the most outstanding elements of the situation, according to the personal reality of each who. In this way, these stimuli can be associated emotionally. Coupled with that, attention has three fundamental aspects:
- It is limited: It has a specific capacity and duration.
- is selective: because it is limited, it is important to focus on what deserves attention.
- It is cognitive and behavioral: attention is a fundamental part of the cognitive process, helps survival and can modify aspects of behavior.
Now that you know what the main characteristics are, let's see the types of attention in psychology:
According to the implication that the subject has in the object or stimulus, it can be said that there are three types of attention:
- passive attention: is the one that is effortlessly drawn. That is, it is a perceptual response to stimuli that are striking. For example, when hearing a blow, a noise or seeing something that attracts attention. In addition, when this type of attention is activated, the response will be immediate.
- Voluntary and active care: also known as deliberate attention. As its name indicates, it is what happens when we make a conscious approach to a particular stimulus, since it interests us for a specific purpose or out of simple curiosity. It is usually an attention that responds to a motivation. For example, when we need to learn some academic content or when we are practicing a musical instrument.
- Involuntary and active attention: in this type of care, the stimulus is what attracts interest of the person. For example, when children watch a television program and try to associate it with another image that they already know. In addition, apps, games, and even social networks can attract involuntary and active attention, since they unnoticeably arouse emotions and stimulate the senses.
Likewise, attention can be given according to the degree of psychological activation caused by the stimulus. In this sense, they are classified into the following types:
- Sustained attention: it is the type of attention in which we can concentrate on a stimulus for a long and considerable period of time. This is a very important ability. Above all, in academic and learning activities, since it allows you to fully focus on a task over a long period of time.
- Selective Attention: is the capacity of concentrate on a specific task. Namely, selective attention it is the ability to filter, between different stimuli, one in particular, eliminating the other distractions.
- divided attention: In this type of attention, the person can alternate their interest between various stimuli, thus distributing the intention in a focused manner. In other words, this type of attention allows you to react or give two responses to various demands. Therefore, it also gives way to multitasking. A very common example of this type of attention is driving a car.
- Alternate care: in this case, it is the ability to change the focus of attention alternately between different stimuli.
- Focused attention: It is that type of attention that focuses on a single stimulus. For example, focusing on a visual or auditory stimulus. In addition, it is a fundamental type of care to respond to situations that require a rapid response.
According to the sensory modality by which the subject receives the stimulus, the following types of attention can be classified:
- eye care: refers to the ability to focus on a specific element in a certain visual field. Also, it is often called visual perception and is supported by the spatial perception of objects.
- Hearing care: This type of attention is what is captured through the auditory sense. That is, people can focus their focus on some particular sounds.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
