PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENT

Attention is a concept studied in cognitive psychology that refers to how we actively process specific information present in our environment. As you are reading this, there are numerous sights, sounds and sensations going on around you the pressure of your feet against the floor, the sight of the street out of a nearby window, the soft warmth of your shirt, the memory of a conversation you had earlier with a friend. How do we manage to experience all of these sensations and still focus on just one element of our environment? According to psychologist and philosopher William James, attention "is the taking possession of the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what may seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thoughtsIt implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others." Think of attention as a highlighter. As you read through a section of text in a book, the highlighted section stands out, causing you to focus your interest on that area. Attention allows you to "tune out" information, sensations and perceptions that are not relevant at the moment and instead focus your energy on the information that is important. http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/f/attention.htm
TYPES OF ATTENTION:

-ive attention:
Negative attention usually occurs in two basic situations. The first is when a child misbehaves and a parent or guardian scolds him or her. In such a case, the adult is giving the negative attention, and the child is receiving it. The second scenario typically occurs between two people in a romantic relationship. This occurs when one party both gives and seeks negative attention, generally by engaging in smothering or threatening behaviors. Children often seek negative attention when they dont receive enough of the positive kind. Although being scolded and punished is usually unpleasant, the child feels validated by this negative reinforcement and may seek more. This pattern often starts a cycle wherein a childs disobedience and poor behavior escalates because he or she wants additional attention. Parents and cargivers with children in this cycle arent necessarily 'bad parents.' In fact, many people with seriously misbehaving children are good parents with busy schedules or who misunderstand why the child is acting out. Children that behave in this way also are not usually 'bad.' They are simply youngsters who have found a way to get the attention they crave, even if it is negative.

+ive attention:
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Giving positive attention means responding to others in affirmative ways, which might include giving praise, nodding in agreement, smiling or showing physical affection. Reacting positively to people is distinguished from negative attention by the effects of the attention on the recipient. A parent might give positive reinforcement to a child who is behaving calmly in a situation that usually causes him or her to throw a temper tantrum. Cognitive therapists sometimes use positive attention to encourage progress in patients' behaviors. Positive attention also has been discussed as an effective strategy in interacting with people who have attention deficit disorders. The different types of attention might be classified as positive, negative and neutral. Positive attention involves pleasant words and affectionate physical contact or mannerisms that help the recipient feel validated, encouraged or supported. Negative attention, by contrast, typically is defined as reacting with disapproval or criticism to another person's words or actions. It also might refer to giving excessive attention to another person's negative actions, thus perpetuating the behaviors, particularly in children. Neutral attention can be categorized as reactions or communications that carry no strong emotions.

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There are several types of attention that people use during everyday activities, such as when driving or cooking or in a classroom setting. Selective attention is one of the types of attention that requires a person to focus on one activity in the midst of many activities. Sustained attention is used when a person needs to focus on one event for a longer period of time. The other types of attention, divided attention and alternating attention, are needed when a person has to focus on many things at once. A person may need to use selective attention when attending a large gathering or when out in a public area, such as a restaurant. In a room full of people, all carrying on multiple conversations, she will need to focus on the conversation or activity she is participating in, ignoring the other conversations going on around her. Selective attention may be used when a person is studying in a room that is noisy as well. When a person is able to sit and focus on a single task for a long period of time, she is using sustained attention. Examples of sustained attention may include reading a book for hours or completing a task such as sweeping the floor. Some people find it difficult to maintain this type of attention and may become distracted easily. A key part of sustained attention is being able to re-focus on the task at hand after a distraction arises. The other types of attention are divided attention and alternating attention. When a person uses alternating attention, her brain is able to switch from one task to another. Usually, the tasks require the use of different areas of the brain. A common example of using alternating attention is reading and then making a recipe. Other examples of this type of attention include singing and dancing or driving a vehicle. When driving, a person's attention shifts from accelerating, checking the road for obstacles, and signaling to make turns, among other tasks.

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Alternating and divided attention are more complex types of attention than sustained and selective. Divided attention is also commonly referred to as multi-tasking. Someone may use divided attention when on the phone if she checks her mail at the same time. Unlike alternating attention, a person using divided attention does not change from one task to another completely different task. Instead, she attempts to perform them at the same time.

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SELECTIVE ATTENTION:
The issue of why people pay attention, how much they do and to what is often more referred to as selective attention. In any busy scene, be it a classroom or a freeway, its virtually impossible to note everything at once. What a person pays attention to in these circumstances is what theyselect to pay attention to, though it may be noted that selection is not necessarily conscious. Selected attention can then be viewed as the process by which people find something upon which to concentrate, and the level of concentration they can continue to exert as distractions arise. Degree of selective attention may vary depending on people, and some people have low attentional levels, particularly if they have certain learning disorders. Conditions like attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can make it challenging for students to stay appropriately focused and any distractions may make a student lose focus. Its hard for the ADHD child to remain in touch with a single thing, though at times they can also exhibit hyper focus. There are many other potential conditions that may inhibit selective attention. Poor sleep makes people more easy to distract, and shift workers in particular can have this problem. Any form ofbrain injury can also reduce attention level, too.

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Divided Attention For example, if someone tries to read an email while listening to someone talk at the same time, or attempts to watch a television show while simultaneously surfing the Internet on a tablet, that person is exhibiting divided attention. Some people have more of a tendency towards multitasking than others, and some experts feel that the modern availability of digital media and new forms of entertainment may be leading to a society where multitasking is much more common or necessary than it once was.

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y

This state can be physically and mentally tiring. Most behaviors are a combination of focused attention and divided attention. Daily life is full of distractions and people are bombarded with all kinds of stimuli throughout a typical day.

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EXECUTIVE ATTENTION:
Executive attention is a term used to describe one of the main components of a persons working memory. It is characterized by the ability to effectively block outside distractions while focusing on a single object or task. In psychology, executive attention is often studied in the realm of working memory and it is but one of several theories of attention. In everyday life, executive attention is what many people focus on when trying to improve memory and productivity. Working memory is the type of memory humans use to perform conscious tasks. It is also useful for problem-solving purposes, as it allows the recollection of relevant and useful data. Within working memory, executive attention is necessary in order to disregard useless incoming stimuli that may otherwise distract the mind and not allow it to retain useful information. There are at least five main types of attention that have been identified by experts in the field of memory and attention. Included in these types are focused, sustained and selective attention, which all require more cognitive effort than the remaining two types, which are alternating and divided attention. Among these five types, executive attention would be considered as focused attention.

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The Different Types of Attention
There are different types of attention that contribute to academic and occupational success. They are as follows.  Sustained Attention This attention type enables a student to stay on a task for a long period of time. The attention of the student in this case does not move away from the task.  Selective Attention This attention type enables a student to stay on task even when a distraction is present.  Divided Attention This attention type allows a student to handle two or more tasks at one time. It lets the student pay attention to different tasks even as he or her multitasks. In order to identify a particular attention type from among the three different types of attention, it is suggested that you watch for a students inability to:  stay on a task for long periods of time,  ignore distractions, or  multi-task. http://k12teacherstaffdevelopment.com/tlb/the-different-types-of-attention/

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attention span
The length of time during which a person can concentrate on a subject or idea.
Definition of ATTENTION SPAN

: the length of time during which one (as an individual or a group) is able to concentrate or remain interested

Attention span refers to the amount of time a person can concentrate focused attention on something. Depending on the task, the individual, and other factors, attention spans can range from a few seconds to several minutes. The average is from five to 20 minutes, although it is possible to extend this time with various mental techniques. There are indications that a persons attention span may be affected by early and prolonged exposure to television or the Internet, although this has not been conclusively proved. Developmental disorders such asattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can also affect attention spans. Complex mental activities such as reading, mathematics, and the creation of artwork require focused attention. This is not limited to mental activity, however; many physical activities, such as athletics or juggling, also require intense focus. Very young children generally have difficulty achieving this focus. This is why books and educational materials for this age group often feature bright colors and short narratives designed to capture their attention. As they mature, most people are able to extend their attention spans when necessary

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Factors Affecting Attention Span

Factors Affecting Attention Span
How long a person is able to stay focused on a particular task or activity is his "attention span." Attention spans vary from individual to individual, but according to Indiana University - Bloomington, the average attention span for an adult is between 15 and 20 minutes on a single task, lecture or conversation. Many people, however, have a shorter attention span. Factors that affect attention span range from amount of sleep you get to daily stresses.

1. Fatigue
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In order to function properly throughout the day, most adults need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep is known to cause irritability, difficulty concentrating and general mind fog. Adequate rest each night will help you wake up rejuvenated and focused. Creating a sleep schedule is the ideal way to "set" your body's internal clock so that you become accustomed to sleeping and waking up at a certain time.

Technology
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Humans are fascinated with technology, and continuous advancements don't make it easy to lay off the gadgets. The New York Times reports that individuals who multitask emails, phone calls and social-networking sites have more trouble paying attention and focusing on important information. This is attributed to the fact that daily tasks not involving electronics do not provide the instant

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stimulation that electronic gadgets do. Nora Volkow, director of The National Institute of Drug Abuse, compares addiction to technological stimulation to addiction to food and sex. Try to limit television viewing to two hours or less a day and use your other devices such as your computer and cell phone for planning and keeping time. If you need entertainment, try writing, painting or exercising.

ADHD
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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is one of the most common reasons for short attention spans in both adults and children. Unfortunately, ADHD is hard to confirm, so many people go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Symptoms of ADHD include losing focus in the middle of a conversation, distractiblity, inability to focus or pay attention during simple tasks, overlooking details resulting in errors or incomplete tasks, poor listening skills and a poor memory. Only a medical health professional can diagnose ADHD and determine the best method of relieving symptoms whether it be through mental exercises or with medication.

Stress
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When someone is under a great deal of stress, it affects both his mental and physical health. Stress may cause irritability, anxiety and even affect concentration. When stress affects the cognitive areas of the brain, the ability to focus and make quick decisions is significantly lessened. In order to relieve stress, practice deep breathing techniques, exercise or meditation. For severe stress that results in anxiety or panic attacks, a health professional can prescribe medications.

http://www.ehow.com/info_7751581_factors-affecting-attention-span.html

FACTORS AFFECTING HUMAN BEING:Human attention can be affected by the choices that a person makes, such as how much she chooses to sleep or what she chooses to eat. The number and types of tasks that a person attempts to engage in at a given moment can also affect her attention. Substances such as alcohol and drugs can negatively impact a person's attention span and ability to concentrate. Sometimes, however, problems with attention stem from a disorder. Rest, or the lack of it, can affect human attention. When people are tired, it can be much more difficult for them to concentrate. Parents tend to think that children need a certain amount of sleep to be at their best. While this is true, the same applies to adults. At any age, cognitive abilities tend to be sharpest when individuals have had an adequate amount of rest. An individual's diet can also affect his attention span and ability to concentrate. This is one of the reasons why breakfast is encouraged. As it is the first meal of the day and people generally have a number of tasks ahead of them that require their attention, eating breakfast is important. With regard to attention, it is is recommended that a person include some type of lean protein among her breakfast selections.

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CAUSES OF ATTENTION PROBLEM IN CHILDRENS:

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Attention problems in children can be caused by several common issues. Attention deficithyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and vision or hearing problems are two of the most common causes. Attention problems can also be caused by a deficiency in certain systems that controlattention abilities. Mental energy, processing, and production are these three systems, and they determine what types of attention are affected. ADHD causes an inability to sit still, fidgeting, and blurting out, to name a few symptoms. Due to the lack of focusing combined with the restlessness and other symptoms, attention problems in children are common. Directions cannot be followed properly or are misunderstood, and behavioral problems, such as seeking negative attention from adults and other children, may be present as children get frustrated with themselves and others. Mental energy is one of the three systems that influence attention. It is the energy required by the brain to process information. If a child has a problem with mental energy, concentrating leads to mental fatigue and the child will have a tendency to zone out A deficiency in mental energy can also cause attention problems due to a reduction in mental effort.

FACTORS AFFECTING CHILDRENS:

Under normal circumstances, the attention span of children should progressively improve through the early stages of life. For some, however, certain conditions can cause adverse effects that emerge during a child's school years and last into adulthood. These factors include anemia, excessive use of electronic entertainment at an early age, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). There are also, however, factors that can have a positive effect on attention span. Involvement in crafts and activities, caring for pets and having a well-balanced diet may all have a positive affect on children. One of the main causes of a shortened attention span of children is iron deficiency anemia. This is a condition in which a lack of iron results in a diminished amount of blood cells that carry oxygen through the blood. If this condition becomes severe enough, it can impact a child's attention span and cognitive functions. ADHD is a condition in which children may suffer from inattention and hyperactivity. This is a problem that physicians will check for when it comes investigating the lack of attention span in some children. In some cases a doctor may diagnose a child that only has poor attention span as having ADHD, even if hyperactivity is not present. This condition is often improved with the help of medications and certain types of therapy.

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