Definition
The process through which
certain stimuli are selected from a group of others is generally referred to as
attention (NCERT, XI).
A state in which cognitive
resources are focused on certain aspects of the environment rather than on
others and the central nervous system is in a state of readiness to respond to
stimuli (APA).
In essence attention is
the state of awareness centered towards the specific stimuli.
Meaning
The efforts required to
assemble the cognitive faculties in response of sensory or psychological
inputs.
In simple terms attention
is voluntary or involuntary attending to the external or internal stimuli.
Introduction
Attention is the cognitive
phenomenon. It’s a kind of cognitive arousal. The brain has its limited
resources that can be pressed into service for maintaining focus upon certain
selected stimulus. Attention has three important properties: -
(i) Alertness,
(ii) Concentration, and
(iii) Search.
(i) Alertness -
Alertness refers to an individual’s readiness to deal with stimuli that appear
before her/him (NCERT).
(ii) Concentration - Concentration refers to focusing
of awareness on certain specific objects while excluding others for the moment
(NCERT).
(iii) Search - In search an observer looks for some specified
subset of objects among a set of objects (NCERT).
Models of Attention
(i) Spotlight
model – This model compares focus of attention to a spotlight
where attention has a focus as well as a fringe. When the field of awareness is
centered on a particular object or event, it is called focus or the focal point
of attention. On the contrary, when the objects or events are away from the
center of awareness and one is only vaguely aware of them, they are said to be
at the fringe of attention. When the fringe extends out to a specified area,
and the cut off is called the margin.
(ii) Zoom-lens model (Eriksen & Yeh, 1985) – This
model conceptualizes that brain resources for attention are allocated according
to interest, task demands, or other factors. Because of limited processing
capacities, however, there is a tradeoff between size adjustment and detail: An
increase in the area attended results in a decrease in the resolution of detail
about stimuli within that area (APA). The larger the focus the slower
processing will be of that region of the visual scene, since this fixed
resource will be distributed over a larger area.
Theories of Attention
(i) Filter
Theory (Broadbent, 1956) - This theory explains that simultaneously several
stimuli enter our receptors. The multitude of these stimuli creates a kind of
“bottleneck” situation. Moving through the STM
these stimuli meets a filter. This filter permits only one stimulus to
move through it for further processing. Other stimuli are left out.
(ii) Filter Attenuation Theory (Triesman, 1962) –
According to this theory the stimuli which are not allowed to pass through the
filter are not completely blocked out rather their strength is attenuated or
weakened by the filter. Despite being attenuated some stimuli manage to pass
through the filter and reached for higher processing.
(iii) Multimode Theory (Johnston and Heinz (1978) –
According to this theory the selection of stimuli for attention takes place in
three stages.
(a) Stage I – Sensory
representations (visual images) of stimuli are constructed;
(b) Stage II – Semantic representations (names
of objects) are constructed;
(c) Stage III – Both
(Sensory and semantic) representations enter the consciousness.
Factors Affecting Attention
(i) External
Factors – The factors that are related to the stimuli are
characterized as external factors. These factors include size, movement,
brightness, intensity, newness etc.
(ii) Internal Factors – The factors that are related to
the perceiver such as motivational (biological motives such as hunger, thirst
etc.) and cognitive (intellectual ability, preparedness, interest etc.).
References:
1. NCERT, XI Psychology Text
book.
2. https://dictionary.apa.org/attention.
3. https://www.britannica.com/science/attention.
*******
No comments:
Post a Comment