The five types of attention

Understanding that there are several types of care is as important as promoting each of them. We usually define attention as the ability to focus and we usually use this concept by its antonym, lack of attention.

Whenever we talk about someone who is distracted or simply not listening to us, we say that they are not paying attention. The question is this: Can you live without attention?

Nowadays, attention disorders are in fashion. We should not be surprised, We live in a society that demands the constant processing of endless stimuli. Advertising, simultaneous tasks and technological devices are examples of the elements that capture our attention at all times.

Beyond that, attention is a brain-based cognitive process and therefore a person does not lack attention because they are distracted, they are simply putting it elsewhere.

Attention, executive function

Attention is one of the most complex functions of the brain for which, to date, there is no closed definition accepted by everyone. It is a function that allows us to filter stimuli, process information and focus on a goal. For all this, the frontal lobe requires the integration of information from the rest of the nervous system.

This process occurs at various levels that depend on the interaction with the environment.. The characteristics of a task and its demands will determine the type of attention we use.

Types of care

As we already mentioned, attention occurs at different levels with very different characteristics. For this, the concept of orientation is fundamental, awareness of ourselves in relation to our surroundings. So The type of attention used will depend on the level of consciousness and activation that requires generating a response.

Focused attention

This type of care is based on the ability to respond specifically to a stimulus. This requires the subject to ignore the rest of the stimuli around them. This requires a high level of alert and activation.

When a person is very tired due to having a prolonged state of alert, they can no longer ignore the rest of the stimuli with the same effectiveness, being more “vulnerable” to distractors.

Sustained attention

Sustained attention is used in long-term tasks. It is the ability to maintain a cognitive activity with persistence. For example, if the task is to read a book for an exam, we will need to read and process the information for several hours. In many cases, the reward is not immediate, so this type of attention has several obstacles:

Motivation.Fatigue.Boredom.Concise task.

Divided attention

Our brain is so incredible that it allows us to do two tasks at the same time. Now, while these tasks may not be as demanding, It is necessary to divide attentional resources in order to have good performance in both

This capacity is limited, since as two simultaneous sources of information increase their demand, the response deteriorates. For example, When we need to write and at the same time listen, watch and exchange with a teacher, we use divided attention.

Alternate care

The most prominent aspect of mental flexibility, understood as the ability to change the focus of attention and move between very different tasks. A very clear example, when we prepare a very complex dish that requires working its ingredients at different times. To do this we have to change tasks without first forgetting the previous task, since in a few seconds we will return to it.

The importance of attentional control

Attention is not a unique or exclusive process; most tasks require the joint action of different types of attention.

Attentional control, or the ability to alternate and effectively use types of attention, depends on other executive functions.among them the most important are:

Memory. Many tasks require the retrieval of material in long or short-term memory; this requires a good level of attention.Planning. Other tasks require the joint and planned action of many tasks, which must be ordered and executed efficiently.Inhibition. This is the ability to inhibit, filter and control sensory stimuli that do not correspond to the action sought to be performed.

What parts of the nervous system are involved in attention?

The main structures involved are:

ascending reticular system. Attention requires the ability to receive stimuli. Peripheral information is processed thanks to its journey through the brain stem.parietal lobe. Of importance in the spatial processing of stimuli and the allocation of resources to a certain task.frontal lobe. The conductor of the brain orchestra. He is in charge of selecting responses and motor programs for the execution of a plan that allows the development of an action.

Conclusion: an indispensable tool

Attention is a complex brain function that has had a special participation in our evolution and development as a species. It is, in turn, a skill that must be cared for and exercised, since any damage to the aforementioned areas usually causes irrecoverable setbacks.

All five types of attention are equally important and we use them every day for tasks as automatic, as making breakfast, or as complex, as driving in traffic.

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