Selective Attention In Research

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Recommended: Selective attention theories

Selective attention, as described in chapter four of Essentials of Psychology, is when a person has their attention focused on one task which causes them to not being able to focus on any other stimuli. The text goes on to explain that selective attention is able to occur because the brain can set apart contrasting signals from each other. It can alter itself so when focused on a task, the brain can temporarily change how neurons react to sensory details. Thus, when selective attention does take place, it makes it extremely difficult to concentrate on more than one thing at the same time. I agree with the concept of selective attention because I have seen the characteristics of selective attention in myself, as well as in others. Selective attention does affect a lot of people because it is very easy to lose sight of things when you are focused on getting something done. In Essentials of Psychology, the author discusses …show more content…

My mom, for example, also has selective attention. If I am trying to speak to her while she is looking at something on her phone she will not respond to me. Instead, she will either ask me to repeat what I said or she will disregard it. She doesn’t ignore me intentionally, but if she is concentrate on one thing, she can only pay attention to that one stimuli. For me personally, my selective attention isn’t bad. Unlike my mom, I can still talk to people that I am with while I am still on my phone. I have noticed that I have selective attention when I am driving. If I am driving, I am so concentrated on driving that I don’t even notice that the radio is on in the car. One time I went to go turn off the radio in my mom’s car so I could focus better because I thought I focused better the last time I had went when I thought that the radio was turned off, only to discover that the radio was on the last time I had driven and I never noticed

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