MS.

NANDINI BHUMIJ
M.SC. NURSING IN PSYCHIATRY
 Attention is defined as a process, which
compels the individual to select some
particular stimulus according to his interest
and attitude out of the multiplicity of
stimuli present in the environment.
(Sharma RN-1967)
 Attention is the concentration of
consciousness upon one object rather than
another.
(Dumville-1938)
 Voluntary (Volitional)
 Implicit volitional attention

 Explicit volitional attention

 Involuntary (Non-Volitional)
 Enforced non-volitional

 Spontaneous non-volitional
 External factors
 Nature of the stimulus
 Intensity of the stimulus
 Size of stimulus
 Contrast, change and novelty
 Location of stimulus
 Repetition of the stimulus
 Movement of stimulus
 Definite form of the object
 Isolation of the stimulus
 Internal factors or Condition
 Interest & attention
 Motives
 Mental set-up
 Past experience
 Emotion
 Habit
 Aim
 Meaning
 Disposition(natural tendency) & temprament
1. Span of attention
2. Duration of attention
3. Sustained attention
4. Shifting attention
5. Division of attention
 1. Span of attention
 The maximum amount of material that can
be attended in one period of attention is
called span of attention.
 Span of visual
attention
Exposure is very short,
ranging from 1/100
to 1/5 of a sec.

Dots, lines, letters or

complex words or
triangles etc.
 Span of auditory attention
Auditory impressions perceived at a
single instance is slightly grater.

Adult can perceive eight sounds if given

rapidly.
 2. Duration of attention
It refers to how long one can attend
to an object without any break.

The duration depends upon the

nature of the material, the interest
of the observer and other
conditons.
 3. Sustained attention
(Act of fixation of mind)

To concentrate one’s activity

continuously upon some object or a
happening or a problem.
 4. Shifting attention

It is not possible to hold attention

continuously with the same
intensity for a longer duration.
 5. Division of attention
It means to attend to two or more task
simultaneously.

Reasons for paying attention to more than one

task at a given time:
1. No attention
2. Attention rapidly shifts from one task to the
other.
 Distraction means any stimulus whose
presence interferes with the process of
attention or draws away attention from the
object which we wish to attend.
(HR Bhatia-1968)
 Sourcesof distraction
Depends on mental set-up and personality
characteristics.

 External factors
 Internal factors
  Continuous distraction
 Discontinuous distraction
 Being active in work
 Disregard for distraction
 Making the distraction a part of work.