The 15 types of attention and what are their characteristics?

Our ability to concentrate on a single stimulus can take different forms.

Attention is a cognitive process that allows us to focus selectively on one (or several) stimulus(s) in the environment on one stimulus (or several) in the environment without taking into account the rest.

However, behind this concept there are several types of attention that should be known in order to better understand how it operates in the human mind. This is the theme around which this article revolves: the different ways in which human beings are able to focus their attention on certain elements, and how they affect the way we behave.

The different types of attention

As John Ratey (2001), a psychologist and professor at Harvard University, states, "attention is more than simply noticing incoming stimuli." It involves a number of processes, including filtering percepts, balancing multiple percepts, and attaching emotional meaning to them. Moreover, this attentional focus can be on external stimuli as well as on content from memory and imagination.

However, beyond knowing the importance of the management of the attentional focus, it is convenient to know the different types of attention that exist, because in several aspects they behave in a different way and also affect us in a different way. The same person can be skillful in controlling one type of attention, and significantly less skillful in managing another type of attention.. However, in general, cases in which one is very good in one of these areas and very bad in others are rare: all types of attention tend to be close to the average, as is the case with all psychological characteristics.

So, let us see what these varieties of attention are, summarized and classified on the basis of the most important criteria.

According to their amplitude and direction

In the world of sports it is common to hear talk of attentional approaches, which can also be applied to the different tasks of life. There are four attentional approaches, which take into account the direction (external or internal) and the amplitude of the direction (narrow or wide).

Regarding the direction of attention, external attention refers to when an individual focuses on matters outside him, on what is happening around him. In contrast, Inner attention refers to when a person pays attention to his inner events, to what is happening inside him.to what is going on inside him.

In terms of the breadth of attention, broad attention is related to a greater number of stimuli, while narrow attention will allow for greater concentration.while reduced attention will allow for greater concentration. The direction and breadth of attention combine to create different types of attention, which are as follows.

External-reduced attention

Attention is focused on a small number of stimuli external to the person, and is related to concentration. For example, when an individual intends to throw a dart and focuses all his attention on the center of the target.

2. External-broad attention

This type of attention focuses on a Wide range of stimuli number of stimuli external to the person.. For example, when a soccer player initiates a counterattack, he raises his head and observes the position of his teammates in order to make an effective pass.

It is important to know the difference between both types of external attention in order to maximize sport performance, since if an athlete is not aware of this difference and initiates a counterattack focusing attention on the ball and the dribble (external-reduced attention), he/she will not know who to pass the ball to and, therefore, will lose a valuable opportunity to find the opponent's goal.

3. Internal-reduced attention

It is characterized by the fact that attention is focused on a reduced number of stimuli or responses occurring in a person's organism. a person's organism. For example, when a soccer player is learning to perform a lob, she must focus on the movements of her own foot and not on whether the lob goes into the goal.

4. Internal - wide attention

This type of attention refers to the fact that a person focuses on a wide number of stimuli or responses that occur within his or her organism. For example, when someone has to fill in an emotional diary and analyze what happened to him/her during that day and what feelings he/she experienced.

According to the attitude of the individual

Taking into account the attitude of the individual, mindfulness can be classified in two ways.

5. Voluntary attention

Occurs when the individual makes an active and conscious effort to direct attention, that is to say, it is the capacity to to concentrate on a stimulus in a voluntary manner..

6. Involuntary attention

In this type of attention the person does not make a conscious and active effort, but it is the internal and external stimulus that directs the attention. For example, the noise of a firecracker or a toothache.

According to motor and physiological manifestations

If we take into account the motor and physiological manifestations, attention can be divided into:

7. Open attention

The focus of attention and the recipients of interest have their orientation in the source of attention.. For example, when someone speaks to us and we are facing them, we pay attention to both their verbal and non-verbal language.

8. Covert attention

In this type of attention the attentional focus and the sensory receptors are dissociated.. For example, when it seems that we are paying attention to the television and in reality we are listening to our partner talking on the phone.

According to the sensory modality

Considering the sensory modality. Attention can be of two types.

9. Visual attention

It refers to the spatial arrangement. This phenomenon allows to detect the stimuli in a complex visual context.

10. Auditory attention

Although we cannot move our ears as well as our eyes to pick up different auditory stimuli, we can choose what we hear, we can choose what we hear, i.e., we can focus our attentionWe can focus our attention on one auditory stimulus or another.

Other types of care

In addition to the above classifications, there are also other types of care. These are explained below.

11. Selective attention

It is also called focused attention. It is the ability to select and focus attention on a specific stimulus or task. on a specific stimulus or task.. There are different theories that deal with this concept. In the article "Selective attention: definition and theories" you can learn more about this topic.

12. Divided attention

This is the capacity to attend to and process two or more demands or stimuli simultaneously. It is also known as multitasking. For example, cooking and listening to music at the same time.

13. Alternate attention

This is the ability to shift the focus of attention from one stimulus to another. For example, reading a recipe and preparing a meal.

14. Sustained attention

It refers to when we have to use attention for a long period of time. For example, when playing a video game.

15. Concentration

Concentration is the reduced external attention, it is the capacity that a person has to centralize his attention in a maintained and constant way. It has many applications.

• You can learn about them in the article "The importance of concentration and focus of attention in sport".

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