State educational and pedagogical Publishing house of the Ministry of Education of the RSFSR, M., 1955.
Focused is attention directed to any one object or type of activity. For example, a person can concentrate on writing, listening, reading, doing some kind of work, watching a sports competition that captivates him, etc. In all these cases, his attention is focused only on one given type of activity and does not extend to others: when we are concentrated we read, we do not notice what is happening around us and often do not even hear the questions addressed to us; football players who are focused on executing the tactical combination they have planned may not notice the tactical move being prepared by the opposing team.
Focused attention has a high degree of intensity, which makes it a necessary condition the success of certain types of activities that are important for a person: we require concentrated attention from students in class, from an athlete at the start, from a surgeon during an operation, etc., since only with concentrated attention can these types of activities be performed successfully.
Distributed is attention directed simultaneously to several objects or activities. We are talking about distributed attention, when a student listens and simultaneously records a lecture, when a sports referee during a football match watches not just one, but all the players in his field of vision and notices the actions and mistakes of each of them, when the teacher explains lesson and at the same time monitors the behavior of students when the driver drives a car and at the same time carefully monitors all obstacles on his way, etc. In all these cases, the successful performance of an activity depends on the person’s ability to direct his attention simultaneously to several heterogeneous objects or actions.
With distributed attention, each of the types of activity it covers occurs with a relatively lower intensity of attention than when it is focused on only one object or action. However, in general, distributed attention requires a person to significantly great effort and expenditure of nervous energy than concentrated.
Divided attention is a prerequisite successful implementation many complex species activities that, by their very structure, require the simultaneous participation of heterogeneous functions or operations. It is necessary for the student recording the lecture, as he must listen and understand the content of the lecture and at the same time record it. At the same time, it is necessary to write down what has already been heard and processed, while simultaneously perceiving and thinking through what is new and further that the lecturer continues to present.
This is only possible with distributed attention, and not with concentrated attention: if a student concentrates on listening to a lecture, he will stop writing it down; if his concentrated attention is directed to writing, he will not be able to listen to the further content of the lecture. Distributed attention is necessary for a sports referee who is obliged to monitor different developing events during the game. It is necessary for the coach and teacher, since they are in their pedagogical activity must simultaneously direct their attention to both the content of knowledge that they present to students and how their presentation is perceived by listeners.
The physiological basis of focused attention is the optimal intensity of excitatory processes in those areas of the cerebral cortex that are associated with this type of activity, while simultaneously developing a strong inhibitory process in the rest of the cortex cerebral hemispheres brain. have a different character physiological processes in the cerebral cortex during distributed attention, when several functionally different areas of the cortex work simultaneously with sufficient intensity. For example, when listening and recording a lecture, the auditory, associative and motor centers associated with hand movements when writing work simultaneously.
Research by I. P. Pavlov shows that excitatory processes in these various areas of the cortex with distributed attention occur with to varying degrees intensity: those operations that are most significant in a given activity (for example, listening and understanding a lecture) require intensive work corresponding centers of the cortex, while less significant operations and subordinated to the first (in in this case recording a lecture) can be performed at a significantly lower intensity of excitatory processes in the centers that control them, which during habitual activities may even be in a somewhat inhibited state.
"Is not it ordinary thing, - said I.P. Pavlov on this occasion, - that we, being primarily occupied with one thing, one thought, can simultaneously perform another task, very familiar to us, that is, work with those parts of the hemispheres that are in to a certain extent inhibition by the mechanism of external inhibition, since the point of the hemisphere associated with our main task, of course, is then highly excited?
The ability for concentrated or, conversely, distributed attention is not innate. It has a conditioned reflex character; it is based on the formation and consolidation of appropriate temporary connections. The ability for both types of attention can be developed in the process practical activities. It is pedagogically important to educate and develop both specified types attention, because they are in equally are necessary when engaging in various types of activities: for example, the same person must have distributed attention during a sports game and focused on an educational or training session.
Cultivating the ability to focus attention is based on the formation of temporary connections, the most important part which constitute the corresponding inhibitory processes in areas of the cortex not associated with this type of activity. So, for example, a teacher, teaching students to focus on training sessions, achieves this through systematic comments and demands made from lesson to lesson, which ultimately become a conditioned signal for the emergence of focused attention at the beginning of the lesson.
The development of the ability for distributed attention proceeds somewhat differently. It requires improving skills in those activities between which attention is distributed. We can successfully divide our attention between listening and taking notes at the same time if we are proficient in both listening and writing. When we do not have the skill in at least one of these two types of activities (for example, we do not know how to listen, we have not learned to quickly and accurately identify what is essential and important in the words of the teacher, we do not have the skill to immediately formulate the acquired knowledge in in my own words), this activity will require such intense concentrated attention from us that the second type of activity (recording a lecture) will be impossible.
That is why, in an effort to develop the ability for distributed attention, we must first perfectly master the techniques of these types of activities. A coach who requires distributed attention from members of his sports team when solving certain tactical problems during a football match must, during the training process, instill in them the skills to perfectly perform various tactical techniques of the game.
Sports activities provide ample opportunities for developing both focused and distributed attention among those involved. The first develops in the process of practicing sports such as running, jumping, throwing, shooting, barbell, rowing, etc. Distributed attention is cultivated during exercise sports games, wrestling, boxing, etc.
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The ability to manage attention and distribute it is especially necessary when you have to perform two or more jobs at the same time.
Many outstanding people were distinguished by an amazing ability to distribute their attention. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, according to the memoirs of N. A. Semashko, could simultaneously listen to speakers, lead a meeting, delve into materials and write notes to members of the Council of People's Commissars on individual issues. About N. G. Chernyshevsky, biographer A. P. Primakovsky writes: “An amazing ability to work allowed him to often carry out two jobs simultaneously:
He often wrote an article for Sovremennik while doing other things, for example, dictating to his secretary a translation from German of Schlosser’s World History.”
Naturally, the simultaneous performance of two types of activity leads to partial, and often to complete destruction of one of them. So, if a person performs simple arithmetic operations and at the same time listens to the story in order to reproduce it later, the productivity of his work is reduced by almost half.
Usually, when studying the distribution of attention, the subject is asked to perform two tasks separately and simultaneously. The proposed tasks can be homogeneous, heterogeneous and have varying degrees complexity. The effectiveness of simultaneous and separate execution of tasks is compared.
Table 8
Test - “proofreading test”
Exercise. Test to determine the ability to distribute attention. For this task, a test table is used. 8. You need 5 minutes. carefully looking through this table, cross out as quickly as possible different ways letters c, k, and the letter a should be circled, for example:
At the end of the work, you need to evaluate its accuracy and productivity in order to use the data obtained both for initial self-diagnosis and to assess the degree of development of your ability to distribute attention after classes or independent work.
The accuracy indicator is calculated using the formula:
where A is the accuracy of the work; E is the number of correctly crossed out characters; O is the number of errors.
When O == 0 A = 1, in the presence of errors A is always less than 1. The performance indicator is calculated using the formula P = C * A, where P is productivity;
C is the number of characters viewed.
These indicators characterize the features of your activity not only in a given test situation, but also have more broad meaning for real educational activities. For example, if you are 5 min. looked at 1500 characters and correctly assessed 1350 of them, then this means high degree ability to maintain attention.
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Distribution of attention.
Distribution of attention- a property of attention, manifested in the ability to disperse attention over a significant space, perform several types of activities in parallel or perform several various actions.
To study the distribution of attention, we use various techniques(Fig. 3).
In the laboratory, the distribution of attention can be studied, for example, under working conditions on a special support. A metal plate with a slot of one shape or another is fixed on its upper surface. A metal needle can move along this slot, driven by two rotating caliper handles. The rotation of one of them gives the needle a longitudinal direction, the rotation of the other - a transverse direction. By simultaneously rotating both handles, you can move the needle in any direction. The subject’s task is to distribute attention between two actions (rotating both handles) and move the needle so that it does not touch the edge of the slot (otherwise a current short circuit will result, registering an error). In all such cases, a special organization of activity is required, which characterizes the distribution of attention.
The organization of activity that facilitates the distribution of attention is characterized by the fact that only one of the actions is carried out with a fairly complete and clear reflection of what is needed for its implementation, while all other actions are performed with a limited reflection of what is required for them.
How difficult it is to achieve such a distribution of attention under the influence of heterogeneous stimuli coinciding in time can be judged by the fact that usually in these cases one of the stimuli is noticed first and only after some (even a very short) time the second one. You can verify this using:
the so-called complication apparatus (intended for experiments with complication, i.e. a combination of heterogeneous stimuli). The device consists of a dial with 100 divisions, along which the arrow rotates rapidly. When the arrow passes through one of the divisions, a bell rings. The subject's task is to determine which division the arrow was on when the bell rang. Usually the subject does not name the division on which the arrow was at the time of the bell, but either the one preceding it or the one following it. His attention, therefore, is directed first to one stimulus (bell or arrow position) and only then, with some delay, to another.
Physiologically, the distribution of attention is possible because, while there is a dominant focus of excitation in the cerebral cortex, in some other areas of the cortex there is only partial inhibition, as a result of which these areas can control simultaneously performed actions.
The more familiar and automated the actions are, the greater the possibility of performing actions with partial inhibition of the corresponding areas of the cerebral cortex. Therefore, simultaneous execution of actions is easier the more better person mastered them. This is one of the most important conditions distribution of attention.
In Dobrynin's experiments (using work on a support), the subjects were forced to perform mental calculations simultaneously with work on the support. The study showed what a combination is mental work with complex handmade possible if the work on the caliper is done more or less automatically.
The relationship in which simultaneously performed actions stand to each other is also significant. If they are not connected, it becomes difficult to perform them simultaneously. On the contrary, if, due to their content or frequent repetition in previous experience, they have already formed a certain system of actions, their simultaneous implementation is easier.
Distribution attention is a person’s ability to simultaneously concentrate on several objects, which makes it possible to perform several actions at once. According to legend, Julius Caesar could do seven unrelated things at the same time. Peter I and Napoleon had a similar ability. However, there is reason to believe that only one type occurs at a time conscious activity- the subjective feeling of simultaneity is due to rapid sequential switching from one type to another. Thus, switchability - This back side distribution of attention. It is determined by the speed of transition from one type of activity to another. Poor switchability leads to absent-mindedness. But absent-mindedness can also be a consequence of maximum concentration and concentration on the main object of interest.
Often, having great abilities, a person cannot realize them due to poor self-organization and lack of concentration. The main sign of self-organization is the ability to tune in to activity and maintain an efficient state for a long time, without making any effort. volitional efforts. This setting is helped by concentration and stability of attention. We can give some tips on managing these functions of attention, which are useful when organizing educational activities.
Let's consider typical situation when you need to start studying, sit down at the table to do homework or prepare for exams. You just can’t do this, extraneous thoughts creep into your head. First, try the simplest self-hypnosis, which allows you to engage in any activity or state. So, you sit down at the table on which everything is prepared, but which you hate, close your eyes and repeat to yourself or in a half-whisper 8-12 times “I can write, I can write, I can write... I write... I I’m writing!...” Intonations increase from mechanical indifference to passionate demand. At the moment of greatest tension, you suddenly become silent, relax, lean back in your chair with eyes closed. There is emptiness in your head, and you don’t want or expect anything, you don’t care at all. Stay in this emptiness, forget about everything, and you will feel that after a while a phrase will begin to emerge in this blissful emptiness, and then the demand to write, and the hand itself will reach for the paper. If something interferes, try to relax again and then hear your order again. Phrases or formulas can be anything, the main thing is to be short and to the point. This technique is the simplest conversation between consciousness and the subconscious, in which both parties, without interfering or interrupting, give the opportunity to tune in to the task. The author of this technique, V. Levi, called it an “echomagnet” and identified three phases: spell, emptiness, action.
But sometimes we are unable to even focus on what will help us get involved in our work. There is not a single thought in my head, only fragments, scraps of phrases. What to do? Sit down and write! Any lines that come to mind, even if it is not entirely logical. The main thing is not to stop and not re-read what you have written, so as not to be afraid of your confused notes and not to stop the process of development. After a while, the work will truly capture you and then you can return to the original notes - there may be something useful there, and if not, it’s okay, since these notes helped you start working.
If you have a long-term activity to do - writing a term paper, diploma or report, then the interference can be very strong. Every day a person tells himself that today he is tired, but tomorrow he will start working in the morning with a fresh mind. But morning comes, and with it new tasks and new fatigue. Try to start a new business not in the morning, but in the evening when you are tired. Let it be only the first phrase or headline, the main thing is that in the morning you will not need to start from the beginning, and the new day will not be overshadowed by the need to do the unpleasant thing - to start, well, the previous evening was still spoiled by fatigue.
If you get involved in work and forget about everything around you, you must follow the rules of mental hygiene. A person can save voluntary attention when working monotonously for 15 minutes, then you need to take a short break or switch to another activity. Nothing tires you more than monotony. There are also longer cycles of brain activity, such as the 90-minute rhythm of brain activity. Therefore, after an hour and a half of work, you should take a longer break. During this break, you can relax with your eyes closed and spend autogenic training or, conversely, fill the pause with active movement: dance to music or do several rhythmic exercises. Infusions of herbs - mint, oregano, lemongrass, thyme or sweet tea - will help relieve fatigue.
Intellectual activity is also subject to daily fluctuations. A person’s physical tone changes 5 times a day with maximums at 5, 11, 16, 20 and 24 hours and minimums at 2, 9, 14, 18 and 22 hours. During these periods, mental activity also decreases.
To content:
- this is the concentration of vision on several objects. This action helps to do a number of things at once, which may even differ in their types.
Such abilities were possessed by: the Roman ruler Gaius Julius Caesar, the great Russian Emperor Peter I and French commander Napoleon. These features belong only to truly gifted people, versatile and powerful. Any action is subject to them and there are no impossible tasks.
If you develop this talent, and it can be “trained,” then you can manage to do much more, thereby leaving your time for other goals.
In people who know how to distribute attention, both hemispheres of the brain are involved. From birth, a person knows how to activate one half of the to a large extent. The left is responsible for Creative skills person, right - for analytical warehouse mind. Therefore, it is very difficult to combine these two practically incompatible qualities. It is also difficult, for example, how to retrain a left-handed person to write right hand. Few people are able to write the text well with both hands at the same time. As a rule, one skill is forgotten over the years because it was not used or developed.
To stimulate the development of attention distribution, it is necessary to follow the rules of mental work:
- During monotonous work, concentration can be maintained for exactly 15 minutes, after which it becomes scattered and difficult to perceive. After the task, you need to do small break, give your eyes a rest and readjust brain functions. You can even engage in physical labor, performing different activities, alternating mental and physical labor.
- Brain activity reaches its peak performance in morning hours. Therefore, it is advisable to carry out all the more important things starting from 8 o’clock. And the distribution of attention will also be effective in the morning.
- To improve activation mental activity can be used natural energy: dark chocolate, coffee, oranges, cranberries, honey, walnuts, sugar beets, etc.
The degree of mastery of the distributed attention technique depends on:
- Combination different types activity so that the brain is involved in one movement and physical skills in another. For example, teach English language, listening with headphones and repeating the words, while washing the floors. If you combine two cases that are similar in meaning and involve one organ, then it will turn out poorly in both the first and the second. For example, record a lecture from dictation, listen to the teacher and talk with your neighbor at your desk. In this case, the student does not have time to write notes and misses part of the information that his friend gives him.
- The level of automation to which the work has been completed. A person, when driving a car, already uses several functions: avoids obstacles, looks behind pedestrian crossing and other cars, presses the pedals, shifts the gearbox, simultaneously turns on the turn signal and, if necessary, presses the horn. And perfection, if the radio is still on, the phone rings or you want to eat a forgotten donut and drink coffee. A good example Minibus drivers automatically perform their official duties. Their ability to multitask is simply amazing; such skills take years to learn.
Development techniques
- Given long word, for example, a concrete mixer. You need to come up with other new words from it. But each letter must appear as many times as it was included in initial word. A convenient technique that can be practiced on the way to work or to switch attention from one activity to another.
- "Earth, water, air." To complete this exercise, you need to find a volunteer partner who wants to play. One throws the ball and calls “earth”, the other must name an animal, when saying “water” - a type of fish, and when pronouncing “air” - birds.
- Time to complete: 5 minutes. Ask someone to read an unknown text while you solve seven simple examples. At the end of the task, retell the text and check the correctness of the solutions.
It is advisable to perform these methods to improve the distribution of attention at least once a week.