According to the options for implementation and its origin, the following types of attention are distinguished : voluntary and involuntary.
The second type is considered the simplest and genetically initial. It is also called forced, passive, due to the fact that this attention arises and is maintained regardless of the goals that a person faces. In such cases, the activity captures the individual by itself due to its surprise and fascination. In this case, a person involuntarily falls under the influence of influencing phenomena, objects or activities. So, for example, doing something, a person can be distracted by heard interesting news on the radio.
The formation of involuntary attention is associated with various reasons, mental and psychophysiological in nature. Specialists conditionally divide them into categories.
The first group includes the quality and nature of the stimulus, first of all, its intensity and strength. Any severe irritation: sharp smell, bright light, loud sound and others involuntarily attract attention. In this case, a significant role is given to a greater extent to relative strength. So, during the day the steps in the corridor may not attract attention, but at night these same steps will make you wary.
The second category of causes includes external stimuli corresponding to the internal human condition, and mainly to existing needs. So, for example, a hungry and well-fed person reacts differently to talking about food.
The third category of causes is associated with a general personality orientation. So, walking along one street, the architect draws attention to the beauty of the buildings, and the janitor to the trash. What a person is interested in causes certain emotions.
The second kind of attention - arbitrary - arises under the control of a conscious goal. Its formation is closely associated with human will. This attention was developed as a result of labor efforts, and therefore, it is also called intentional, active, strong-willed. So, a person decides to engage in any activity. In this regard, he directs his attention to this. Moreover, often at this particular moment he is not interested, but this must be addressed.
Arbitrary attention is involved in the regulation of mental processes. The reasons provoking it are not biological, but social in nature.
According to some experts, there are not only these types of attention (voluntary and involuntary). Psychologists single out another, similar to an arbitrary type. It is purposeful in nature, requires strong-willed efforts (initial). However, over time, the process of activity becomes fascinating for a person, and not just its outcome.
Thus, the above types of attention also include “post-spontaneous”. It was called so N.F. Dobrynin (Soviet psychologist). Attention and its types have different characteristics.
Features of the connection of consciousness with a specific object, focus on it and determine the properties of attention. Psychology highlights such features as concentration, volume, stability, distribution, switching.
Stability characterizes types of attention by the duration of focus on the same object.
Concentration is called the intensity (degree) of concentration.
Distribution is the subjectively experienced ability of an individual to keep a specific number of dissimilar objects at the same time in the center of a conscious connection.
The switching of concentration is expressed in a meaningful and conscious movement of it from one subject to another.
The amount of attention is expressed in the limited ability to simultaneously perceive several objects that are independent of each other.