Attention

Attention
"Everyone knows what attention is," wrote William James in his Principles of Psychology (1890). "It is the taking possession by the mind in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought...It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others, and is a condition which has a real opposite in the confused, dazed, scatterbrained state." (James' younger brother Henry was the writer of the Wings of the Dove, The Portrait of a Lady, other novels and stories.) Attention is important to learning. Learning is most efficient when a person is paying attention. Poor attention can be a key sign of behavior disorders in children such as hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, and learning disorders.

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at·ten·tion ə-'ten-chən n
1) the act or state of attending: the application of the mind to any object of sense or thought
2 a) an organismic condition of selective awareness or perceptual receptivity specif the complex of neuromuscular adjustments that permit maximum excitability or responsiveness to a given class of stimuli
b) the process of focusing consciousness to produce greater vividness and clarity of certain of its contents relative to others
at·ten·tion·al -'tench-nəl, -'ten-chən-əl adj

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at·ten·tion (ə-tenґshən) 1. selective awareness of a part or aspect of the environment. 2. selective responsiveness to one class of stimuli.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • ATTENTION — Chacun sait quand utiliser les verbes: regarder ou écouter plutôt que voir ou entendre; chacun identifie sans peine les nuances qui différencient des expressions comme: faire attention, surveiller du coin de l’œil, ne pas prêter attention,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Attention — is the cognitive process of paying attention to one aspect of the environment while ignoring others. Attention is one of the most intensely studied topics within psychology and cognitive neuroscience. In 1890, William James, in his textbook… …   Wikipedia

  • attention — ATTENTION. subs. f. Application d esprit à quelque chose. Avoir attention à ce qu on fait, à ce qu on dit. Prêter attention. Prêter une attention favorable. Cela demande beaucoup d attention. Il travaille avec attention, sans attention. C est un… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • attention — 1 Attention, study, concentration, application can mean the direct focusing of the mind on something, especially on something to be learned, worked out, or dealt with. Attention is applicable to the faculty or power as well as to the act {noises… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • attention — Attention. s. f. Application d esprit à quelque chose. Avoir attention a ce qu on fait, à ce qu on dit. prester attention. prester une attention favorable. cela demande beaucoup d attention. il travaille avec attention, sans attention. il n avoit …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • attention — at‧ten‧tion [əˈtenʆn] noun for the attention of written abbreviation FAO written on the front or at the top of a letter when you want a particular person to read it or deal with it: • for the attention of the manager * * * attention UK US… …   Financial and business terms

  • Attention — At*ten tion, n. [L. attentio: cf. F. attention.] 1. The act or state of attending or heeding; the application of the mind to any object of sense, representation, or thought; notice; exclusive or special consideration; earnest consideration,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Attention! — Studio album by Alexander Klaws Released March 10, 2006 …   Wikipedia

  • attention — [n1] concentration absorption, application, assiduity, consideration, contemplation, debate, deliberation, diligence, engrossment, heed, heedfulness, immersion, industry, intentness, mind, scrutiny, study, thinking, thought, thoughtfulness;… …   New thesaurus

  • attention — [ə ten′shən] n. [L attentio < pp. of attendere: see ATTEND] 1. a) the act of keeping one s mind closely on something or the ability to do this; mental concentration b) mental readiness for such concentration 2. notice or observation [her smile …   English World dictionary

  • attention — late 14c., giving heed, from L. attentionem (nom. attentio) attention, attentiveness, noun of action from pp. stem of attendere mental heeding (see ATTEND (Cf. attend)). Used with a remarkable diversity of verbs (e.g. pay, gather, attract, draw,… …   Etymology dictionary

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