Lesson 8 The Laws of Attention

In the preceding lesson we have seen that attention is really a focusing of consciousness, akin to the focusing of the rays of the sun by means of a sun-glass. In all focusing, there is a concentration or bringing to a central point of all the available force and power of the energy which is being concentrated, instead of a diffusion of scattering of the force and power of that energy.

The law of increased power by means of concentration is found to be operative as well in the mental field as in the physical. Extensive consciousness takes in a wider range of objects, with a smaller knowledge of any particular object; while intensive consciousness takes in a narrower range of objects, with a greater knowledge of those objects, and a smaller knowledge of objects outside of the field of concentration.

But there is another phase of concentrated attention which must not be overlooked by the student in his consideration of the subject. I allude to the act of "retention" in consciousness, which is also a distinctive office of the power of attention.

Not only must the object be concentrated upon in such a manner as to focus the entire power of consciousness upon it, and thus make a deep, clear impression upon the records of the mind, but it must also be detained in consciousness so as to enable the mind to thoroughly examine and analyze it, and thus make repeated impressions upon the records. Each of these repeated impressions will tend to deepen the original impression, and thus not only make the understanding of the object more complete, but also render far easier its reproduction by the mechanism of memory.

The phase of detention in consciousness constitutes the important phase of that which is known as voluntary attention, which is the highest form of attention, and which is found highly developed in the case of men of trained powers of observation and thought. Voluntary attention is manifesed in but a slight degree by illiterate persons, and those lacking mental training. The lower form of attention is that which is known as involuntary, or reflex attention, in which the attention is easily attracted and as easily passes on to something else.

In involuntary, or reflex attention, the attention is caught by the outside stimulus, easily and almost without the conscious action of the will. It is this form of attention that we find in the case of the lower animals, children, and persons of untrained intellect.

Wave a slick in front of a dog, or a ball of worsted [yarn] before a young cat, and the attention is caught at once. In the same way, the attention of the child or adult of slight mental training is attracted by some trifling thing. Such form of mental action is almost automatic, and belongs to the class of reflex reactions of the nervous system, rather than to the class of voluntary actions of the mind. Attention of this kind is attended by but a minimum of concentration, and an even less degree of detention in consciousness.

In voluntary attention, on the other hand, a distinct and deliberate effort of the will is employed, both in the focusing and in the detention in consciousness of the impression. In involuntary attention there is no selection of the object on our part, it being presented from the outside world to our nervous system. But in voluntary attention, we make a deliberate selection of the object to which we wish our mind to attend.

Again, in involuntary attention, there is no sense of effort; while in voluntary attention there is always a peculiar sense of effort, sometimes to a very marked degree. In involuntary attention, there is but a small degree of detention, and even the slightest new stimulus will draw away the attention from the first object. In voluntary attention, the will holds the attention to the object before it, and often closes the door of the mind to even marked stimulus from outside, as we have seen.

The majority of persons have scarcely progressed beyond the stage of involuntary attention, and often do not even seem to know what is meant by the process of voluntary attention. They say that it makes theem tired to "think" about things—by which they mean it fatigues them to bestow voluntary attention even in a slight degree. The student, on the other hand—whether he studies books or things—employs voluntary attention to a marked degree.

In order to become acquainted with any thing or idea it is necessary to bestow upon it considerable concentrated voluntary attention—to "study" it, as it were. In this process, the object is treated with strong concentrated attention, and also is detained in consciousness sufficiently long to enable the perceptive faculties to analyze and examine it thoroughly, and thus to learn something about it. A writer on this subject truthfully says: "Training of the voluntary attention is the first step in mental development." [1]

[1. Atkinson is quoting a work under his own name, Your Mind and How to Use It: A Manual of Practical Psychology, 1911.]

The importance of voluntary attention, in the general acquirement of knowledge, is as great as is its place in memory—in fact, the same principle underlies the two phases of the mind's operations, for the better we understand a thing the easier is it for us to remember it.

Professor [David] Kay says, on this subject: "The greater one's power of attention, the longer and more steadily he is able to fix it upon a subject, the better will he be able to follow out the same train of thought, and the greater will be the amount of success attending his labors. It is this power of attention,—this power of keeping a particular object before the mind till he has thoroughly mastered it, that more than anything else distinguishes the man of genius from others. Indeed, it is said that 'possibly the most comprehensive definition of genius is the power of concentrating and prolonging the attention upon any subject.'" [2]

[2. Memory: What It Is and How to Improve It. (1914) p. 256 archive.org ]

Sir Isaac Newton, when asked to describe his method of study, replied: "I keep the subject continually before me and wait until the first dawning opens slowly by little and little into a clear light. ... If I have made any improvements in the sciences, it is owing more to patient attention than to any other talent."

In the same general view, Carpenter said, "The more completely the mental energy can be brought into one focus, and all distracting objects excluded, the more powerful will be the volitional effort."

And Brodie adds: "The mind that possesses this faculty in the greatest degree of perfection, will take cognizance of relations of which another mind has no conception."

Psychologists have disputed the point as to whether or not the attention can hold more than one object at a time in its focus. Some have claimed that it can hold but one thing in focus at a time, but that it can so rapidly pass from one thing to another that it gives the impression of having held several things in focus at the same time. Others have disputed this view, claiming that several things, often quite a number, may be focused at one time.

The best opinion seems to be that if the objects be familiar, or simple, the attention can grasp several different objects at one time; whereas if the things are new and strange, or complex, the attention must be narrowed so as to include only that particular thing, and exclude all other things.

A particular fact concerning attention is that, under some circumstances, the attention may be more forcibly and completely focused upon a certain line of thought, or examination of an object, if there is also presented to consciousness some non-interesting, or monotonous, series of impressions which call for but a slight degree of voluntary attention. This would seem to be explained by the theory that the fringe of attention is occupied by the non-interesting impressions, and is therefore prevented from reaching out for things of more interest which might distract the attention from the main thing.

This principle is illustrated by the familiar example of one being able to think clearly and forcibly, with a high degree of concentration, while listening (?) to a dull, uninteresting sermon or address. In the same way, some of the best analytical or constructive work has been performed while the worker has been surrounded by monotonous sounds, such as the whirring of machinery, the rumbling and buzzing of printing presses, etc. In such cases the wandering portion of the attention is caught and held involuntarily by the monotonous impressions, leaving the concentrated portion to be held by the voluntary attention without being tempted by more attractive and interesting outside stimuli.

Reuben Post Halleck, M. A. (Yale), [1859-1936] in his well-known work on psychology [3] gives the following important Laws of Attention, which agree with the best opinion of the day on this subject:

[3. Psychology and Psychic Culture, New York, Cincinnati, American book company, 1895. Full text: babel.hathitrust.org ]

"(1) Attention will not attach itself to uninteresting things.

(2) It will soon decline in vigor, (a) if the stimulus is unvarying, or if some new attribute is not discovered in the object.

(3) Attention cannot remain constant in the same direction for a long period, because (a) the nervous apparatus of the senses soon tire under the strain of continuous attention toward any one object, and consequently respond with less vigor; (b) the same is true of brain cells. To prove the truth of this, one has only to focus the eye continuously on one object, or to keep the attention fixed on the same phase of a subject.

(4) When one kind of attention is exhausted, we may rest ourselves in two ways: (a) by giving ourselves up to the play of reflex attention, or (b) by directing our voluntary attention into a new channel. The amount of fatigue must determine which is better.

(5) Attention too continuously centred upon the same unvarying sensation, or upon any unchanging object, has been proved by experiment to tend to induce either the hypnotic state or a comatose condition."

The secret of developing the power of voluntary attention consists in intelligent practice within the limits of the above stated general laws of attention, so that it is important that the above laws be understood and taken into account.

The first of the above laws state the difficulty of attaching the memory to uninteresting things. But there is a remedy for this, in (a) the equally true principle that interest may be developed in a previously uninteresting object, by studying and analyzing it. Everything has its interesting side, and examination will bring this to light. By viewing a thing from varying viewpoints, and from different angles, new facts are discovered regarding it, and these discoveries awaken interest and renewed attention.

The same remedy applies in the case of the second law, for by changing the point of view, and by discovering new qualities, properties and attributes in a tiling, the stimulus is varied and renewed interest obtained.

The third law explains why the attention cannot long remain focused in the same direction. A remedy for this will be found in the well-known psychological rule to study a thing by piecemeal. That is to say, instead of considering attentively the entire subject, or object, break it (mentally) into as many small sections as possible, and then proceed to study it by sections, one after another. This will vary the stimulus, increase interest, and widen the inquiry by reason of the analytical treatment. Remember that we learned the alphabet letter by letter, and not as a whole. This is not only easy on the attention, but is also the very best way to acquire a thorough knowledge of any subject or object.

The fourth law informs us that we may obtain rest for the tired attention by (a) relaxing the voluntary attention, and opening our consciousness to the impressions of involuntary or reflex attention—paying attention to the sights and sounds from outside, as, for instance, closing our book and looking out of the window; or (b) by directing our voluntary attention into a new channel, as by closing one book and reading another along totally different lines; or by changing from an abstract subject to a concrete object, or vice versa. This is an important psychological principle—the best way to rest and relax the attention is to change its direction. Change of occupation gives the best kind of rest. Using one set of brain-cells tends to rest others.

The fifth law merely serves to emphasize the effect of unnatural concentration of attention, and the fact that a varying stimulus is necessary for continued consciousness. It serves to point us to the middle of the road, avoiding the extreme of undue concentration on a single object on the one hand, and the other extreme of bestowing no voluntary attention at all.

By acquainting himself with the general principles underlying the subject of attention, the student will be able to grasp more easily the many application of these principles as they appear in subsequent lessons.

 

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