When some nerve centers are excited, while inhibition occurs in others, the physiological mechanisms of attention are activated. The processes proceed in a given direction due to certain phenomena when the body is exposed to an irritant that causes the activation of the brain. In this case, the reticular formation occurs, and the physiological mechanisms of attention create electrical oscillations in the cerebral cortex to increase the mobility of nervous processes and reduce sensitivity thresholds. The hypothalamic structures, the thalamic diffuse system and much more are also involved in activating the brain.
Dominant
The triggering of the physiological mechanisms of attention is an orienting reflex. The organism has an innate ability to respond to any change in the environment. The physiological mechanisms of attention and the orienting reflex are tightly linked. The dominant is characterized by inertia, that is, the ability to maintain knowledge and repeat itself if the external environment changes, and the formerirritants no longer act on the central nervous system (central nervous system). Inertia can disrupt normal behavior and act as an organizing principle for intellectual activity.
Physiological mechanisms of attention explain a fairly wide range of mental phenomena, as well as their characteristics. This is the focus of attention on certain objects, selectivity and focus on them, objectivity of thinking, that is, the isolation of individual complexes from numerous environmental stimuli, where each of these individual complexes is perceived by the body as a specific real object that differs from others. This division of the environment into objects is interpreted as a process of three stages, hence the physiological mechanisms.
Psychological theories
Three stages of division of the environment into objects by the famous physiologist A. A. Ukhtomsky are explained as follows:
- The first one concerns the strengthening of the cash dominant. The physiological mechanisms of attention in psychology are firmly associated with this concept. Dominant - the dominant, predominant moment of behavior over the rest.
- The second stage highlights only those stimuli that the body has considered the most biologically significant.
- The third one establishes an adequate connection between the internal state (dominant) and external stimuli.
Thus, the scientific research of A. A. Ukhtomsky still serve as the basis for the creation of modern theories in the field of the physiology of attention.
Center and periphery
However, attention cannot be explained by the orienting reflex alone. The physiological mechanisms of attention in psychology appear to be much more complex, and therefore they are divided into two main groups.
Filtration of stimuli occurs through the mechanisms of peripheral and central.
Peripheral are engaged in the adjustment of the senses. Attention serves as a filter for information, like a controller at the entrance, that is, it works on the periphery. According to the theory of W. Neisser, this is not even attention yet, but pre-attention, rough processing of information, selection of a certain figure from the background, tracking the external field and its changes.
And what physiological mechanisms underlie attention? Of course, central. They excite the necessary nerve centers and inhibit unnecessary ones. It is at this level that external influences are chosen, and this is directly related to the strength of external irritation. A stronger excitation suppresses the weak and directs mental activity in the right direction. This is how the physiological mechanism of attention and memory works.
The law of induction of nervous processes
But it also happens that several simultaneously acting stimuli merge together and only reinforce each other. This interaction characterizes the physiological mechanisms of attention and orienting activity. In this case, the very basis of selectivity of external influences works for a faster flow of processes in the right direction.
Speaking about the physiological mechanisms of attention, one cannot but sayabout another important event. The dynamics of the processes that provide attention is explained by the law of induction, which was established by C. Sherrington. Excitation occurs in one area of the brain and either inhibits excitation in other areas (this is simultaneous induction), or is inhibited where it originated (successive induction).
Irradiation
Another mechanism that turns on attention is irradiation, which is the ability of a nervous process to spread in the central nervous system. It plays a huge role in the functioning of the cerebral hemispheres. The area where irradiation occurs has optimal conditions for excitation, and therefore differentiation is easy, and conditional connections successfully appear.
The intensity of attention provides the principle of dominance, which was put forward by A. A. Ukhtomsky. The brain always has a focus of excitation, which temporarily dominates, ensuring the activity of the nerve centers at the current moment. This gives the behavior a certain direction. It is the dominant that summarizes and accumulates impulses that enter the nervous system, while simultaneously suppressing the activity of other centers to enhance dominant excitation, which maintains the intensity of attention.
Neurophysiology and psychology
Modern science is rapidly evolving, and this has led to a long line of concepts that attempt to explain the physiological basis of attention. Scientists associate a lot here with the study of neurophysiological processes. Thus, it was found thatin a he althy person, with intense attention, bioelectrical activity in the frontal lobes changes.
It is associated with the activity of special neurons of several types. These are neurons - novelty detectors that are activated when new stimuli appear and deactivate when they get used to them. Another type is waiting neurons, which can fire only when an actual object appears. These cells contain coded information about the various properties of objects, and therefore can focus on the side that satisfies the emerging need.
Theory of N. N. Lange
Physiological mechanisms and psychological theories of attention - perhaps this is how this section should be titled. Physiological mechanisms are complex in structure, views on their nature, even among scientists, are very controversial, and therefore this article will present the main psychological theories relating to this subject. The list of this classification begins with the theory of N. N. Lange, who combined existing concepts into several groups.
- Attention is the result of motor adaptation. Since muscle movements work to adapt to the conditions of better perception by all senses.
- Attention is the result of limited scope of consciousness. Since less intense ideas are forced into the subconscious, and the strongest ones remain in the mind, which attract attention.
- Attention is the result of emotion (English people lovethis theory). Emotional coloring is very attractive.
- Attention is the result of apperception (life experience).
- Attention is a special activity of the spirit, where the origin of the active ability is inexplicable.
- Attention is an increase in nervous irritability.
- Attention is the concentration of consciousness (in the theory of nervous suppression, this was already mentioned above).
T. Ribot's theory
The outstanding French psychologist Théodule Ribot believed that attention cannot be unrelated to emotions, even it is caused by them. How intense the emotional states associated with the object are, how long and intense voluntary attention will be, and the state of the body in physical and physiological terms is very important here.
The physiology of attention is a kind of state that includes a complex of respiratory, vascular, motor and other involuntary and voluntary reactions. A special role is movement. The face, trunk, limbs always accompany any state of concentration with movements, often acting as a condition for maintaining attention. Distraction is muscle fatigue, as this nineteenth-century psychologist believed. This work received another name - the motor theory of attention.
Installation concept
Psychologist D. N. Uznadze saw a direct connection between attitude and attention. Installation is an unconscious, undifferentiated and holistic state of the subject before the startactivities. It is a connecting link between the physical state and the mental state, and occurs when the needs of the subject and the objective situation of satisfaction collide.
Installation always determines attention, under its influence, certain impressions or images received during the perception of reality stand out. The given image or given impressions fall into the sphere of attention, become its object. That is why the process considered in this concept was called objectification.
P. Ya. Galperina
This concept of attention contains the following main points:
- Attention is one of the moments of orienting-research activity, therefore it is a kind of psychological action that is aimed at the content of a thought, image or other phenomenon that has appeared in the human psyche.
- The main function of attention is to control the content of a given action or image. And every human action consists of indicative, executive and control parts. Here is the control and there is attention.
- Attention as such cannot have a separate result.
- Attention becomes an independent act only with mental and reduced action.
- A specific act of attention is the result of the formation of a new mental action.
- Voluntary attention turns into systematic attention, followed by a form of control, which is carried out according to a model or a plan.
Attention and its types
In psychology, attention is considered in three forms: involuntary, voluntary and post-voluntary.
Involuntary attention does not need a special intention of a person, some goal set in advance, or the application of volitional efforts. It is done unintentionally. Contrast or novelty of stimuli can serve as support for involuntary attention. It develops spontaneously, concentration and direction are dictated by the object itself, and the current state of the subject also matters. The reasons for the appearance of involuntary attention are divided into two groups. The first is the features of stimuli:
- degree of intensity, strength (bright light, strong smell, loud sound);
- contrast (a large object among small ones);
- relative and absolute novelty (irritants in unusual combinations are relative novelty);
- cessation or weakening of the action, the frequency of the stimulus (flickering, pauses).
Second group - fixing the correspondence of the needs of the individual and external stimuli.
Arbitrary attention
When the subject is consciously focused on the object and can regulate this state, this is arbitrary attention. A set goal and the application of strong-willed efforts are necessary to maintain attention. It does not depend on features, but on tasks and goals. A person is guided not by interest, but by duty. That is, voluntary attention is a product of social development. The physiological mechanisms of voluntary attention contain skills that are formed during training. For example, focus. Such attention is directed most often by the speech system.
Conditions for the emergence of voluntary attention:
- consciousness of duty and duty;
- understanding the specifics of tasks;
- get used to working conditions;
- indirect interests – not only in the process, but also in the result of activity;
- mental activity is reinforced by practice;
- normal mental state;
- favorable conditions and the absence of extraneous stimuli (however, weak extraneous stimuli increase, not reduce efficiency).
After-voluntary attention
On the basis of voluntary attention, post-voluntary attention arises, which does not require volitional efforts to maintain. Psychological characteristics are close to the characteristics of involuntary attention - interest in the subject. But there is this interest in the result of activity. For example, at first the work of a person was not fascinated, he forced himself to do it, made efforts, but gradually got carried away, got involved and then gained interest.
In addition to the above types of attention and their physiological mechanisms, there is sensory attention, which is associated with the perception of certain visual or auditory stimuli. Also here can be attributed the type of attention for which the objects are memories or thoughts. Collective and individual attention is distinguished into separate types.
