There are so many stimuli which reach human brain through the sensory organs. Human being can concentrate towards some of the stimuli known as "attention." Attention is concentration of entire brain which is must for sensation. Physical and mental adjustment is essential in the process of attention.
The following are the definitions of attention in relation to psychology.
"Attention is mental concentration on, setected stimuli." James Dreyer
"Attention is a process of selection of a definite stimulus and concentrate on it." - H. E. Garrett.
Nature and Characteristics of Attention:
The following are the characteristics of attention.
(1) Attention is selective: Attention is a selective, voluntary and intuitive process. There can be many stimuli
including people or objects in the focus of attention but a person can not attend to all of them. He/She selects
a few of them and attends to it and overlook others. An individual selects the stimulus in which he is
interested. For example While watching Å movie, an individual will get attracted towards the things in
which he is interested.
(2) Attention is adjustive: Attention is a process in which physical and mental adjustment is essential. Different parts of the body, sensory organs and muscles have to make adjustment with each other in the process of attention. It is called psychological adjustment. For example - We contract our eyes or make them small while looking at objects which are far or when there is too much light, we cover our eyes with hands.
(3) Attention is explorative: Attention is purposive. We examine, keenly observe, explore and manipulate any stimulus and then focus on it. For example - When a woman goes to buy sari and if she likes it, she will observe the design, colour and other aspect of the sari and focus her attention to it.
(4) Attention is futuristic: We focus our attention on the objects or stimuli which are present before us. But
our insight is always futuristic. When we attend something keenly, we think about what would happen next
or in future. For example, while watching movie in a cinema house, we find that the hero is being beaten
severally by his opponents and he becomes unconscious. But when we notice movement in his body while
lying unconscious, we expect that he will get up soon and attack his opponents.
(5) Attention is motivational: When we pay attention to an object, event or problem, certain factors are responsible for it. We focus our attention to an object when there is a motive, desire, aim and a directing force. Thus attention is motivational.
(6) There are focus and fringe area of attention: The objects present in the environment attended by us become the focus of our attention. But the objects which are not directly attended by as are to be in margin of attention. Thus the focus and margin of attention change constantly.
(7) Attention is shifting: Attention is not always stable. Constant change is an important character of attention. It keeps changing from one object to another. Hence it is also known as fluctuation of attention.