When some nerve centers are excited and inhibition occurs in others, the physiological mechanisms of attention are activated. The processes proceed in a given direction due to certain phenomena when exposed to an organism of an irritant that causes brain activation. In this case, a reticular formation occurs, and physiological mechanisms of attention create electrical vibrations in the cerebral cortex to increase the mobility of nervous processes and lower thresholds of sensitivity. Hypothalamic structures, a thalamic diffuse system, and much more are also involved in brain activation.
Dominant
The launch of physiological mechanisms of attention is an indicative reflex. The body has an innate ability to respond to any change in the environment. The physiological mechanisms of attention and the orienting reflex are tightly interconnected. Inertia characterizes the dominant, that is, the ability to maintain knowledge and repeat itself if the external environment changes, and the previous stimuli no longer affect the central nervous system (central nervous system). Inertness can disrupt normal behavior and act as an organizing principle for intellectual activity.
The physiological mechanisms of attention explain a fairly wide range of mental phenomena, as well as their characteristics. This is the focus on certain objects, selectivity and focus on them, the 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, different from the others. Such a division of the medium into objects is treated as a process of three stages, from which physiological mechanisms also arise.
Psychological theories
Three stages of the separation of the medium into objects by the famous physiologist A.A. Ukhtomsky is explained as follows:
- The first is to strengthen the cash dominant. The physiological mechanisms of attention in psychology are firmly associated with this concept. Dominant is the dominant, predominant moment of behavior over the rest.
- The second stage isolates only those stimuli that the body considered the most biologically significant.
- The third establishes an adequate relationship between the internal state (dominant) and external stimuli.
Thus, the scientific research of A.A. Ukhtomsky still serves as the basis for the creation of modern theories in the field of physiology of attention.
Center and periphery
However, attention cannot be explained by an indicative reflex alone. The physiological mechanisms of attention in psychology appear to be much more complex, and therefore they were divided into two main groups.
The filtering of stimuli occurs using peripheral and central mechanisms.
Peripheral are involved in tuning 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. Neyser, this is not even attention yet, but prejudice, rough processing of information, highlighting a certain figure from the background, tracking the external field and its changes.
And what physiological mechanisms underlie attention? Of course, the central ones. 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. Arousal stronger 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. Such an interaction characterizes the physiological mechanisms of attention and orienting activity. In this case, the very basis of the selectivity of external influences works for a more rapid flow of processes in the right direction.
Speaking about what are the physiological mechanisms of attention, one cannot but say about another important phenomenon. The dynamics of the processes that provide attention are 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 arose (sequential induction).
Irradiation
Another mechanism that includes attention is irradiation, which is the ability of the nervous process to spread in the central nervous system. It plays a huge role in the work of the cerebral hemispheres. The area where irradiation occurs has optimal conditions for excitation, and therefore differentiation occurs easily, and conditional relationships successfully appear.
The intensity of attention is ensured by the principle of dominance, which was put forward by A.A. Ukhtomsky. The brain always has a focus of excitement, which temporarily dominates, providing the activity of nerve centers at the current moment. This gives the behavior a certain orientation. It is the dominant that summarizes and accumulates the impulses that enter the nervous system, while suppressing the activity of other centers to enhance dominant excitation, which supports the intensity of attention.
Neurophysiology and Psychology
Modern science is developing rapidly, and this has led to the emergence of a long series of concepts that try to explain the physiological basis of attention. Scientists associate a lot here with the study of neurophysiological processes. So, it was possible to establish that in a healthy person, with intense attention, bioelectric activity in the frontal lobes changes.
It is associated with the activity of special neurons of several types. These are neurons - novelty detectors, which are activated when new stimuli appear and take up activity when they get used to them. Another type is expectation neurons, which can be excited only when an actual object appears. These cells contain encoded information about the various properties of objects, and therefore can focus on the side that meets the emerging need.
Theory of N.N. Lange
Physiological mechanisms and psychological theories of attention - probably this is how this section should be entitled. The physiological mechanisms are complex in structure, the views on their nature, even among scientists, are very contradictory, and therefore in this article the basic psychological theories concerning this subject will be presented. The theory of N.N. Lange, combining existing concepts into several groups.
- Attention is the result of locomotion. Since muscle movements work to adapt to the conditions of better perception by all senses.
- Attention is the result of a limited amount of consciousness. Since less intense ideas are forced into the subconscious, and the strongest remain in the mind, which attract attention.
- Attention is the result of emotion (the English love this theory). Emotional coloring is very attracting attention.
- 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 - concentration of consciousness (in the theory of nervous suppression, this was already mentioned above).
Theory of T. Ribot
The eminent French psychologist Theodule 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 will the intense and voluntary attention be, and the state of the body in the physical and physiological terms is very important here.
The physiology of attention is a kind of state, which includes a complex of respiratory, vascular, motor and other involuntary and voluntary reactions. A special role is movement. The face, trunk, limbs always accompany the movements of any state of concentration, often acting as a condition for maintaining attention. Distraction is muscle fatigue, as this nineteenth-century psychologist thought. This work received another name - the motor theory of attention.
Installation concept
Psychologist D.N. Uznadze saw a direct connection between installation and attention. Attitude is an unconscious, undifferentiated and holistic state of the subject before the start of activity. It is the connecting link between the physical state and the mental one, and occurs when the needs of the subject and the objective situation of satisfaction collide.
Attitude always determines attention, under its influence certain impressions or images obtained during the perception of reality stand out. This image or these impressions fall into the sphere of attention, become its object. That is why the process considered in this concept was called objectification.
The concept of P.Ya. Halperin
This concept of attention contains the following key points:
- Attention is one of the aspects of orientational research activity, therefore it represents a certain 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 each human action consists of orienting, 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.
- Arbitrary attention goes into the systematically implemented, then follows the form of control, which is carried out according to the model or the drawn up plan.
Attention and its types
In psychology, attention is considered in three forms: involuntary, voluntary and after-random.
Involuntary attention does not need a special intention of a person, some goal, a predetermined goal, or the application of volitional efforts. It is carried out unintentionally. Support for involuntary attention may be the contrast or novelty of the stimuli. It develops spontaneously, concentration and orientation 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 characteristics of irritants:
- degree of intensity, strength (bright light, pungent smell, loud sound);
- contrast (a large object among small ones);
- relative and absolute novelty (stimuli in unusual combinations are relative novelty);
- the cessation or weakening of the action, the frequency of the stimulus (flicker, pause).
The second group is 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. The set goal and the application of volitional efforts to maintain attention are required. It does not depend on features, but on tasks and goals. Man is not led 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, concentration. Such attention is directed most often by the speech system.
Arbitrary attention conditions:
- consciousness of duty and duty;
- understanding of the specifics of tasks;
- habit of working conditions;
- indirect interests - not only to the process, but also to the result of the activity;
- mental activity is reinforced by practice;
- normal mental state;
- favorable conditions and the absence of extraneous stimuli (however, weak extraneous stimuli increase rather than decrease effectiveness).
After-attention
On the basis of arbitrary arises after-attention, which does not require strong-willed efforts to maintain. Psychological characteristics are close to the characteristics of involuntary attention - interest in the subject. But this interest arises in the result of the activity. For example, at first the work of a person was not carried away, he forced himself to carry out it, made efforts, but gradually became interested, became 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. It also includes the kind of attention for which memories or thoughts serve as objects. Collective and individual attention is distinguished into separate types.