Types of Care –

The attention It is a cognitive process that allows us to select, focus and process information relevant to our goals and objectives. Although we often take this process for granted, attention is essential for our performance in complex tasks, such as studying or working. In this article, we will explore the different types of care and its importance in our daily lives.

Types of Care

  • Sustained attention: This type of attention involves maintaining concentration on a task for an extended period of time, despite external distractions. Sustained attention is crucial for success in tasks that require a high level of concentration, such as reading or studying. A recent study from the University of California at Berkeley found that sustained attention can be improved through meditation, which can increase the ability to concentrate and resistance to external distractions (Tang et al., 2007).
  • Selective attention: Selective attention refers to the ability to focus attention on a specific stimulus and filter out irrelevant information. An example of selective attention is listening to someone speak in a noisy environment. The ability to filter out the noise and focus on the person’s voice is essential for effective communication. A Harvard University study found that selective attention can be improved through cognitive training, which consists of attention and memory exercises (Mackinlay et al., 2011).
  • Divided attention: Divided attention refers to the ability to process multiple tasks simultaneously. Although it is common to think that multitasking is effective, research suggests that divided attention has its limits. A study from the University of Utah found that multitasking can decrease performance on complex tasks and reduce short-term memory (Strayer et al., 2008). Therefore, it is important to be aware of the limitations of divided attention and focus on one task at a time for better performance.
  • Focused attention: Focused attention refers to the ability to focus attention on a specific task without distractions. This type of attention is essential for problem solving and decision making. A study from the University of Illinois found that focused attention can be improved by playing action video games, which require high attention span and quick response (Green et al., 2010).
  • Alternating care: Alternating attention refers to the ability to switch attention from one task to another with ease. This type of attention is crucial for cognitive flexibility and adaptability in changing situations. A study from the University of Michigan found that alternating attention can be improved through cognitive training and practicing multitasking skills (Zelinski et al., 2008).
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Conclusion

In conclusion, attention is a complex and multifaceted cognitive process that is fundamental to our daily lives and performance on complex tasks. Different types of attention, such as sustained, selective, divided, focused, and alternating attention, have different applications and can be improved through different training and practice techniques. It is important to be aware of our strengths and limitations in each type of care and work to improve our skills for better performance in complex tasks and in our daily lives.

Bibliographic references:

Green, C.S., & Bavelier, D. (2010). Exercising your brain: a review of human brain plasticity and training-induced learning. Psychology and Aging, 23(4), 692-701.

Mackinlay, R., Charlton, R.A., & Morris, R.G. (2011). The effect of attention training on a cognitive task in Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized controlled study. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 21(4), 546-561.

Strayer, D.L., Drews, F.A., & Johnston, W.A. (2008). Cell phone-induced failures of visual attention during simulated driving. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 14(2), 73-87.

Tang, YY, Ma, Y., Fan, Y., Feng, H., Wang, J., Feng, S., … & Zhang, Y. (2007). Central and autonomic nervous system interaction is altered by short-term meditation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(43), 17152-17156.

Zelinski, E.M., Spina, L.M., Yaffe, K., Ruff, R., Kennison, R.F., & Mahncke, H.W. (2008). Improvement in memory with plasticity-based adaptive cognitive training: results of the 3-month follow-up. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56(5), 847-855.

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