What are the different types of attention in psychology? What purpose does each of these attention modes have?
Gloria Mark’s book Attention Span explains the different types of attention and the internal factors that shape them. These modes of attention wax and wane over time, so instead of fighting against certain types of focus, your goal should be to balance them to sustain your cognitive reserves.
Continue reading to learn about attention’s highs and lows in each state.
The Four Modes of Attention
Productivity experts talk about focus as an “all or nothing” condition—you’re either paying uninterrupted attention, or you’re not. However, Mark insists that this is an oversimplification. Her research shows that there are four distinct types of attention in psychology that we experience—concentration, mechanical attention, apathy, and irritation. Which state you’re in is determined by how difficult and engrossing what you’re doing is.
1. Concentration: Mark says we’re most able to focus our attention when what we’re doing is both difficult and engrossing, such as editing a novel, designing a business plan, coding a new piece of software, or distilling reams of data into a presentation.
2. Mechanical: Mark describes mechanical attention as the mental state that occurs when what we’re doing is engrossing but easy, as when doing routine work such as data entry, collating files, or checking inventory. This attention state also occurs when performing “mindless” activities like checking social media or rewatching your favorite movies.
3. Apathy: This occurs when what you’re doing is neither difficult nor engrossing, such as sitting through an endless presentation. It also includes “idle time” in which there isn’t pressing work to do at all.
4. Irritation: Mark’s fourth attention category occurs when what you’re doing is difficult but not engrossing, such as trying to clear a paper jam from a copier.
Attention’s Highs and Lows
Mark discovered that how much you engage in these attention modes fluctuates over time. Though patterns vary from person to person, on average, people’s concentration improves in the late morning and again in the middle of the afternoon. Mechanical attention follows more of an arc, rising in the morning and then steadily falling. Apathy peaks around lunchtime, and Mark’s research shows that people spend very little time in the “irritated” state—they either avoid such situations or power through them quickly. Her studies also reveal weekly patterns, with the highest levels of concentration on Monday, and more mechanical focus on Thursday.
Nevertheless, Mark emphasizes that every attentional mode has a purpose. Therefore, instead of maintaining uninterrupted concentration at all times, Mark proposes that finding a proper balance of the different modes of attention is a healthier approach. After all, while concentration is important for productivity and creativity, routine tasks and idle time let you restore your mental reserves. So, learning to consciously switch between attentional states is key to maintaining productivity and managing your cognitive resources, especially given the flood of distractions we experience in modern life.
| A Work-Life Attention Balance Mark’s results suggest a method for designing your workday around your highs and lows. In Slow Productivity, Cal Newport concurs, recommending you adopt a work-rest rhythm more like that of our pre-industrial ancestors than today’s fast-paced culture. To accommodate your mind and body’s energy needs, he advocates working more slowly, setting longer deadlines, and prioritizing results over constant focus. Additionally, while Mark highlights daily and weekly attention patterns, Newport advises that you add seasonal rhythms to the mix by planning seasons of rest and seasons of productivity. However, Mark is clear that focused and wandering attention aren’t only concerns for the workplace—whatever rhythm you establish must also apply to your personal life, and regular downtime may be key to finding a sustainable rhythm. In Laziness Does Not Exist, Devon Price argues that to find a balance in your professional and your private life, you have to acknowledge that 1) you can’t be productive every moment of the day, and 2) periods of rest are essential for creativity and problem-solving. After all, breakthrough ideas often come when your mind is wandering or distracted—such as in the attentional states Mark labels as mechanical or apathetic. |
