Attention is the ability to identify and focus on relevant stimuli. Through attention, we can orient ourselves to important stimuli and consequently, react. This mental skill is extremely critical and is an integral part of our daily lives. Attention is a complex process that we use in almost all of our daily actions. Through long-term studies, researchers and scientists have determined that attention is not a single process, but is actually a series of sub-processes. According to this classification, attention can be divided into the following parts:
Arousal: Relates to our level of activation and alertness when we are tired or energized.
Focused Attention: Relates to our ability to focus our attention on a stimulus.
Divided attention: The ability to attend to different stimuli or actions at the same time.
Selective Attention: The ability to attend to a particular stimulus or action even when there is another stimulus that distracts attention.
Shifting Attention: The ability to switch the focus of attention between two or more stimuli.
Sustained Attention: The ability to pay attention to a stimulus or action for a long period of time.
Attention processes in the brain have a very large network and many different areas of the brain play an active role in the attention process. First of all, the attention network controls the brain’s ability to focus on a subject without being distracted and to shift attention as needed. It also provides communication and coordination between different regions of the brain.
Attention is also linked to metacognitive functions. Processes such as planning, problem solving, decision making and information processing are related to attention and attention is thought to support such functions. Visual attention is concerned with visual information and involves focusing attention on visual stimuli. The visual cortex in the brain is an important region where visual information is processed and visual attention is directed.
Attention span indicates how long a person focuses on a marketing stimulus, such as a product or an advertisement. By measuring this attention span, neuromarketing seeks to understand how much attention consumers pay to certain stimuli. In advertising, neuromarketing can use attention span data to optimize ad content, visual design and presentation. In this way, advertisements can become more effective. In product development, neuromarketing can use attention span data to develop strategies for how products are positioned and displayed in-store to make them more attractive to consumers and improve the in-store experience.
Reference
Psychologist Merve Altındağ
Soysal, A. Ş., Yalçin, K., & Can, H. (2008, January). Bilişsel Psikoloji Kapsamında Yer Alan Dikkat Teorileri. In Yeni Symposium: psikiyatri, nöroloji ve davraniş bilimleri dergisi. Cerrahpasa Tip Fakultesi Psikiyatri Klinigi Vakfi.
Doğutepe Dinçer, E., & Karakaş, S. (2008). Nöropsikolojik Dikkat Testleri Arasındaki İlişkilerin Modellenmesi. Klinik Psikofarmakoloji Bulteni, 18(1).
