DISTRACTION

Meaning:

Distraction means the driving of attention or some interference in attention. For example, when one is studying, the sound of a song or noise breaks in upon attention. The object which causes the distraction is called distractor.

Definition:

1. Distraction may be defined as any stimulus whose presence interferes with the process of attention or draws away attention from the object to which we wish to attend – H.R.Bhatia.

2. A distraction may be defined as any factor which normally tends to break up attention – Prem Prakash. 

Sources of Distraction

The sources of distraction can be roughly divided into two – external and internal sources.

1. External Factors: It is also called environmental factors. These are more common and prominent. Noise, music, improper lighting, uncomfortable seats, inadequate ventilation, defective method of teaching, improper use of teaching aids, defective voice of the teacher are the common external distractors in the classrooms.

2. Internal Factors: Emotional disturbances, ill-health, anger, fear, feeling of insecurity, boredom, lack of motivation, feeling of fatigue, lack of interest, unrelated subject matter are the examples for internal distractor.

Forms of Distraction

Normally distraction can be divided into two forms:

1. Continuous Distraction: As the name suggests, it is the continuous distraction of attention. For example, the sound of radio or gramophone played continuously, the noise of market place etc. Experiments say adjustment to continuous distraction takes place quickly.

2. Discontinuous Distraction: This type of distraction is irregular, being interspersed with intervals. For example, the hearing of somebody’s voice every now and then. It interferes with work because of the impossibility of adjustment.   

Suggestions to remove Distraction:

Some major suggests of removing distraction are:

1. Being Active in Work: Work in distraction sometimes calls for more energy, so that of adjusting to it, or removing it, is to become more active in work.

2. Disregard of Distraction: The presence of a distracting factor while a man works is no extraordinary condition, and so the best way to remove this elements is to disregard it.  The distraction is effectively only when attention is diverted to it, so that inattention, even to the most serious distraction will keep the activity from being interfered with in any way.

3. Making of Distraction a part of the work: Distraction causes an obstacle only when it is distinct from or opposed to the activity since attention can be focuses just on one object at one time. Therefore, another method of making a distraction ineffective is to make it a part of the work.  But it is very difficult to make an uninteresting or contradictory distraction a part of the work because in this the interests, nature and capacities of the person are involved.

Educational Implications:

1. The external factors are common in schools. So, the teacher must be creating the favourable situation for the students learning. The management must provide the adequate materials and facilities to the students for better learning of the students.

2. The teacher should realize the particular characteristics of his students with the individual attention. He should try to cultivate favourable mental attitudes towards the subject and school activities. 

INATTENTION

As a matter of fact there are two fields of consciousness – the field of attention and inattention. The field of attention is in the center of consciousness and that of inattention to the edge consciousness. The things on the edge of consciousness influence the mind to some extent, but our attention is not diverted to them.

Inattention is required for attention. If we want to pay attention to a thing, we will have to overlook other things. If a student wants to pay attention to his lesson, then it is necessary that he diverts his attention from other things.

F          D         G         J          K

O         Y          U         A         W

V          C         N         S          Q

Z          M         I          T          R

Here are given twenty letters of alphabet. if we pay attention to the alphabet ‘N’, then other letters are overlooked and if we pay attention to the alphabet ‘ A’ then attention is diverted from other alphabets etc. Now we have attention on ‘A’ and inattention on other alphabets.