The definition of attention Regarding attention as a cognitive process in psychological science is still controversial. Some believe that it is not an independent cognitive process, but a structural component of any other process, manifested under the influence of the moment. Others put forward the opposition opinion: attention is an independent, independent mental process, a special state of a person. Also, the debate is on another question: to what class of mental phenomena include attention, if it is still an independent process?
. On the one hand, attention is undoubtedly a cognitive mental process. On the other hand, it is often associated with human activity and his will, since the implementation of any activity occurs in one way or another with the concentration of attention, and it in itself requires certain volitional efforts of the person.
However, attention in primary school age plays a very important role: it affects the success of the student in homework, work in the classroom, the success of learning in a new changed environment and in performing new activities. Consider attention from the point of view of psychologists. According to B. S. Volkov and N. V. Volkova, attention is the orientation and concentration of consciousness on a certain object, providing its particularly clear reflection. A. I. Kravchenko believes that attention is a selective focus on a particular object and focus on it, deepening in the cognitive need directed at the object, or, in other words, the ability to focus on some objects, distracting from others. Kravchenko also notes that attention as a cognitive process does not carry any content, but is manifested within them. A. G. Maklakov calls attention the direction and concentration of mental activity on something specific. Under the direction in this definition refers to the choice of a particular mental activity and the allocation of the surrounding world of objects and phenomena, the most important for the individual and the ability to maintain concentration in a certain period of time. I. Yu. Kulagina notes the impossibility of implementing the learning process with insufficient development of such a mental function as attention. In primary school children are much more attentive than in preschool, but still has a great value external first impression. The process of attention is determined physiologically, and during its functioning in the human body there are certain changes that described VM allahverdov. When focusing, there are certain reactions of cardiac activity and respiration, vascular and galvanic skin reactions, which are generalized. The physiological center of voluntary attention is the frontal lobes of the cerebral cortex, which work intensively in the verbal stimulation of human activity in General. The hippocampus is an organoid that provides habituation to monotonous work and distraction from extraneous stimuli. Based on V. M. Allakhverdov's reasoning, it can be concluded that attention is a reflection of the analytical and synthetic work of the human brain. After analyzing the opinions of various scientists, it is possible to deduce such a generalized definition of attention - a selective focus of consciousness and mental activity on the object or phenomenon and depth in meeting the cognitive needs of this object or phenomenon, due to certain somatic reactions. The development of attention is an important factor in the successful mastering of educational activities. It is also directly related to the development of other mental functions: thinking, memory, perception. Attention as a mental function undergoes changes with the onset of primary school age, which are due to the transformation of the social situation of development and leading activities.
Consider the mechanisms that characterize the work of the attention of the younger student. A. G. Maklakov, like many other scientists, by origin and method of implementation allocates involuntary and arbitrary attention. Involuntary attention arises independently of the consciousness or volitional efforts of the individual. Such attention is called and supported by a fascinating, entertaining activity, stimulus or appears because of his surprise. A. G. Maklakov identifies the following groups of causes of involuntary attention.
-The nature of the external stimulus; -.Correspondence of external stimuli to the internal state of a person;.
-General orientation of the personality;.
-Feelings that are caused by the acting stimulus in the individual.
The first group can be attributed to the intensity of the stimulus. It is important to note that the stimulus can cause involuntary attention only if it has sufficient intensity relative to the activity performed. An individual who is engaged in an activity may not respond to a weak stimulus, but if the activity has ceased and the person is not engaged in anything, even a weak stimulus will be intense enough to cause involuntary attention. Also, the group of causes of involuntary attention, characterizing the external stimulus, are novelty and singularity of the stimulus, its duration, size, shape and contrast between the stimuli. factors associated with compliance of an external stimulus, the internal state of a person caused by, for example, the needs of the individual and the focus of consciousness to find ways to meet them. Thus, the stimulus that is relevant to the actual needs of the individual will more effectively cause involuntary attention. The General orientation of the personality affects the emergence of involuntary attention in the simplest way. What the individual is particularly interested in or what is part of his professional activities will cause involuntary attention. The fourth group of reasons is related to the feelings caused, the emotional reaction of the individual to the acting stimulus.
This reaction is the basis for the emergence of involuntary attention. unlike involuntary attention, voluntary attention is the most complex type of attention. In the psychological literature it is also called "strong-willed", "active", "deliberate". Its main feature can be called that this kind of attention is directed by the conscious purpose of man and arises as a result of his volitional efforts. Another important difference between voluntary and involuntary attention is the function of voluntary attention. It consists in the regulation of the processes occurring in the human psyche in the performance of conscious activity, which, in turn, is aimed at achieving a certain goal.