sustained attention
Maintaining mental focus
Sustained attention is the ability to maintain focus on a task or stimulus over an extended period.
Psychologists distinguish it from selective attention (filtering out distractions) and divided attention (monitoring multiple things).
Sustained attention underlies activities like driving long distances, proofreading documents, or monitoring radar screens: Air traffic control requires sustained attention for hours at a time.
- laser focusIntense, undivided concentration
- dopamine regulationBrain's reward chemical control
- gazeFixed, intent look
- concentrationSustained single-minded attention
- focusConcentrated attention point
vigilance · eyes on the prize · fatigue · working memory · boredom · studying · meditation · prefrontal cortex · sensory overload · executive function · procrastination · sleep deprivation · driving · cognitive flexibility · steady · marathon · unwavering · neural networks
sustained attentionfleeting glance
Quick, passing look
short attention span · quick look · glance · glimpse · attention deficit
sustained attentiondistraction
Thing diverting one's attention
inattention · divided attention · mind-wandering · absentmindedness · absent-mindedness
sustained attentioninattention
Lack of focus
neglect · disregard · tuning out · zoning out · inattentiveness