Distraction is the diversion of attention of an individual or group from the chosen object of attention onto the source of distraction. Attention is the Cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things Distraction is caused by one of the following: lack of ability to pay attention; lack of interest in the object of attention; greater interest in something other than the object of attention; or the great intensity, novelty or attractiveness of something other than the object of attention. Distractions come from both external sources (physical stimuli through the five senses), or internal sources (thought, emotion, fantasies, physical urges). Thought and thinking are mental forms and Processes respectively ("thought" is both An emotion is a mental and physiological state associated with a wide variety of feelings thoughts and behaviours See Fantasy for an account of the literary genre involving the development of common or popular fantasies Divided attention, as in multi-tasking could also be considered as distraction in situations requiring full attention on a single object (e. Human multi-tasking or multitasking is the performance by an individual of appearing to handle more than one task at the same time g. , sports, academic tests, performance). Distraction is a major cause of procrastination. Procrastination is a type of behavior which is characterized by deferment of actions or tasks to a later time

Distraction by media

The media (television, reading, video games), can be a great source of distraction.

In many cases, media is viewed as more entertaining than the object of attention. The brightly colored images and appealing sounds also divert attention. The case of Shawn Woolley was a very extreme case; he became particularly involved in the computer game Everquest and quit his job to dedicate up to 12 hours a day playing the game. Shawn Woolley ( February 12, 1980 - November 20, 2001) of Wisconsin, was an avid player of the Computer game A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather EverQuest, often called EQ, is a 3D fantasy -themed Massively multiplayer online role-playing game ( MMORPG) that was released

See also: Media distraction

Distraction in wildlife, warfare, medicine and crime

• Fake targets:
  • In open field with mass military strategy, sometimes a contingent of troops is used to distract the enemy army so their flank is exposed, or to draw them away from a key point or fortification, such as a city. Media manipulation is an aspect of Public relations in which partisans create an image or argument that favours their particular interests
  • Flares can be used to divert the enemy soldiers' gaze
• Distraction is useful in the management of pain and anxiety. Dentists, for example may intentionally hum an annoying tune or engage in small talk just to distract a patient's attention away from the dental drill. Doctors may prescribe topical ointments containing capsaicin, which produces a superficial burning sensation that can temporarily distract a patient's attention away from the deeper pain of arthritis or muscle strain. Capsaicin /ˌkæpˈseˌɪsɪn/ (8- Methyl - N - Vanillyl -6-nonen Amide) is the active component of Chili peppers
• Pickpockets and other thieves, especially those working in teams, sometimes apply distraction, such as asking a question, bumping into the victim, or deliberately dirtying the victim's clothing and then "helping" him/her to clean it. This article is about the crime For the Robert Bresson film see Pickpocket (film.
• Animals with fake eyes on their back distract their predators with the fake eyes.
• Physical distraction may occur or be applied through various forces like gravity or magnetism. Gravitation is a natural Phenomenon by which objects with Mass attract one another In Physics, magnetism is one of the Phenomena by which Materials exert attractive or repulsive Forces on other Materials. For example, electromagnetic energy from a cathode ray tube (which composes a television screen) can cause distraction. The cathode ray tube (CRT is a Vacuum tube containing an Electron gun (a source of electrons and a Fluorescent screen with internal or

See also

• Absent-mindedness

External links

• Coping with distraction
• Dr. Roy Baumeister, a sociologist, once tested subjects' willpower against various distractions and temptations. Absent-mindedness can refer to three very different things a low level of Attention ("blanking" or “zoning out” intense attention to a single