Notes on Voluntary, Involuntary and Habitual Attention

Notes on Voluntary, Involuntary and Habitual Attention!

1. Voluntary Attention:

Sometimes an individual will divert his attention towards a particular activity or situation deliberately.

It is not diverted spontaneously, but after some struggle. For example, while sitting in a class, the students divert their attention towards the lecture even if it is not interesting, because they have to pass the examination.

2. Involuntary Attention:

At times the attention is diverted towards some other activity without the conscious effort, may be against the will of the individual.

This is known as involuntary attention. For example, though the student is listening to a lecture with all interest, some loud sound outside the classroom may draw his attention towards it.

3. Habitual Attention:

In some situations, reaction to a stimulus or attending to a stimulus becomes a habit. So the individual will automatically divert his attention towards that stimulus. For example, a musician’s attention will automatically be diverted towards the sound of music even if he is busily engaged in talking to somebody.

Attention of a devotee will be diverted towards the temple which he is visiting regularly, the moment he passes through that way.