Capturing Attention

Scholars who study information processing often distinguish between two kinds of attention: voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary attention occurs when we willfully focus our attention on a stimulus; it is attention guided by personal plans and goals. Involuntary attention is attention spontaneously at­tracted by the intrinsic properties of a stimulus; it lies outside our control. When we listen to a debate to find out a candidate's position on a particular issue or pore over a map to make sure we are going in the right direction, we are engaging in voluntary attention. When we have no particular plan but simply scan our surroundings and focus on interesting or unusual stimuli, we are en­gaging in involuntary attention.

A skilled communicator must consider both kinds of attention when de­signing messages. Voluntary attention can be increased by motivating receivers to focus on the message. If a receiver’s needs and desires are strong, the message sender merely needs to let the receiver know that the message is related to the receiver's needs. An unemployed person, for example, will be receptive to a speech on how to get a good job. To someone with a perfectly good job, how­ever, the same speech is less interesting, and the speaker may have to create mo­tivation, perhaps by showing the receiver that the information will be useful in the future or can lead to job advancement now. In either case, voluntary attention can be increased by relating message elements to receivers’ goals, needs, or plans.

Involuntary attention works differently. To increase involuntary attention, one must create vivid and compelling message elements that cannot be ignored. What kinds of stimuli have the potential to arouse involuntary attention? Stimuli that are intense, novel, complex, surprising, and incongruous. Vivid colours, loud sounds, and sharp contrasts instantly cap­ture our attention. In addition, evidence suggests that we prefer visual over other sensory modalities – that a picture is worth a thousand words. In terms of verbal material, therefore, vivid, concrete, easily visualized in­formation draws our attention more easily than does drier, more abstract information. We also pay special attention to information that is surprising or that violates well-established schemata.

Public speakers may add special “attention getters” to their speeches. By using humor, startling statements, or vivid descriptions, a sender can make a message immediately appealing. Similarly, color, contrast, and unusual images in a print ad capture our interest even when we are not particularly motivated to pay attention.

Of course, vivid stimuli are not always desirable. If audience members are anxious, intense stimuli may make them feel uncomfortable. And competing stimuli in the speaking environment can draw attention away from a message. When deciding where to speak, it’s important for communicators to choose environments that are interesting enough to keep receivers alert, but not so interesting that involuntary attention takes receivers away from the intended message.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16