See All Stories In

Is Your Mind at Odds with the Online World?

Tired of texting, tweeting and internal chatter? A few cutting-edge strategies can help you combat our era's biggest irritants.

Psych Basics

Attention
Concentration, Distraction

Attention is sometimes described as a spotlight, focusing your awareness on a subset of what's going on in your head or in your environment. Some people have more control over it than others do, and everyone has more control in certain situations (when they're free of distractions) and on certain drugs (stimulants such as caffeine and Ritalin). 



Mind Wandering

Devoted to Distraction

It's ok to let your mind wander.

Huh, my mind was wandering. Maybe I’m bored.

Does daydreaming tell you that you're bored?

What's Your Attitude Toward Daydreaming?

It's time to rethink old-school attitudes toward daydreaming.

Drunk and Drifting: How Alcohol Affects Mind Wandering

You're the last to know when you're impaired.

Schizophrenic Thought: Madness or Potential for Genius?

How the schizophrenic mind may provide clues to creativity

See Also

ADHD

Is ADHD a Disease of Civilization?

Many kids we diagnose would be fine hunter-gatherers.

ADHD: Always on the Go

Warning signs for attention deficit disorder.

ADHD: Diagnosis Dilemma

Who has adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

Retraining the ADHD Brain

Teaching your distracted brain to perform.

The Mysteries of ADD and High IQ

The five truths about attention deficit disorder.

See Also

Paying Attention

Landing on Planet Millennial

Is there a new war between men and women?

Walking Meditation: The Perfect 10-Minute Willpower Boost

Walk your way to more willpower.

Mastering Your Own Mind

Become a high-performance user of your own brain.

Mindfulness Meditation: Thoughts on Paying Attention

Want to defeat procrastination? Pay attention.

Addiction: Pay Attention

Drink and drugs may be a matter of attention gone awry.

See Also

Find a Therapist
Find a nearby professional for face-to-face help

Neuroscience Blogs

  • Michael Anderson, Ph.D.

    After Phrenology

    Will we ever understand the brain?
    By Michael Anderson, Ph.D.
  • Robert Lanza

    Biocentrism

    How life and consciousness are the keys to the universe
    By Robert Lanza

  • Black Belt Brain

    Musings on movement and the mind.
    By E. Paul Zehr, Ph.D.
  • Faith Brynie

    Brain Sense

    How your brain makes sense of your senses.
    By Faith Brynie
  • Ezequiel Morsella

    Consciousness and the Brain

    The nuts and bolts underlying human action.
    By Ezequiel Morsella
  • Jeff Wise

    Extreme Fear

    Getting a grip on the brain's alarm system
    By Jeff Wise
  • Susan Barry by Rosalie Winard

    Eyes on the Brain

    A neurobiologist explores the amazing capacity of the brain to rewire itself at any age.
    By Susan R. Barry, Ph.D.
  • Mark Changizi

    Nature, Brain, and Culture

    Although many neuroscientists are trying to figure out how the brain works, Mark Changizi is bent on determining WHY it works that way.
    By Mark Changizi

Attention Tests

Attention

Can't concentrate? Learn how to focus your attention.

Attention Span Test

Do you focus on a task or zone out?

Concentration

Can you focus on the task at hand?

More Tests

Current Issue

Are You with the Right Mate?

It is natural to wonder if your partner is the right one for you.