DEVELOPMENT OF INVOLUNTARY ATTENTION IN YOUTH SCHOOL STUDENTS

ABSTRACT

This article is devoted to studying the features of voluntary attention in primary school children, as well as the level of its development and the characteristics of concentration, stability, and distribution of attention.

Keywords: attention, voluntary attention, primary school age, attention development, educational activities, age-related characteristics.

The relevance of studying the problem of attention and voluntary attention in psychology lies in the fact that attention is a fundamental component of human cognitive activity. Primary school age is a period from 6-7 to 10-11 years old, which is characterized by active learning activities. It is during this period that the foundations for successful learning and adaptation of a child in school are laid. In such children, voluntary attention is either completely absent or active for a very short and unstable period. Involuntary attention is the most effective. Arbitrary attention, being an essential component of cognitive activity, provides the ability to concentrate on a given task and to switch between different activities, which directly affects academic performance. During primary school age, children transition from predominantly play-based activities to academic activities, which requires a higher level of self-control and the development of cognitive processes, including attention.

Arbitrary attention is a special type of attention that is characterized by awareness and direction. A person independently chooses the object on which they focus their attention and remains fixated on it. This type of attention is closely linked to a person's will, their controlled and managed internal structure. It determines the individual's volitional qualities and their level of activity and engagement in the world [3].

One of the age-related features of primary school age is the weakness of voluntary attention and its extreme instability during the learning process and general development. The younger the age, the worse the attention indicators. It is difficult for such children to concentrate on learning for a long time, especially if it is boring. However, it is important to understand that the learning process itself has a positive impact on the development of attention indicators. As the student's field of activity expands, new subjects emerge [2].

The development of voluntary attention during this period is closely related to the formation of personal qualities such as perseverance, determination, and responsibility. Pedagogical and psychological research shows that the successful development of voluntary attention contributes not only to academic achievements, but also to the overall personal development of children.

Attention is a special process that integrates other mental functions. This process performs a unifying function, as it is impossible to organize perception, memory, and thinking into a single system without attention. Without attention, individuals would not be able to focus their consciousness, and the flow of external stimuli would create an overload that is difficult to manage. According to modern theories, such as Posner's model, attention is not a single function but is supported by distributed anatomical networks in the brain [4]. According to the principle of Uhtomsky's dominant, the physiological basis of attention is the emergence of a "focus of optimal excitability" in the cerebral cortex, which temporarily dominates over other areas, ensuring the direction and focus of mental activity. As noted by A.A. Osipova, voluntary attention arises when a person sets specific tasks and goals, which leads to the selection of individual objects as the focus of attention.

The voluntary attention of younger students is characterized by key properties such as direction, volume, distribution, focus, intensity, selectivity, stability, and switching, which help to structure activities and maintain focus over time [3]. The stability of attention, which manifests itself in the ability to focus on a single object for an extended period, is largely dependent on the child's motivation and interest in the task. However, due to their rapid fatigue, younger students often require external support to maintain their concentration. Switching between tasks can be challenging for younger students, as they are still developing the skill of distributing their attention between different activities [5].

Attention span reflects the number of objects that can be perceived simultaneously. The greater the attention span, the more effectively a younger student can handle multitasking, which is important in academic activities. Attention distribution, the ability to maintain focus on multiple tasks simultaneously, allows for the simultaneous execution of two or more activities with a sufficient level of automatism.

Creating a supportive environment that promotes the development of voluntary attention includes: sufficient physical activity and exposure to fresh air; breathing exercises; handicraft and decorative arts; board games that enhance concentration and social skills; and shared reading followed by discussions. The use of elements of decorative and applied art is particularly effective, as it develops not only attention, but also fine motor skills, patience, and determination [1].

A complex of valid and reliable techniques aimed at assessing its key properties was used to diagnose arbitrary attention.

1. The technique "Correction test" (B. Bourdon). The technique was used to assess the stability and concentration of attention. The subjects were asked to cross out the given symbols in a blank with randomly arranged letters in a limited time. Quantitative indicators and qualitative analysis allowed to assess both the productivity and the interference resistance of attention.

2. The "Confused Lines" technique (a modification of K.K. Platonov's test by A. Ray). This test was aimed at an in-depth diagnosis of concentration and attention stability under conditions of visual stress. The task of the subject was to visually trace each of the confused lines from the beginning to the end. The evaluation criterion was the number of errors and the time of performance, which indicates the ability to long-term concentration.

3. The Shulte Tables method. The method was used to assess the distribution and switching of attention. Participants had to find and show numbers in a specific sequence as quickly as possible. The time taken to complete the task was recorded, allowing for an assessment of the effectiveness of attention in multitasking conditions [2, 4].

The study involved 30 elementary school students aged 9-10 years. The results of the diagnostics generally confirmed the hypothesis that primary school students aged 9-10 have an average level of stability, concentration, and distribution of voluntary attention, but there are significant individual differences due to age dynamics and personal factors.

Most students, about 67%, demonstrated an average level of development of voluntary attention, which corresponds to the age norm and indicates the process of active formation of this cognitive component.

 According to the "Correction Test" method, 54% of students showed an average level of attention concentration. This reflects their ability to maintain attention on the task, but with a tendency to decrease productivity by the end of the work, the phenomenon of "breaking in" and subsequent fatigue. The equal distribution of students with very high and very low levels of 13% each highlights the significant variation in individual indicators, which may be due to differences in temperament, motivation, or neurodynamics.

The "Interrupted Lines" test showed that only two of the 13% of participants completed the task without any errors, indicating a high level of concentration. Ten of the 67% of participants had an average of 2-9 errors, indicating a gradual decrease in concentration and sensitivity to monotonous activities. The low scores of the three participants, representing 20% of the total, may be influenced not only by cognitive factors but also by a lack of academic motivation or high levels of distraction.

The Shulte Tables test showed that 60% of children performed at an average level, indicating that their attention distribution skills were still developing. However, 27% of children performed at a high level, demonstrating a good ability to switch between task elements. The low performance of 13% of participants correlated with the results of other tests, supporting the hypothesis that low attention stability is associated with rapid mental fatigue.

Fig. 1. Diagnostic results

It has been empirically confirmed that the majority of 8-9-year-old primary school students have an average level of development of voluntary attention, which is normal for this age group. Significant individual differences in the development of attention properties have been identified, which requires a differentiated approach in pedagogical practice. Children face the greatest difficulties in maintaining sustained attention when performing monotonous tasks (the "Interrupted Lines" test), indicating a lack of developed processes of volitional regulation. Some children have a high level of attention distribution and switching, which can be considered a positive resource for developing multitasking in educational activities.

Based on the results obtained, the following recommendations can be made for teachers and school psychologists:

 1. To develop the stability of attention, introduce short (5-7 minutes) daily exercises of the type of "Corrector test" into the educational process, gradually increasing the volume of the task. This will contribute to the training of "attentive endurance".

2. To overcome monotony, diversify the types of activities in the lesson, use game formats for routine tasks (for example, competitions in the method of "Interrupted lines" for time).

3. For children with low levels of attention, individual work is necessary to increase motivation (reward system), as well as the inclusion of elements of kinesiological exercises and neuropsychological games in classes to activate brain activity.

4. To develop the distribution of attention, actively use in lessons tasks that require simultaneous retention in mind of several rules or performing actions according to different algorithms.

Further research prospects may involve studying the impact of family environment factors and digitalization on the development of attention, as well as conducting a longitudinal study to track the dynamics of the development of voluntary attention throughout the entire primary school period.

References:

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