# Attention Spans



## Romantic Geek (Dec 25, 2009)

Where would you rate your attention span? It seems today more and more children have smaller and smaller attention spans, but I'm curious to see the demographic on this board.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I think if you enjoy listening to classical music, you already are up to the "good attention span" level. It takes a lot of attention to listen to a whole piece, and then be able to appreciate it. I admit to listening to sometimes the most boring music on the planet, but I like it because I have the patience for it.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I just turned 55 and though I once had great focus, it seems to be waning. I don't think it's age so much as job related stress. I start to worry a few minutes into a long piece. I chose mediocre.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

I have extremely low attention span when it comes to prosaic things. I can be very attentive when I listen to music or read poetry that fascinates me but when I have to do something that doesn't, my mind wanders and I end doing this thing completely wrong. I was extremely bad in mathematics when I was in school and I still can hardly count how many years did some composer live when I have years of his birth and death given. It's freaking me out, counting. I fall into a frenzy. And same with all the other things that require attention and concentration but in my view are not worth of it.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Another hyped modern disorder. Pardon the pun, and pass me the Vitamin R.

http://www.cpyu.org/Page.aspx?id=76872


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

My attention span is approximately 5 inches; (ear-to-ear).


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## dandylion (Dec 9, 2010)

I voted for a great attention span but to be honest only if it is something I am interested in. Otherwise a good attention span. 
I do think a short attention span is increasing. I blame it on Sesame Street, movies, games; that is entertainment in general.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

dandylion said:


> I voted for a great attention span but to be honest only if it is something I am interested in. Otherwise a good attention span.
> I do think a short attention span is increasing. I blame it on Sesame Street, movies, games; that is entertainment in general.


Same here. Music is where I have the largest attention span.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

I have the ability to apply a great attention span on something I'm really emotionally or intellectually invested in, but during the largest portion of the day, I'd just say that my attention span varies depending on what I'm doing.

I'm not so sure that the attention spans of young people are shrinking; I'm more inclined to think that they simply only care about things that don't require much attention (i.e. there is a lot of unused potential).


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

My attention spam is the greatest when it involves music ... not so good on other things, when it's better known to me as a "senior moment".


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Krummhorn said:


> My attention spam is the greatest when it involves music ... not so good on other things, when it's better known to me as a "senior moment".


Ah, senior moments.






What's that again?


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

Krummhorn said:


> My attention spam is the greatest when it involves music ... not so good on other things, when it's better known to me as a "senior moment".


Or, as our good friend on another site so aptly and eloquently puts it, a "CRAFT Moment." :lol:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I used to have pretty good attention span.
I'm 54 years old.
I find myself more and more impatient. I can't stand a live sports broadcast any longer - I need to DVR it so that I can skip ahead during the slow parts. I've been having trouble with operas that are too long - and it's a bit surprising because opera is one of my biggest passions in life; a few years ago I didn't mind the length.
I don't know, there seems to be a progression in terms of attention span - children and adolescents don't have any, young adults get to focus more, but as people age, maybe they turn impatient again.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

I chose "good." When I don't know what I'm listening to then I obviously miss details because I don't know their entire context within the piece, but once I learn what it sounds like I can pick out different details each time I hear it fairly easily.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

At the risk of sounding like the "semantics police," I'm not sure this poll is worded as well as it could have been. I can't honestly say I pay attention to "everything, with great detail," but if this poll had been broken into quintiles, I'd have no qualms about placing myself in the upper quintile. Upper decile, perhaps- even.

One thing I find curious is how this has changed for me (I think, for the better) with age. When I was school-age, I would take minimal notes, only half-focus (if that) on subject-matter, and mostly get by on talent. It's a completely different story for me, now. When absorbing new material (e.g.: a new work-assignment), I'll take rigorous notes, start early, stay late, practice on my own- even take material home with me for review on my own time. It's not unknown for me to receive an occasional mocking comment from a co-worker regarding this practice.

Part of it's maturity, I hope- but part of it is this feeling I have- is there anything that should be taken _more_ seriously than the thing you do for a LIVING?!? [Maybe family-life (marriage, parenting)- but other than THAT, what?!]


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

*Throwing yet another curve*



Chi_townPhilly said:


> [...]
> Part of it's maturity, I hope- but part of it is this feeling I have- is there anything that should be taken _more_ seriously than the thing you do for a LIVING?!? [Maybe family-life (marriage, parenting)- but other than THAT, what?!]


To generalize from your particulars... should anything be taken more seriously than doing things _*right?*_. If the answer is 'no', now it all depends on one's understanding of 'right'. In ballistics there is a term - 'standard deviation' - that almost applies here to the spread in conceptions of 'right'.

:tiphat:


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## haydnfan (Apr 13, 2011)

I chose mediocre because when something is interesting or I'm working I have an excellent attention span. If I'm not interested my attentiveness waxes and wanes. For those that chose the highest option: really do you pay the same attention to say a mediocre Dittersdorf symphony that you would Brahms' 4th? Do you never have tv on in the background while you prepare dinner? Do you never listen to music in the car while driving somewhere? Do you never find your mind drifting after an hour or two? Do you never feel the need for an intermission during a long opera? Be honest with yourself.


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## Romantic Geek (Dec 25, 2009)

Chi_townPhilly said:


> At the risk of sounding like the "semantics police," I'm not sure this poll is worded as well as it could have been. I can't honestly say I pay attention to "everything, with great detail," but if this poll had been broken into quintiles, I'd have no qualms about placing myself in the upper quintile. Upper decile, perhaps- even.
> 
> One thing I find curious is how this has changed for me (I think, for the better) with age. When I was school-age, I would take minimal notes, only half-focus (if that) on subject-matter, and mostly get by on talent. It's a completely different story for me, now. When absorbing new material (e.g.: a new work-assignment), I'll take rigorous notes, start early, stay late, practice on my own- even take material home with me for review on my own time. It's not unknown for me to receive an occasional mocking comment from a co-worker regarding this practice.
> 
> Part of it's maturity, I hope- but part of it is this feeling I have- is there anything that should be taken _more_ seriously than the thing you do for a LIVING?!? [Maybe family-life (marriage, parenting)- but other than THAT, what?!]


I was just more curious where people thought the fell. I'm not voting, but I'd be in the middle. I have great attention span when I'm really interested in something, but if it's anything I've heard before - I instantly zone out and focus on other things instead.

Semantics police - sure you caught me...but hey, we're here for fun, right?


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## Conor71 (Feb 19, 2009)

I chose mediocre attention span and sometimes think my attention span might even be quite poor! 
I don't know if it happens with other people on the board but I find it takes me a lot of re-listens to fully absorb a piece of Classical Music (which is one of the reasons I enjoy it) but I'm not talking about 2-3 listens more like 10 or sometimes even 20 or more!


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## ozradio (Oct 23, 2008)

Romantic Geek said:


> Where would you rate your attention span? It seems today more and more children have smaller and smaller attention spans, but I'm curious to see the demographic on this board.


When it comes to video games some kids have attention spans of hours upon hours.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Conor71 said:


> [...]
> I don't know if it happens with other people on the board but I find it takes me a lot of re-listens to fully absorb a piece of Classical Music (which is one of the reasons I enjoy it) but I'm not talking about 2-3 listens more like 10 or sometimes even 20 or more!


I'm with you. The thing is, if I can 'fully absorb' a work in one or even 5 hearings I probably won't put the recording on again. Fortunately, different interpretations of a work can provide new things to 'get'. 'Attention span' needn't be long to get hooked.

Just one for-instance in a very large universe - Bach's WTC. The significantly varied interpretations/presentations of the fugues are legion.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I suppose music is the one exception that kept me from giving my attention span a poor rating. Even then, it isn't always what I want it to be.


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## Jobe (May 28, 2011)

Concerning symphonies, great attention span.

Concerning school work... wuh... I have school work? oh. Forgot.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

I consider myself to have a fairly good attention span with most things. Both of my professions - music and accounting - require deep concentration for extended periods of time. Unless I'm tired, which is most weeknights..


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Ravellian said:


> I consider myself to have a fairly good attention span with most things. Both of my professions - music and accounting - require deep concentration for extended periods of time. Unless I'm tired, which is most weeknights..


I also find it easier to pay attention if you're getting paid to pay attention.


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## regressivetransphobe (May 16, 2011)

It's trendy idea that the average attention span is crippled by our age of text messaging and soundbites, but I think if you went back in time a few hundred years and tried to get the average person to listen to your favorite symphony/read your favorite book, the result would be about the same as nowadays.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Couchie said:


> I also find it easier to pay attention if you're getting paid to pay attention.


Now, if I could just get paid to analyze music instead of accounts payable....


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