9.02

2). Give a personal example where you have had selective attention. Why do you think that is? Is there a way you were able to overcome it?

The book explains selective attention as, “choosing one message over another” (Harris, 2008, 131). The book explains that we pick up on keywords in which interest us or provide some type of “preprogrammed” importance to us. The book gives the examples of socialists and environmentalists will be most interested in “messages” that contain social or environmental issues, etc. and so on. I can think of a few times I have fallen into selective attention, especially while sitting in classes. Particularly in my music class, I have a few times been bored and thinking about something else, when suddenly I hear, loud and clear, “This is going to be on the next exam.” Suddenly, I automatically grab my pen and write down the following words. Not necessarily knowing the context of them or what they mean/refer to, just copying down the words since apparently they’ll be on the exam. This has also happened numerous times to me when talking to a friend, watching TV and a particular movie preview might come on that I’m looking forward to so I suddenly pay attention, etc.