Attention Span

[dark]

Was wondering, I know ENTPs are credited to having short attention spans, it is true. But I have also read that ISFPs have even short attention spans.

What I am wondering: (A) Which type tends to have the shortest attention span? (B) Which type tends to have the longest attention span? (C) Who would sit in the middle?

 

[SkyWalker]

Perceivers have an attention span depending on the strength of the perception. This is known as short attention span (or random attention span for those who do not understand perceivers).

Thinkers have the longest attention span for logic, both Te & Ti

Feelers have a different kind of attention span, they are attentive to people (instead of logic).

I think the normal usage of attention span is only for logic, thus for THinkers only.

So half thinking / half "something else" would be medium attention span.

 

[LPolaright]

Short Attention span:

Dominant Se usage would reduce attention span and will be distracted.
P would also reduce attention span as they are willing to jump to other plans according to whatever caught their eyes.

This would basically mean, theoretically of course and assuming I understood cognitive functions well (which I didn't entirely because my knowledge is limited) - Dominant Se and P equals:
ESxP

I don't think the judging functions have a role to play here.
Basically, theoretically, it would mean that ESxP types have the least attention span.

===========================

High Attention span:

It's a bit difficult for me to think of a function that will support attention span - but I would have to assume it's Ni or Ne, because they are less focused on the sensory experiences and more of their line of thought. Ni is basically the opposite of Se and will keep it on the ground but I think we can rule it out because you are talking about the "present"s attention span; meaning we are left out with Ne.
J users will probably control and not let themselves deviate from a plan which gives you another dimension to work on.

Preference for Ne will give you the extroversion type, you already have J and you need to have Ne meaning:
ESxJ
is most likely to have the highest attention span.
Although keep it in mind that the Ne is pretty low on the functions orders because of J, which might not be smart and thus the type you really want for long attention span is:
ENxP

===============

Medium will probably be introverts.

 

[SkyWalker]

Attention span is a thinking thing. The attention you mean is FOCUS. That is extraverted thinking to be exact.

No way that Ne & Ni cause long attention span, they are irrational perception functions, doesnt matter if it is S or N. Both S and N do not think, they just perceive.


TJs have the longest attention spans.

 

[LPolaright]

Attention span is a thinking thing. The attention you mean is FOCUS. That is extraverted thinking to be exact.

No way that Ne & Ni cause long attention span, they are irrational perception functions, doesnt matter if it is S or N. Both S and N do not think, they just perceive.


TJs have the longest attention spans.

We might have different definition for attention span.

My definition:
"Attention span is the amount of time that a person can concentrate on a task without becoming distracted"

The outside world is a big fat distraction that you take in using perception functions, sure they do not think - but they definitely affect on how much concentration you are putting into your thinking.

Thinking outside, in a city environment is much harder then thinking on a more calm environment - how can you explain that? I would say - less distractions.

 

[SkyWalker]

i use the same definition. what you define is also about focus.

you are just saying the same as me: the less P (= less S & N), the more "psychic energy" is left over for thinking.

the longer the attention span, the higher the chance of task completion and the higher the chance of singletasking on that single task

 

[LPolaright]

i use the same definition. what you define is also about focus.

Could you define "focus" for me?

you are just saying the same as me: the less P (= less S & N), the more "psychic energy" is left over for thinking.

I not only stated that the less P you have you attention span increases but also what cognitive functions help your attention span.
Se would be distractive
while Ne could be "focusing".

the longer the attention span, the higher the chance of task completion and the higher the chance of singletasking on that single task

If that was directed at me I have no idea what you just said - might have to do with the fact that I'm at work waiting to get home already. (I'm at the unproductive stage)

I doubt though that when you higher the chance of task completion it has anything to do with the chance to higher on single-tasking a task. I would say it's more of a preference because some people would like to single-task while others would like to multi-task.

When having a great attention span environment I would probably multi-task rather then single-task because it gives better results.

 

[SkyWalker]

Ne does NOT give you a long attention span. Only Te gives you that.
------
I am cursed/gifted with high Ne, and trust me, it does not help me focus at all.

Ne always gives me new ideas/tasks, but when i start to do them, Ne gives me new ideas/tasks again which are very tempting, so it's hard to finish tasks.

Actually when you just start on a new idea you can keep going as long as it keeps expanding into new stuff (Ne perception keeps you going) and so long as that new stuff (new sub tasks of the main task) stays shiny, you can stay on it (known as hyperfocus). But as soon as the new stuff is not there anymore or not shiny enough, then BANG: a new shiny new idea tempting you, taking you away from the initial task.

(These "shiny" things are not Se-shiny, they are just shiny in imagination, they dont even exist yet)

So Ne can have hyperfocus moments, but it's very random/accidental/irrational. On non-hyperfocus moments its just plain short attention span, next shiny new idea, next shiny new idea

 

[SkyWalker]

my single tasking vs multi tasking theory (my own theory, not MBTI)

---

Te pursues the pleasure of task completion (is asking a logical how?)

if you pursue the pleasure of task completion, then it is not smart to multitask, since multitasking will postpone your completion pleasure for all tasks. So you finish 1 task first, so you will get a littlecompletion pleasure as soon as possible (because this is what you are after). thats why Te is a single tasker.

---

Ti avoids the pain of wrong task selection (is asking a logical why?)

if you avoid the pain of wasting time on the wrong task, then it is smart to try a bit of all tasks, since you can drop those which you think are the least valuable along the way. it wouldnt be smart to single task them one by one, because then you would have to pick them without knowing them in advance (since you haven't worked a bit one them to get to know them). thats why Ti is a multi tasker


---

BTW Te gets things done and is what is commonly known as long attention span. extreme Ti is very wise, but gets nothing done and in the extreme it multi-tasks to psychotic infinity, this would equal to zero attention span if you only look what it has done outside of itself (but inside there is a lot going on, on the inside the attention span could be super long "a super long profound why quest", but its not observable from the outside, unless it switches to Te to manifest it in writing or whatever).

 

[LPolaright]

Ne does NOT give you a long attention span. Only Te gives you that.
------
I am cursed/gifted with high Ne, and trust me, it does not help me focus at all.

Ne always gives me new ideas/tasks, but when i start to do them, Ne gives me new ideas/tasks again which are very tempting, so it's hard to finish tasks.

Actually when you just start on a new idea you can keep going as long as it keeps expanding into new stuff (Ne perception keeps you going) and so long as that new stuff (new sub tasks of the main task) stays shiny, you can stay on it (known as hyperfocus). But as soon as the new stuff is not there anymore or not shiny enough, then BANG: a new shiny new idea tempting you, taking you away from the initial task.

(These "shiny" things are not Se-shiny, they are just shiny in imagination, they dont even exist yet)

So Ne can have hyperfocus moments, but it's very random/accidental/irrational. On non-hyperfocus moments its just plain short attention span, next shiny new idea, next shiny new idea

Jumping from one idea to another is not a short attention span unless it deviates completely from your line of thought. So you are left out with the hyperfocus attribute of Ne.

Sure you might say it has a short attention span on one ultimate idea, but you can't say Ne users have short attention span overall.

Again, I've got to know what kind of a definition you own for attention span, and what are you talking about in this post.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Where does discipline and maturity fit into all this?

 

[The Gopher]

e

High Attention span:

It's a bit difficult for me to think of a function that will support attention span - but I would have to assume it's Ni or Ne, because they are less focused on the sensory experiences and more of their line of thought. Ni is basically the opposite of Se and will keep it on the ground but I think we can rule it out because you are talking about the "present"s attention span; meaning we are left out with Ne.
J users will probably control and not let themselves deviate from a plan which gives you another dimension to work on.

Preference for Ne will give you the extroversion type, you already have J and you need to have Ne meaning:
ESxJ
is most likely to have the highest attention span.
Although keep it in mind that the Ne is pretty low on the functions orders because of J, which might not be smart and thus the type you really want for long attention span is:
ENxP

===============

Medium will probably be introverts.

ENxP are you kidding? ENFPs have like the shortest attention span there is (personal experience) And ENTPs probably don't either

although your reasoning might be correct the end result is strange.

 

[LPolaright]

ENxP are you kidding? ENFPs have like the shortest attention span there is (personal experience) And ENTPs probably don't either

although your reasoning might be correct the end result is strange.

I agree, the end result is ridiculous which means my logic is flawed (I probably didn't take other variables in account), perhaps the judging functions come to play here as-well.

It's hard for me to expect for a long attention span from ExxP because they seek the energy from the outside world and they will jump around with their ideas and possibly also take their attention away from the actual thinking.

But, again, I'm basing this on the idea that short attention span means being distracted by the outside world and not actually jumping from one idea to the next as one line of thought.

Question is, does extroversion with the incorporation of perception equals disastrous results to the attention span?

I think this question should be more specific:
Attention span for an idea (Lack of it will result of jumping from one idea to the next with no real focus on one big idea)
Attention span of perception (jumping from thinking to acting, or unrelated thoughts coming from outside world distractions)