(A) the characteristics of stimulation
1, intensity of stimulus: the intensity of stimulus is an important reason for unintentional attention. Loud noise, strong light, heavy smell, bright colors, etc. Will immediately attract our attention. In addition to the absolute intensity of stimulation, the relative intensity of stimulation is also of great significance in attracting unintentional attention. For example, in a noisy place, even a loud sound will not attract people's attention, while in a silent night, a slight sound will attract people's attention.
2. Contrast between irritants: irritants are obviously different from other irritants in shape, size, color and duration. When they are in sharp contrast, they will attract unintentional attention. For example, the safflower in the evergreen bush, the tall man standing in the short crowd, and the peacock in the birdcage are all prominent and easy to attract attention.
3. Activity and variability of stimuli: Active stimuli and changing stimuli are more likely to attract people's unintentional attention than inactive and unchanging stimuli. For example, neon lights flash and go out, which is easy to attract people's attention; The cadence of the tone and the sudden interruption of the voice during the report immediately attracted the attention of the audience; Meteors in the night sky easily attract people's unintentional attention.
4. Freshness of irritants: New things can easily become the object of attention, while rigid, rigid and repetitive things are not easy to attract people's attention.
(B) people's subjective state
External stimuli can cause unintentional attention, but it also depends on people's own state. The same external stimuli may attract the attention of some people, but not others, because the subjective state of people who perceive them is different. The subjective states that cause unintentional attention are as follows:
1, people's demand for things: anything that can meet people's needs (whether it is material, material, spiritual or cultural) is easy to become the object of unintentional attention.
2. Interest: Interest is an important reason for unintentional attention. Interests are usually divided into two types:
(1) Career interest: A person who loves his work will be interested in everything related to his work and attract his attention. For example, when a scholar is studying a problem, he will immediately notice something that others can't notice, but is related to the problem.
(2) General interest: Anything that is related to a person's existing knowledge and can enhance a person's new knowledge is easy to attract people's interest and attention.
3. Attitude: People's needs and interests affect people's attitude towards things. Indifferent to things, it is not easy to attract unintentional attention; Holding a positive and emotional attitude towards things is easy to attract unintentional attention.
4. People's current emotional and mental state: People's current emotional state greatly affects unintentional attention. When a person is in a happy mood, things that are not easy to attract attention at ordinary times are easy to attract his attention. When a person is depressed and unhappy, what usually attracts attention is not easy to attract his attention at this time.
People's mental state at that time also had a great influence on unintentional attention. In the case of excessive fatigue, people often fail to notice things that are usually easy to attract attention. When people are full of energy, they are most likely to pay attention to new things, and their attention is also easy to concentrate and last.
5. Expectation: People are curious animals, always expecting to know the outcome of things they encounter. This expectation of the "afterlife" is an important condition to attract people's unintentional attention.