In PR, we always seek the attention of publics.
But how does attention work?
Are there different types of attention?
What does science say about attention?
Here we go:
The Anatomy of Attention
“There’s only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
— Oscar Wilde
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The Anatomy of Attention
Attention is an essential component of public relations:
And it’s not just organisations. We all seem to crave attention in some form or another:
“People want to be loved; failing that admired; failing that feared; failing that hated and despised. They want to evoke some sort of sentiment. The soul shudders before oblivion and seeks connection at any price.”
— Hjalmar Söderberg (1869−1941), Swedish author
It’s fear of social isolation— and attention starvation.
But what constitutes ‘attention’?
“Attention is a complex, real neural architecture (‘RNA’) model that integrates various cognitive models and brain centers to perform tasks like visual search.”
Source: Trends in cognitive sciences 1Shipp, S. (2004). The brain circuitry of attention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 8, 223 – 230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2004.03.004
Each of the below terms refers to a specific aspect or type of attention (“mental bandwidth”), a complex cognitive process. 2Schweizer, K., Moosbrugger, H., & Goldhammer, F. (2005). The structure of the relationship between attention and intelligence. Intelligence, 33(6), 589 – 611. … Continue reading
Let’s explore different types of attention:
Each type of attention plays a crucial role in how we interact with and process information from our environment, and understanding these different aspects is key in fields like psychology, neuroscience, and education.
Learn more: The Anatomy of Attention
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The Online Brain
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The Online Brain
In the rapidly evolving digital age, how we process information is being transformed. The rise of the internet and its ever-changing stream of information have led to a noticeable shift in our attentional capacities.
“The Internet can alter our cognition, affecting attention, memory, and social cognition, with potential brain changes.”
Source: World Psychiatry 3Firth, J., Torous, J., Stubbs, B., Firth, J., Steiner, G., Smith, L., Alvarez-Jimenez, M., Gleeson, J., Vancampfort, D., Armitage, C., & Sarris, J. (2019). The “online brain”: how the … Continue reading
A study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information highlights this trend, emphasizing how the multitude of online media sources vies for our attention, often at the expense of our ability to concentrate for extended periods. 4Firth, J., Torous, J., Stubbs, B., Firth, J. A., Steiner, G. Z., Smith, L., Gleeson, J., Vancampfort, D., Armitage, C. J., & Sarris, J. (2019). The “online brain”: How the Internet may be … Continue reading
This phenomenon, sometimes called the ‘online brain’, raises critical questions about the long-term effects of digital media on cognitive functions, including memory and focus.
“The human brain’s attention system has evolved over time, with genetic variations and experience playing a role in individual differences in attentional efficiency.”
Source: Annual review of neuroscience 5Petersen, S., & Posner, M. (2012). The attention system of the human brain. Annual review of neuroscience, 35, 73 – 89. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-062111 – 150525
The broader implications of our interaction with digital media are further underscored by a study in Nature Communications, which reveals a narrowing of our collective attention span. 6Abundance of information narrows our collective attention span. (2019, April 15). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190415081959.htm
This phenomenon is not just confined to social media; it’s a trend observed across various domains, suggesting a widespread cultural shift in how we consume and process information.
The gradual decline in attention spans, particularly over the last few decades, signals a pressing challenge for today’s organizations. Research by Gloria Mark, PhD, from the University of California Irvine, sheds light on how our engagements with the internet and digital devices reshape our focus. 7Mark, G. (2023). Why our attention spans are shrinking. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/attention-spans
The study’s findings are a wake-up call to businesses and content creators, indicating that capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is becoming more challenging.
This shift necessitates a rethink in how we design and deliver content, ensuring it’s not only engaging but also capable of holding the increasingly fleeting attention of our audience.
Learn more: The Online Brain (to be published)
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Social Group Sizes
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Typical Social Group Sizes
How many social connections you you comfortably sustain? According to the social brain hypothesis, limits exist. 8Zhou WX, Sornette D, Hill RA, Dunbar RI. Discrete hierarchical organization of social group sizes. Proc Biol Sci. 2005 Feb 22;272(1561):439 – 44.
“The ‘social brain hypothesis’ for the evolution of large brains in primates has led to evidence for the coevolution of neocortical size and social group sizes, suggesting that there is a cognitive constraint on group size that depends, in some way, on the volume of neural material available for processing and synthesizing information on social relationships.”
Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 9Zhou, X., Sornette, D., Hill, R. A., & M. Dunbar, R. I. (2005). Discrete hierarchical organization of social group sizes. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 272(1561), … Continue reading
Scientific evidence suggests that people tend to organise themselves not in an even distribution of group sizes but in discrete hierarchical social groups of more particular sizes:
Alas, there seems to be a discrete statistical order in the complex chaos of human relationships:
“Such discrete scale invariance could be related to that identified in signatures of herding behaviour in financial markets and might reflect a hierarchical processing of social nearness by human brains.“
Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 10Zhou, X., Sornette, D., Hill, R. A., & M. Dunbar, R. I. (2005). Discrete hierarchical organization of social group sizes. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 272(1561), … Continue reading
Read also: Group Sizes (The Social Brain Hypothesis)
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Our Attention Is Not Well-Understood
Despite the growing concern over the impact of social media and the fast-paced news cycle on our attention spans, a gap in empirical data persists. This lack of concrete evidence points to the necessity for more rigorous research to understand the true extent of mass media’s influence on cognitive functions. 11Abundance of information narrows our collective attention span. (2019, April 15). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/490177
For business leaders, this calls for a cautious approach in concluding the impact of digital media on attention spans. Rather than making hasty decisions based on anecdotal evidence, there’s a need to base organisational strategies on solid research.
This could involve collaborating with academic institutions or investing in in-house studies to explore how digital media consumption affects employee performance and consumer behaviour.
In an era where data-driven decision-making is paramount, filling this empirical gap will aid in developing more effective business strategies and contribute to a broader understanding of perception management.
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PR Resource: The Electronic Age
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The Electronic Age
Human culture is often described based on our access to production technologies (e.g., the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age).
According to Marshall McLuhan and the Toronto School of Communication Theory, a better analysis would be to view societal development based on the prominence of emerging communications technologies.
McLuhan suggests dividing human civilisation into four epochs:
“The Gutenberg Galaxy is a landmark book that introduced the concept of the global village and established Marshall McLuhan as the original ‘media guru’, with more than 200,000 copies in print.”
Source: Modern Language Review 12McLuhan, M. (1963). The Gutenberg galaxy: the making of typographic man. Modern Language Review, 58, 542. https://doi.org/10.2307/3719923
As a PR professional and linguist, I subscribe to the concept of the Electronic Age. My belief is that society is unlikely to revert to the Gutenberg Galaxy.
Thus, digital-first is the way for public relations, too.
Read also: The Electronic Age and The End of the Gutenberg Galaxy
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PR Resource: Echo Chambers
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Echo Chambers on Digital Platforms
Echo chambers, amplified by confirmation bias and media logic, pose a significant societal problem. They create environments where individuals are exposed primarily to opinions and information that reinforce their existing beliefs, leading to a narrow, often distorted worldview.
“Echo chambers in social media contribute to the viral spread of misinformation by acting as initial bandwagons for complex contagions.”
Source: PLoS ONE 13Törnberg, P. (2018). Echo chambers and viral misinformation: Modeling fake news as complex contagion. PLoS ONE, 13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203958
In echo chambers, critical thinking and exposure to diverse perspectives are limited, which can contribute to spreading misinformation and entrenching extremist views. 14Silfwer, J. (2018, August 6). How To Fight Populism. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://doctorspin.net/how-to-fight-populism/
“Echo chambers are not just spaces where opinions are excluded, but also spaces where beliefs are reinforced, contributing to misinformation and collaborative resistance.”
Source: Episteme 15Elzinga, B. (2020). Echo Chambers and Audio Signal Processing. Episteme, 19, 373 — 393. https://doi.org/10.1017/epi.2020.33
Such isolation can intensify ideological polarisation, diminishing the opportunity for constructive dialogue and understanding between different groups.
Echo chambers can undermine the democratic process by creating fragmented publics, each with its own ‘facts’ and interpretations, making consensus and collaborative problem-solving increasingly challenging.
“Echo chambers and epistemic bubbles are distinct social epistemic phenomena, and addressing them requires distinct interventions.”
Source: Episteme 16Nguyen, C. (2018). ECHO CHAMBERS AND EPISTEMIC BUBBLES. Episteme, 17, 141 — 161. https://doi.org/10.1017/epi.2018.32
Learn more: Echo Chambers: Algorithmic Confirmation Bias
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PR Resource: Perception Management
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Walter Lippmann: Public Opinion and Perception Management
No one is basing their attitudes and behaviours on reality; we’re basing them on our perceptions of reality.
Walter Lippmann (1889 – 1974) proposed that our perceptions of reality differ from the actual reality. The reality is too vast and too complex for anyone to process. 17Lippmann, Walter. 1960. Public Opinion (1922). New York: Macmillan.
The research on perception management is focused on how organisations can create a desired reputation:
“The OPM [Organizational Perception Management] field focuses on the range of activities that help organisations establish and/or maintain a desired reputation (Staw et al., 1983). More specifically, OPM research has primarily focused on two interrelated factors: (1) the timing and goals of perception management activities and (2) specific perception management tactics (Elsbach, 2006).”
Source: Organization Development Journal 18Hargis, M. & Watt, John. (2010). Organizational perception management: A framework to overcome crisis events. Organization Development Journal. 28. 73 – 87. … Continue reading
Today, our perceptions are heavily influenced by news media and influencers, algorithms, and social graphs. Therefore, perception management is more critical than ever before.
“We are all captives of the picture in our head — our belief that the world we have experienced is the world that really exists.”
— Walter Lippmann (1889 – 1974)
Learn more: Walter Lippmann: Public Opinion and Perception Management
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ANNOTATIONS
1 | Shipp, S. (2004). The brain circuitry of attention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 8, 223 – 230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2004.03.004 |
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2 | Schweizer, K., Moosbrugger, H., & Goldhammer, F. (2005). The structure of the relationship between attention and intelligence. Intelligence, 33(6), 589 – 611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2005.07.001 |
3 | Firth, J., Torous, J., Stubbs, B., Firth, J., Steiner, G., Smith, L., Alvarez-Jimenez, M., Gleeson, J., Vancampfort, D., Armitage, C., & Sarris, J. (2019). The “online brain”: how the Internet may be changing our cognition. World Psychiatry, 18. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20617 |
4 | Firth, J., Torous, J., Stubbs, B., Firth, J. A., Steiner, G. Z., Smith, L., Gleeson, J., Vancampfort, D., Armitage, C. J., & Sarris, J. (2019). The “online brain”: How the Internet may be changing our cognition. World Psychiatry, 18(2), 119 – 129. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20617 |
5 | Petersen, S., & Posner, M. (2012). The attention system of the human brain. Annual review of neuroscience, 35, 73 – 89. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-062111 – 150525 |
6 | Abundance of information narrows our collective attention span. (2019, April 15). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190415081959.htm |
7 | Mark, G. (2023). Why our attention spans are shrinking. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/attention-spans |
8 | Zhou WX, Sornette D, Hill RA, Dunbar RI. Discrete hierarchical organization of social group sizes. Proc Biol Sci. 2005 Feb 22;272(1561):439 – 44. |
9, 10 | Zhou, X., Sornette, D., Hill, R. A., & M. Dunbar, R. I. (2005). Discrete hierarchical organization of social group sizes. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 272(1561), 439 – 444. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2004.2970 |
11 | Abundance of information narrows our collective attention span. (2019, April 15). EurekAlert! https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/490177 |
12 | McLuhan, M. (1963). The Gutenberg galaxy: the making of typographic man. Modern Language Review, 58, 542. https://doi.org/10.2307/3719923 |
13 | Törnberg, P. (2018). Echo chambers and viral misinformation: Modeling fake news as complex contagion. PLoS ONE, 13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203958 |
14 | Silfwer, J. (2018, August 6). How To Fight Populism. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://doctorspin.net/how-to-fight-populism/ |
15 | Elzinga, B. (2020). Echo Chambers and Audio Signal Processing. Episteme, 19, 373 — 393. https://doi.org/10.1017/epi.2020.33 |
16 | Nguyen, C. (2018). ECHO CHAMBERS AND EPISTEMIC BUBBLES. Episteme, 17, 141 — 161. https://doi.org/10.1017/epi.2018.32 |
17 | Lippmann, Walter. 1960. Public Opinion (1922). New York: Macmillan. |
18 | Hargis, M. & Watt, John. (2010). Organizational perception management: A framework to overcome crisis events. Organization Development Journal. 28. 73 – 87. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288292596_Organizational_perception_management_A_framework_to_overcome_crisis_events |