Attentional span

Attentional span (attentional capacity) is the number of elements a person takes in over a short interval without going through them one by one. In an adult it averages a few units and depends on how far the objects are grouped into meaningful chunks. Unlike divided attention, this is about simultaneous coverage rather than managing parallel tasks.

A wide attentional span lets a point guard photograph the players' positions in one look and pick a pass instantly. In team and combat sports, reading the situation peripherally depends on it. A narrow span under pressure is a common reason an athlete can't get themselves together at competitions and stops seeing the field.

Attentional span is measured by briefly presenting sets of objects to be reproduced. The relevant instruments are in the tests section. Bear in mind that stress and anxiety narrow the span, so the result is best compared against your level of pre-competition tension.

Span is widened by exercises in fast scene reading: taking a mental photograph of a passage of play and then describing it, and work on widening peripheral vision. Grouping objects into meaningful patterns helps too. There is a selection in the exercises section; progress comes from shortening the exposure time.

Attentional span is connected to divided attention and selective attention: the wider the coverage, the more it matters to pick out what counts. A span narrowed by stress runs into the problem of getting yourself together at the start. Managing the width of focus is the job of attentional control.