Distraction
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- Distraction is also a television game show: Distraction (game show)
Distraction is the process of diverting the attention of an individual (or group) from one subject to something else. There can be a number of causes for distraction, including random surfing on the Internet, zapping television channels, and random reading. Distraction is a major cause of procrastination.
Physical distraction may occur or be applied through various forces like gravity or magnetism. For example, electromagnetic energy from a cathode ray tube (which composes a television screen) can cause distraction.
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Distraction by the Media
The media (television, or reading and editing Wikipedia articles), can be a source of distraction.
Distraction (or addiction thereto) may lead to a person's neglecting other doody. Sometimes this is referred to as addiction, particularly in more extreme cases. The case of Shawn Woolley was one such case: he became particularly involved in the computer game Everquest and quit his job to dedicate upwards of 12 hours a day to playing the game.
Neil Postman wrote a book—Amusing Ourselves to Death—about how television and newspapers distract us.
Distraction in wildlife, warfare, and crime
- When threatened, octopi spray ink to distract a possible attacker.
- Fake targets
- The use of the Trojan horse is an example from historical warfare.
- Trojan horses are computer viruses used in the same way as the original Trojan horse. The owner of an infected computer is often oblivious to his or her computer's affliction, as Trojan horses are slyly packaged in with certain types of disreputable freeware.
- In open field, mass Military strategy, sometimes a contingent of troops is used to distract the enemy army so their flank is exposed, or to draw them away from a key point or fortification, such as a city.
- Pickpockets and other thieves, especially those working in teams, sometimes apply distraction, such as asking a question, bumping into the victim, or deliberately dirtying the victim's clothing and then "helping" him/her to clean it.
Death by Distraction
- A car accident is often caused by a distracted driver whose attention is diverted from road.
- Improper exit signs during evacuation of buildings (distraction by other objects while people escape).
- Late or improper warning during a natural disaster such as a fire, a flood, or a storm.
Distraction research
- Research is done on which areas of advertizements test subjects view and how much time subjects spend looking at said areas.
- Dr. Roy Baumeister, a sociologist, once tested subjects' willpower against various distractions and temptations.