distraction

Distraction is the iversion of attention of an individual or group from the chosen object of attention onto the source of distraction. Distraction is caused by one of the following: lack of ability to pay attention; lack of interest in the object of attention; greater interest in something other than the object of attention; or the great intensity, novelty or attractiveness of something other than the object of attention. Distractions come from both external sources (physical stimuli through the five senses), or internal sources (thought, emotion, fantasies, physical urges). Divided attention, as in multi-tasking could also be considered as distraction in situations requiring full attention on a single object (e.g., sports, academic tests, performance). Distraction is a major cause of procrastination.