Attending Behavior: A Review of Research
Attending behavior is a key component of social interaction, and it is a behavior that has been extensively studied by researchers. This paper reviews the literature on attending behavior, exploring its importance in social interaction, the various ways it can be measured, and how it is affected by individual characteristics, environmental factors, and cultural contexts.
Attending behavior refers to the amount of attention a person pays to another person or object in their environment. It is closely related to the concept of attentional allocation, which refers to how an individual distributes their attention to different stimuli. Attending behavior often involves shifts in orientation, gaze, and proximity, and it is a fundamental aspect of many forms of social interaction. Attending behavior has been linked to social skills, communication, and social cognition, and it can influence the development of relationships.
Attending behavior can be measured in a variety of ways, including self-report questionnaires, observational studies, and physiological data. Self-report questionnaires ask individuals to rate their own attending behavior, while observational studies measure attending behavior by recording and coding the actions of an individual. Physiological data can be used to measure autonomic responses, such as heart rate, which can provide insight into how an individual is responding to their environment.
Attending behavior is affected by a variety of individual characteristics, such as age, gender, personality, and cognitive ability. For example, older adults tend to be more attentive than younger adults, and individuals with high levels of cognitive ability are more likely to pay attention to detail. Additionally, attending behavior is influenced by environmental factors, such as the presence of distractions or the availability of social support. Cultural contexts can also play a role in attending behavior, as different societies may place different values on attending and the behaviors associated with it.
Overall, attending behavior is an important component of social interaction, and its effects can be widespread. Further research is needed to explore the nuances of attending behavior, such as how it is affected by individual characteristics and cultural contexts.
References
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Lam, S., & Lai, C. S. (2013). Attentive behavior in social interaction: Developmental changes and cultural variation. Cognitive Development, 28(1), 17-28.
Rudy, D., & O’Donnell, L. (2011). The role of attending behavior in social skills and communication. Education and Treatment of Children, 34(2), 183-204.