reorient attention

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "reorient attention" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the act of shifting focus or redirecting someone's concentration towards a different subject or task. Example: "In order to improve productivity, we need to reorient attention towards the most critical projects."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

This second task was originally chosen for its ability to activate a network of areas which are preferentially engaged when unexpected events occur and/or subjects are required to reorient attention [for a review see 32].

Plosone

If activity in these regions reflected efforts to refocus on the task being performed, the opposite pattern of activity should have been observed, as awareness would presumably favor the recruitment of cognitive processes to reorient attention on task.

Plosone

Another interpretation of our findings would be that the increased midline DMN activity, and especially MPFC activity [9], [73], related to mind-wandering in comparison to task-related interferences and external distractions reflects an increased effort to reorient attention toward the SART.

Plosone

In the high-reward condition, participants were quicker to reorient attention away from the initially cued location, since they were faster for targets in the invalidly cued condition, relative to the validly cued condition (the well-known IOR effect).

Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience

The other is a double-cue procedure in which a second cue is added following the peripheral cue so as to reorient attention to the central fixation point before the onset of a following target.

Experimental Psychology

Although some doctors seem to be insensitive to the suffering and impervious to the opinions of the nurses, this committed attitude of these nurses seeking, not confrontation with the doctors, but rather consensus to reorient attention to palliative care illustrates a strategy that has already been put forward by Bardger [ 63].

BMC Medical Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

These findings may reflect the more general role of parietal cortex in orienting attention [19 21], which is initiated by viewing averted gaze [22 24], and more specifically the role of the right inferior parietal cortex (as a component of the ventral frontoparietal attentional network) in reorienting attention toward behaviorally relevant events [25].

Current Biology

These findings are discussed in the context of reference frames used in reorienting attention for target detection.

Neuropsychologia

The putative basis for these phenomena are neural computations related to updating and reorienting attention due to violations of expectations and the detection of change.

Plosone

Two attention networks have been proposed on the basis of findings from brain imaging studies; a dorsal one that is involved in purposeful attention (top-down) and a ventral one that reorients attention in response to salient stimuli [10] that might lead to distractions when performing a task [11].

Plosone

Area ST on the posterior portion of the superior temporal gyrus matches a functional region active for reorienting attention to unattended visual targets (STG, 57,−45,12 vector distance = 7.2 mm; Corbetta, 2000; 2002), and for detecting salient sensory multimodal changes (54,−42,13 vector distance = 4.7 mm; Downar et al., 2000).

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "reorient attention" when you want to convey a deliberate shifting of focus, especially after a distraction or change in circumstances. This phrase is effective in both formal and scientific writing.

Common error

Avoid using "orient attention" when "reorient attention" is more appropriate. "Orient" means to align or position, while "reorient" implies a correction or adjustment of existing attention. Use "reorient" when attention has already been directed elsewhere and needs to be brought back.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "reorient attention" functions as a verb phrase where "reorient" is a transitive verb requiring a direct object (attention). It describes the action of redirecting or adjusting one's focus, as illustrated by Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

83%

News & Media

11%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "reorient attention" is a grammatically sound and useful phrase for describing the act of redirecting focus, particularly after a distraction. While not extremely common, it is well-suited for formal, scientific, and professional contexts. Ludwig AI's analysis of numerous examples highlights its consistent usage in these domains, confirming its reliability. Consider alternatives like "redirect focus" or "refocus attention" for slight variations in meaning. Using "reorient" when you mean "orient" is a common mistake to avoid.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

redirect focus

This alternative is a more general way to describe changing the direction of one's concentration.

refocus attention

This alternative emphasizes restoring attention to a specific point after a distraction.

shift attention

This alternative simply indicates a change in where attention is directed, without necessarily implying a return.

redirect attention elsewhere

This explicitly indicates that attention is being moved away from the current focus.

turn attention to

This suggests a deliberate change in focus toward a new subject or task.

bring attention back

This implies that attention has wandered and needs to be actively restored.

reset focus

Similar to refocus, this suggests returning to a primary or default point of attention.

re-center attention

This brings the imagery of finding the center again with attention.

change the subject

This alternative is more suitable for conversational contexts, where attention is shifted by introducing a new topic.

divert attention

This suggests that attention is being intentionally drawn away, potentially from something undesirable.

FAQs

How can I use "reorient attention" in a sentence?

You can use "reorient attention" when you want to describe the act of shifting focus back to something. For example, "The speaker paused to "reorient attention" after a brief tangent".

What are some alternatives to saying "reorient attention"?

Alternatives include "redirect focus", "refocus attention", or "shift attention", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "orient attention" instead of "reorient attention"?

While "orient" means to align or position something, "reorient" implies a correction or adjustment of existing attention. Therefore, use "reorient attention" when attention has already been directed elsewhere and needs to be brought back.

In what contexts is "reorient attention" most appropriate?

"Reorient attention" is appropriate in formal, scientific, and professional contexts where a deliberate shifting of focus is being discussed. It's also suitable when describing the process of recovering focus after a distraction.