divided attention
nounUK /dɪˈvaɪ.dɪd əˈten.ʃən/
US /dɪˈvaɪ.dɪd əˈten.ʃən/
When you try to pay attention to more than one thing at the same time.
Doing homework while watching TV is a test of divided attention.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A situation in which a person's mental effort is spread across two or more tasks at once.
The driver's divided attention caused him to miss the red light.
3. A psychological condition where focus is shared between competing stimuli.
Researchers studied divided attention by asking people to listen to two conversations.
4. The act of trying to do two things at the same time, often making both harder.
Her divided attention made it hard to follow the teacher's instructions.