noun
- excessive or disproportionate focus or concentration on something; paying too much attention to a particular matter or detail
Usage: often used in psychology, education, and clinical contexts; typically implies a negative or counterproductive level of focus
Examples
- The student's overattention to minor grammar rules prevented her from understanding the main argument of the text.
- His overattention to his appearance made him anxious before social events.
- Therapists warn that overattention to anxiety symptoms can actually intensify them.
- The coach noted that the team's overattention to one opponent's strategy left them vulnerable elsewhere.
- Parents should avoid overattention to their child's every mistake, as it can undermine confidence.
- Her overattention to detail, while sometimes useful, often caused her to miss deadlines.