Attentional Control Scale

How well can you control where your attention goes?

The Attention Control Scale is a validated self-report questionnaire developed by researchers Douglas Derryberry and Marjorie Reed to measure individual differences in your ability to deliberately control, focus, and shift your attention. The scale assesses your voluntary attentional control—the executive function that helps you manage where your attention goes in daily life, whether you're trying to concentrate on a task, resist distractions, or flexibly switch between different activities.

The ATTC measures two key aspects of attentional control: your capacity to intentionally focus your attention on desired information while resisting distractions (attention focusing), and your capacity to intentionally shift your attention between different tasks or channels of information (attention shifting).

Note: This survey is not a diagnostic tool. It is part of a research study exploring different dimensions of attentional control and how they relate to imagery experiences, including aphantasia.

Instructions: Below are several statements regarding how you typically manage your attention in everyday situations. Please rate each statement on the scale based on how often each experience applies to you:

1 = Almost Never | 2 = Sometimes | 3 = Often | 4 = Always

Think about your typical patterns of attention and respond based on your general experience, not just specific situations. For example, you might rate how often you can easily shift from one task to another, or how frequently you're able to concentrate on a difficult task when there are distractions around you.

What counts as attentional control: The ability to deliberately direct your focus where you want it to go, maintain concentration on chosen tasks despite distractions, and flexibly move your attention between different activities when needed.

What does not count as attentional control: Automatic attention that is captured by loud noises or sudden movements, or situations where your attention naturally stays on something interesting without effort.

It’s very hard for me to concentrate on a difficult task when there are noises around.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

When I need to concentrate and solve a problem, I have trouble focusing my attention.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

When I am working hard on something, I still get distracted by events around me.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

My concentration is good even if there is music in the room around me.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

When concentrating, I can focus my attention so that I become unaware of what’s going on in the room around me.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

When I am reading or studying, I am easily distracted if there are people talking in the same room.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

When trying to focus my attention on something, I have difficulty blocking out distracting thoughts.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

I have a hard time concentrating when I’m excited about something.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

When concentrating I ignore feelings of hunger or thirst.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

I can quickly switch from one task to another.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

It takes me a while to get really involved in a new task.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

It is difficult for me to coordinate my attention between the listening and writing required when taking notes during lectures.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

I can become interested in a new topic very quickly when I need to.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

It is easy for me to read or write while I’m also talking on the phone.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

I have trouble carrying on two conversations at once.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

I have a hard time coming up with new ideas quickly.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

After being interrupted or distracted, I can easily shift my attention back to what I was doing before.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

When a distracting thought comes to mind, it is easy for me to shift my attention away from it.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

It is easy for me to alternate between two different tasks.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

It is hard for me to break from one way of thinking about something and look at it from another point of view.

Almost Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

How well can you control where your attention goes?

User Preferences

Optional: Help us better understand imagery differences