Entertainment | 05/30/2009 12:00 am

What's Your Focus Factor? (Quiz)

Take this quiz by Winifred Gallagher, acclaimed behavioral science writer and author of Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life, to gauge and upgrade your capacity to pay attention.

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Feeling frazzled? Distracted by your electronics? Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life delves into the science of concentration. Here, the author, acclaimed behavioral science writer Winifred Gallagher, provides exclusively to wowOwow 15 questions to test your focus level. On the left side is the question with multiple-choice answers, and on the right side is the best answer, provided by Gallagher. (We trust you won’t cheat by reading the text on the right before selecting a response.) Take the quiz. Then click here to read an excerpt from Rapt to start sharpening your brain right away … and afterward, we’ll allow you to check your e-mail.

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27 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Then consider how many drivers are texting, talking on the cell phone, punching buttons on the navigation device or radio, talking to passengers, and steering…sometimes, all at once.

By James the Game on 05/30/2009 12:31 am

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James, I admit to occasionally looking at a text but not in heavy traffic. I don’t even really like to be on my phone, but you are right, there are many people out there that do this. Scary.

By Lauri Anderson on 05/30/2009 1:29 am

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I had that happen at one of those turnaround lanes recently. I had the green to go, but this dude just went flying right through the light, oblivious that there was even a light. Apparently, it’s fairly common.

By James the Game on 05/30/2009 8:10 am

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Yea, and putting on make-up or trying to eat a Glopper!

By Chris Broersma on 05/30/2009 10:54 am

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Well, I took the test but guess I didn’t focus on finding the results. ;-))

Good stuff, and very true. My life has been absolutely pastoral since I gave up my cell phone (other than keeping it charged up without a service provider so I can real 911 if needed). I have lived with one since they first came out, huge heavy things, but was one of the first to install a mic and speaker system in my cars; however, my bills were atrocious, too - so I finally hired another helping person, 1/2 time to take my call that came into the cell # - lovely. I also gave a new mother a job!

Enjoyed the concepts in this article.

By C jay on 05/30/2009 2:00 am

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Same with me - used to have the big, clunky Motorola - weighed a ton. Cell phone bill averaged around $700 a month back then. I long since learned that cells a distracting and break into my work. Ergo, I do not answer calls, nor do I check to see who’s calling. In fact, few people have my latest cell number. Everyone knows to email me if they want a prompt response.

On the subject of texting while driving: they passed a law in CA recently and people are still texting. I was almost witness to a vehicle running over a man walking his dog [on a leash] a couple weeks ago. I laid on my horn like no tomorrow. I really loathe people who text at ANY time a vehicle is moving [or put makeup on…….].

Personally I feel that for the most part cell phones have created a form of learned helplessness.

By Andrea Brandon on 05/30/2009 4:40 pm

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Andrea… funny you should mention this! we just came back from CA and couldn’t BELIEVE how many people we saw texting while driving. Not like people don’t do it here in Washington but it seemed to be triple prolific in CA. scary stuff. it amazes me that people can’t wait for 10 minutes or (God forbid! ) an hour to talk to someone. or… and not that it’s a great answer… but you could CALL them if you absolutely must talk to them that second. texting amazes me..

By Chrome Toe on 05/30/2009 8:26 pm

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The law went into effect January 1st and had lots of publicity.

Believe me, I see this bad behavior everyday and most of the time it makes me want to scream obscenities out the car window. [But then there are so many idiots here that you don’t dare for fear they’ll shoot your head off.] My area is a tourist hot spot and it’s amazing the number of people who visit and are on their phones and walking across streets without paying attention to traffic. I almost hit someone not long ago. I was already halfway through the crosswalk making a turn and this woman didn’t even look and stepped off the curb and almost walked into my car while she was on the phone. [I had a passenger in my car who saw the whole play by play.] The pedestrian had the audacity to scream at me for not stopping.

I’m in favor of making all cell phones and texting devices illegal. Hey, we got along without them for centuries.

By Andrea Brandon on 05/30/2009 8:42 pm

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Ditto, on everything, Andrea! My bills ran that high, too - for years. One caveat, I bought a tranformer, and could use it to charge my cell phone (bag phone) and use it from home to do inter-LATA calls, and youngest dtr. loved that! :-(

By C jay on 05/30/2009 9:48 pm

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And you wonder why we have old rotator cuff injuries. [At least I do.]

By Andrea Brandon on 05/30/2009 10:36 pm

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Well, I got about half the answers correct. I’ve never been a person who could multitask well, so I was happy to learn that the concept of multitasking is a myth.

By Marjorie C. on 05/30/2009 7:04 am

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I’ve never been able to multi-task either!

By Chris Broersma on 05/30/2009 10:55 am

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We run a training school that teaches awareness to professionals who put their lives in harm’s way. Teaching and learning the best ways to pay attention are ancient skills and a type of performance art.

By Bella Mia on 05/30/2009 8:21 am

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great quiz!!!!

I multi-task a lot at home… but when i get in my car the only thing I want to put all my focus on is DRIVING!! Gee, what a concept…. I can’t believe anyone would ever want to talk on the phone or text or do anything else while driving…. that is completely being self centered and not caring at all about yourself, your family, and other people on the road also…. is it really worth it to do those things and get in an accident and possibly be killed and have your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, your children , your brother , sister… etc…. crying on your coffin????? Pay attention to Driving and care enough about yourself and others you love …….. love is the only thing there is.. treasure it!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Reign 5 on 05/30/2009 10:01 am

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You are so right.

Worse than being killed… becoming profoundly crippled and becoming a burden on your loved ones and on society, and unable to pursue your own wants and dreams. Worse than being killed… killing or maiming someone else and spending years, decades, the rest of your life, wracked with guilt and/or tied up in courts and lawsuits and paying out your earnings for your horrible mistake, rather than for your own family or happiness. And for what? A damned text message… a bit of inane and forgettable gossip… even if the call or message concerned your house being on fire or a death in the family, what can you do about it from behind the wheel of your car? Better to wait and take your calls off the road.

By Lila Kuh on 05/31/2009 7:30 am