PsychologyAugust 18, 2026

distractor

dis-TRAK-ter

Definition

A stimulus or object that draws attention away from the primary task at hand, intentionally introduced in an experimental setting to measure focus.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'distrahere,' meaning 'to pull apart' or 'to divide.' It entered English to describe something that draws one's attention in different directions or away from a central focus.

In the news

In the article, the researcher uses a distinct colored letter as a distractor to replicate the interruptions of daily life and test if TikTok consumption makes students more prone to losing focus.

Morris Fellow Researches TikTok Impact on Focus

Read the full article ↗

Gonzaga University

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