distracció

Distracció is the Catalan noun for distraction. It refers to the act or phenomenon of diverting attention from a primary task, concern, or stimulus, and can manifest as a brief interruption or a sustained reduction in focus. Distracció may arise from internal factors such as thoughts or emotions, or external factors such as sounds, images, or notifications. The term is used across everyday language, education, psychology, and safety contexts.

Etymology: The word distracció derives from Latin distractio, through the development of the Romance languages into Catalan. The root conveys the idea of drawing attention away in different directions.

Contexts and implications: In psychology and education, distraction affects learning, memory encoding, and task performance. In traffic safety, distracted attention is identified as a major risk factor, prompting recommendations to limit multitasking and the use of devices while driving. In media studies, distracció is analyzed in relation to the design of interfaces, notifications, and content that compete for attention. Cultural contexts also frame distraction as both a leisure activity and a coping mechanism during stress.

See also: atenció (attention); concentració (concentration).