What Is the Average Attention Span?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 28, 2020

For adults, the average attention span is about 20 minutes. However, an individual’s attention span can vary by age and a variety of other factors, especially within a learning-type environment.

As people age, they develop physically, mentally, socially and emotionally, and their attention span generally increases as well. Some factors that can affect a person’s attention span include the following:

Time of day
Temperature
Environment
Lighting
Noise level
A person’s special needs

A person’s learning style and the interest in a certain activity can also determine the length of his or her attention span.