Average Human Attention Span Statistics The average human attention span is 8.25 seconds. Attention spans can range from 2 seconds to over 20 minutes.

Inattentive/distractible ADHD is characterized by short attention span, difficulty listening to others, forgetfulness, and poor organizational skills. It is often diagnosed later in life because sufferers tend to conform more easily to most standards of behavior expected in the classroom.

In the last two decades, the average human's attention span decreased from 12 seconds to 8.25 seconds. And Gen Z's, is a little less than 8 seconds! Gen Z has grown up in an era of instant gratification, shaping their expectations for rapid, impactful interactions.

Focus naturally waxes and wanes depending on a range of factors, from how much sleep someone got the night before to how interested they are in the task at hand. But the “cocktail” of anxieties inherent to modern life can make for a particularly potent drain on attention, Sibley says.