2 - Attention

Question 1

attention definition

Answer 1

means by which we actively process a limited amount of info from the enormous amount available through our sensory perceptions, stored memories and other cognitive processes.

it includes both conscious and unconscious processes

Question 2

types of selective attention

Answer 2

auditory and visual systems

Question 3

auditory system

Answer 3

cocktail party effect

tracking one conversation

can switch the direction of attention and turn from one sound source to another.
Binaural effect closely related to sound localisation

Question 4

visual system

Answer 4

visual spatial attention

subject has a fixation point but attends covertly to another region, then stimuli presented in the covertly attended location are reported much better than stimuli in the rest of the field

Question 5

Dichotic Listening (Cherry, 1953)

Answer 5

two voices, different passage to left and right ear
subject instructed to attend one input and repeat it: shadowing task

subjects could accurately report attended channel but very little of unattended channel

Question 6

Broadbent’s 1958 model

Answer 6

filter takes place at the sensory level bases on physical characteristics

only one channel of sensory info passes through filter to reach further processes of perception and cognition

Question 7

Broadbent’s 1958 model diagram

Answer 7

sensory inputs
short term store (echoic buffer)
selective filter
limited-capacity channel
higher processing and response selection
response

Question 8

Treisman’s attenuation theory of attention 1964

Answer 8

selective attention involves 2 stages:
Attenuator – analyse the incoming message in terms of physical characteristics, language and meaning.
Dictionary unit contains words with threshold.

Question 9

late selection theory

Answer 9

info could be filtered out at different levels of processing depending on the need of the task

Question 10

load theory of attention

Answer 10

Processing capacity : how much
information a person can handle at any given moment?

• Perceptual load i.e. the difficulty of a given task
  – High-load (difficult) tasks use higher amounts of processing capacity
  – Low-load (easy) tasks use lower amounts of processing capacity

Question 11

automatic processing

Answer 11

Low attention demands

Associated with easy and/or well-practiced tasks.

Can occur without intention

Question 12

controlled processing

Answer 12

High attention demands

Associated with difficult tasks that might not become automatic, even with high levels of practice.

Requires intention

Question 13

overt attention

Answer 13

moving eyes to look directly at object of interest

Question 14

covert attention

Answer 14

attending to, or shifting attention to a location in the visual field different from where the eye are fixated

Question 15

inattentional blindness

Answer 15

a stimulus that is not attended is not perceived, even though a person might be looking directly at it

Question 16

change blindness

Answer 16

inability to detect a change in the direction in the environment

Question 17

divided attention + study

Answer 17

practice enables people to simultaneously do two things that were difficult at first

Schneider and Shiffrin 1977
divide attention between remembering target and monitoring rapidly presented stimuli