4. Attention

Question 1

Early vs late selection

Answer 1

The hypothesis regarding where attention exists. Early suggests that attention filters out irrelevant stimuli and leaves relevant stimuli, while late suggests that we are hit with both relevant and irrelevant stimuli and we have to sort through them.

The cocktail party effect provides proof for late selection
The stroop task also provides proof for late selection

Question 2

Controlled vs automatic processes

Answer 2

Processes that we can consciously control, vs processes we can’t.

Question 3

Attentional blink

Answer 3

When two stimuli are presented within 550 ms of each other. Your attention blinks, and you’re left with nothing to report.

Question 4

Task switching, switch costs

Answer 4

There’s a cognitive decrease in performance when you switch tasks

Question 5

Saccades and smooth pursuit eye tracking

Answer 5

Reading is actually super jerky.

Sometimes we’re tracking a ball though, and then our eye moovements are sooper smooth.