4. Attention- Mechanisms & Processes

Question 1

What is inattentional blindness?

Answer 1

• failure to notice a change in the environment that is in plain sight
• this happens because it is not relevant to the task we are completing
• due to lack of attention NOT a problem with visual system

Question 2

What are the 3 theories of attention?

Answer 2

attention is a…
- filter
- spotlight
- feature blinder

Question 3

What is Broadbents model of attention as an information filter, when information is attended?

Answer 3

inputs
1. sensory buffer store: identifies physical characteristics, with unlimited capacity
3. selective filter: selects one input for further processing based on its physical characteristics
3. higher level processing: extracts meaning from the input i.e what does this mean?
4. into working memory

Question 4

How does Treismans revised model of attention as an information filter differ?

Answer 4

• the inputs are now attenuated based on physical characteristics, instead of ignored
• doesn’t just ignore inputs, those that make it through the filter are given a threshold value = determines if they capture attention

Question 5

What is the cocktail party effect?

Answer 5

• supports Treismans theory
• idea that at a party you filter out extraneous noises to focus on conversations with your friends
• some inputs however make it through the filter even if we’re not attending to them

Question 6

What might shift our attentional spotlight?

Answer 6

environmental cues

Question 7

What is endogenous cueing? (attention as a spotlight)

Answer 7

• slow
• internal goals drive it
• symbolic of a target location
• indicates where target may appear
• can voluntary follow the cue
• centrally presented

Question 8

What is exogenous cueing? (attention as a spotlight)

Answer 8

• quick and automatic
• external events drive this
• automatically captures attention
• appears in the location of the target
• peripherally presented

Question 9

What is the feature integration theory? (attention as a feature binder)

Answer 9

• we separate features identified based on physical characteristics e.g colour, shape
• attention combines these features

Question 10

What is local vs global processing?

Answer 10

local:
- small, fine details
- narrow attentional spotlight

global:
- large scale, big picture
- broaden your attentional spotlight

Question 11

What area of the brain plays an important role in directing attention between local and global information?

Answer 11

• right posterior parietal cortex

Question 12

What is inhibition of return important for?

Answer 12

• important for moving our attention efficiently and effectively