6. Attention: What happens to the info we ignore?

Question 1

What does the “Dichotic Listening Task” involve?

Answer 1

• Present different messages to each ear
• Subjects attended one ear and ignored the other
• Repeat attended message out loud - shadowing

Question 2

What were the results of the dichotic listening task?
. Pts s____ the a____ message easily
. When asked about the u____ message p____ characteristics were usually reported but not much else (e.g. s____ of voice, large changes in p____)

Answer 2

• pts shadowed the attended message easily
• when asked about the unattended message physical characteristics were usually reported but not much else (e.g. sex of voice, large changes in pitch)

Question 3

In the dichotic listening task, people rarely noticed when the unattended message was what two things?

Answer 3

1. In a foreign language
2. Reversed speech

Question 4

No content was remembered in the unattended message in the dichotic listening task, even when the same word was presented ____ times.

Answer 4

35

Question 5

Broadbent’s filter theory (1985) is an early-selection model. It states that filtering occurs b____ i____ s____ are a____ to the s____ l____

Answer 5

Before incoming stimuli are analysed to the semantic level.

Question 6

What is the function of the following components of the filter model?
1. Sensory store - h____ i____ info for s____ period of t____
2. Filter - a____ m____ based on p____ characteristics like t____ of voice, p____, l____ of stimuli
3. Detector - info is p____ to determine m____
4. Short-term memory - h____ info for g____ p____

Answer 6

1. Holds incoming info for short period of time
2. Analyses messages based on physical characteristics like tone of voice, pitch, location of stimulus (which ear)
3. Info is processed to determine meaning
4. Holds info for general processing

Question 7

Moray (1959) found that subjects heard … in the unattended stream

Answer 7

Their name

Question 8

Treisman (1960) found bilinguals were influenced by unattended stream if it is in …

Answer 8

Their second language

Question 9

What is the key modification of Treisman’s attenuation model from the filter theory?
U____ messages a____ rathe than l____ c____

Answer 9

Unattended messages attenuated rather than lost completely

Question 10

Words need to meet a certain t____ of s____ strength to be d____.
t____ for certain words are l____

Answer 10

Threshold, signal, detected
Thresholds, lowered

Question 11

Late selection models believe that both attended and ignored inputs are processed to stage of ____ analysis

Answer 11

Semantic (meaning)

Question 12

Late selection models believe that selection takes place at a h____ stage of processing and is based on analysis of which input is most i____/demands a r____

Answer 12

Higher
Important, response

Question 13

In MacKay’s (1973) Dichotic listening task, what was in the attended and the unattended stream?

Answer 13

Attended = ambiguous sentence
Unattended = biasing word

Question 14

Late selection models can explain r____ c____ i____

Answer 14

Response competition interference

Question 15

Late selection models can explain n____ p____, which is r____ to previously i____ stimuli are s____

Answer 15

Negative priming
Responses to previously ignored stimuli are slowed

Question 16

What was the task and results of Tipper and Driver (1988). What does this suggest?
Task - c____ red stimuli, i____ green
Result - responses to word s____ when p____ by s____ related i____ picture
Suggests i____ stimuli is s____ c____ and i____

Answer 16

Task - categorise red stimuli, ignore green
Result - responses to word slowed when preceded by semantically related IGNORED picture
Suggests ignored stimuli is semantically categorised… and inhibited.

Question 17

Lavie’s Load Theory states that both e____ and l____ selection are possible.
The stage of selection depends on the availability of p____ c____.
This is turn depends on the p____ d____ of the task stimuli.

Answer 17

early, late
perceptual capacity
perceptual demands (or “load”)

Question 18

The Load Theory states that perceptual capacity is limited.
Tasks with high perceptual load e____ capacity
Task with low perceptual load l____ s____ capacity

Answer 18

Exhaust capacity
Leave spare capacity

Question 19

What are two findings from behavioural measures of distraction that support the load theory?
1. R____ c____ effects found under l____ l____
2. R____ or e____ under h____ l____

Answer 19

1. Response competition effects found under low load
2. Reduced or eliminated under high load

Question 20

Neuroimaging evidence shows us that high perceptual load reduces
1. V____ c____ response to b____
2. A____ response to f____ f____

Answer 20

visual cortex response to background
amygdala response to fearful faces

Question 21

Perceptual capacity differences are associated with what three things?
1. A____
2. A____
3. V____ g____ e____

Answer 21

1. Autism
2. Age (children and older adults have reduced capacity)
3. Video game experience

Question 22

Green and Bavelier (2003) found that video game players remained distracted under high load. Similar effects are found in relation to what three things?
1. A____
2. A____
3. C____ d____

Answer 22

1. Autism
2. Age
3. Congenital deafness (deafness that is present at birth)

Question 23

Early selection theories believe that irrelevant information is f____ or a____ at the p____ stage of processing.
____ information is not processed.

Answer 23

filtered, attenuated, perceptual
Semantic

Question 24

Late selection theories believe that a____ stimuli is processed to the point of m____.
Selection takes place at a l____ stage of processing and may involve i____.

Answer 24

all, meaning
later, inhibition

Question 25

The Load theory believes that both early and late s____ are possible depending on p____ l____ of task stimuli

Answer 25

selection, perceptual load.