Attention 1 Flashcards
List some characteristics of attention
- goal directed
- varies in effort
- attention can be shifted
- attention can be zoomed
- attention is selective
- attention is limited
- attention can be captured
- attention can be divided
explain goal directed
attention is used to achieve something
i.e.: find someone in a crowd
explain varies in effort
in a visual search example there are two types:
serial search: search is slow and effortful
pop-out search: search is fast, effortless
explain attention can be shifted
the spotlight metaphor:
describes what our attention is doing
looking from left to right
usually attention and eye movements = coupled
BUT
there is evidence that you can shift your attention without moving eyes
explain attention can be zoomed
zoom lens metaphor:
decide to focus on a specific region/area
explain attention is selective
attention as a filter metaphor:
paying attention to some things and not others
i.e.: focusing on one conversation at a party but not another
explain attention is limited
attention as a resource metaphor:
if something is a resource we can run out of it
limited amount of attention (resource). Therefore, can run out of attention
e.g.: trying to listen to 2 people at the same time
explain attention can be captured
attention can be captured to a degree
cannot ignore/avoid attention being captured
explain attention can be divided
divided between modes (i.e.: sight and sound)
listening to a lecturer whilst looking at the board
Identify two classic studies into attention
- Broadbent (1952)
- Cherry (1953)
Outline Broadbent’s study into attention
(air traffic control)
- looked into air traffic control job
- attention demanding due to multiple pilots speaking at same time
- Broadbent designed an experiment that looked at whether air traffic controllers are able to understand two simultaneous messages
- experiment involved 2 simultaneous questions being said
FINDINGS
- around 50% of questions answered correctly
- high error rating
what is dichotic listening?
where ppts receives different audio messages in each ear at the same time
(condition 2 of broadbent’s study)
Outline Cherry’s study into attention
(cocktail-party problem)
- looked at how we recognise what one person is saying during a party when other people are talking at the same time
- two conditions
CONDITION 1:
- two messages by same speaker played in both ears
- same voice, different message but same ear (essentially two voices at the same time)
- very difficult but after repetitions it was possible
shadowing: repeat one of the messages whilst ignoring the other
CONDITION 2:
- two messages by speaker played simultaneously
- one ear received different message to the other
- aka dichotic listening
- the instruction was to shadow (listen to one, ignore the other)
FINDINGS:
- much easier than condition one
- spatial separation between speakers helps
- ppts were unable to recall any semantic content (meaning) of message they were told to ignore
- were able to recognise when speech was reversed
- able to recognise gender change of speaker
What did Cherry’s experiment conclude?
basic physical stimulus characteristics are processed (such as location)
if two messages played to same ears, this is very hard
if additional cues (i.e.: location) it becomes easier
Outline Broadbent’s filter theory
(model components)
short term store
selective filter
limited capacity channel
Unattended information does not pass the filter and that the selection of filtering occurs stimuli are identified/recognized/fully analyzed.
The basic idea is that the filter works based on the physical characteristics before meaning is processed
what is the short term store in Broadbent’s filter theory
immediate memory
iconic stimuli = visual stimuli
echoic stimuli = auditory stimuli
- extracts physical features of stimuli
- capable of parallel processing of physical stimulus properties (e.g.: location, pitch)
- parallel processing = split into parts but processed the same
what is the selective filter in Broadbent’s filter theory
- selecting what is relevant for further and deeper processing
- this is based on one or more of physical features from short term store
what is the limited capacity channel in Broadbent’s filter theory
- key component = serial processing
- can only process one thing at a time
how is Broadbent’s filter theory an example of an early selection theory
because everything is filtered out before meaning is processed
Name some researchers who provide evidence against early selection theory
Moray (1959)
Treisman (1960)
Outline Moray’s study and how it contrasts early selection theory
- ppts had message played in ears
- right ear played relevant message
- left ear played irrelevant message
- hidden in irrelevant message, ppts name was mentioned
- ppts noticed this
- according to selection theory this should not happen
- suggests unattended information was analysed
- not consistent with early selection theory
Outline Treisman’s study and how it contrasts early selection theory
- ppts told to shadow information from left ear and ignore right ear information
- when message switches to different ear, irrelevant information is reported
- suggesting meaning of unattended information was analyzed
- not consistent with early selection theory
List the alternative explanations for early selection theory
- attenuation theory
- late selection theory
Explain the attenuation theory
- the filter is not completely selective
- model proposed by Treisman
- theory suggests that even weakly processed information is given space in memory
Explain the late selection theory
- turns the early selection model on its head
- reversed components
- meaning analysis occurs BEFORE selective filter
What are the two central assumptions of late selection theory
processing of perceptual input is:
- automatic (have no voluntary control over processing that goes on)
- not capacity limited (everything is fully analysed)
