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Psy3051 > Attention > Flashcards

Attention Flashcards

1
Q

Attention

A

Family of capacity-limited cognitive processes where certain info is prioritised (selected) at the expense of other things

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2
Q

Why does a cognitive system need attention

A

To stop it being overwhelmed by demand (nightclub metaphor). We cannot process all information arriving at our senses.

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3
Q

How does attention operate

A

By selecting some things for further cognitive processing at the expense of others

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4
Q

External attention

A

The things attention selects are in the external world (outside the mind) eg. Sounds in room

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5
Q

Internal attention

A

Things selected are in internal world (thought, feelings, memories) eg. How many rooms in childhood house?

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6
Q

External vs internal dichotomy issue

A

Not perfect - drop hammer and focus on pain - external or internal?

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7
Q

Overt attention

A

External information selected via eye movements (information is foveated - fovea in eye)

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8
Q

Covert attention

A

External attention selected for processing without eye movements to the source of information

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9
Q

Overt and covert attention are…

A

Both kinds of external attention

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10
Q

Eye tracking data

A

Estimate overt attention by patterns of fixations (periods when eyes still) and saccades (eye moverments)

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11
Q

Voluntary attention

A

Direct attention to object by conscious violation (me falling asleep by focusing on my breaths)

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12
Q

reflexive attention

A

Captures attention because of unconscious processes

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13
Q

Reflexive external attention is usually..

A

Overt. Voluntary and reflexive attention can be either internal or external

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14
Q

Sustained attention

A

Selects a single stimuli for processing. Eg complete focus on study notes

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15
Q

Divided attention

A

Selects multiple stimuli for processing at the same time

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16
Q

Problem with divided attention

A

Performance suffers eg why texting and driving is dangerous

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17
Q

Capacity-limited attention

A

There is an upper limit on how many things we can attend to at once

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18
Q

Spatial attention

A

Selectively process visual info through prioritisation of a visual area. Posner cueing task - spatial attention improves target detection performance

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19
Q

Feature-based attention

A

Pay attention to same feature across multiple different spatial locations

  • eg visual features: colour, shape, direction of motion, orientation,spatial frequency
  • eg auditory features: pitch, timbre
  • eg taste: citrus notes in wine
20
Q

How do l use feature-based attention every day

A

Looking for an app - look for calendar by white apps with numbers

21
Q

Object-based attention

A

We can pay attention to a visual object even when it over laps with another.
Paying attention to one feature enhances processing

22
Q

Sensory attention

A

Attention can select one sensory modality over another - usually vision

23
Q

Attentional selection

A

Core function of attention is selecting info and filtering out other

24
Q

Early selection theories

A

Attention operates after low level features are extracted and before stimuli are processed for semantic meaning.
Evidence from dichotic listening experiments (different things in each ear and cannot pick up both)

25
Q

Broadbent filter model

A

Attention is a filter that selects a single message and screens all others out.
Filter is based on low level sensory features
Attention operates before meaning is extracted
Kind of early selection model

26
Q

Problem with broadbents filter model

A

Dichotic listening studies challenged it
Cannot explain why meaning is extracted when persons hears their name in unattended ear. Eg dear aunt Jane study (people should hear dear 7 Jane)

27
Q

How does the selection process work

A 
1- info them external world
2- sensory memory butter
3- low level features extracted
4/5 - attention or semantic meaning extracted
6- working memory
28
Q

Treisman’s attenuator model

A

Attention is attenuator not filter
Early selection model
Amplifies selected message and attenuates others

29
Q

Added stage in treismons attenuator model

A

Attenuated info is passed to dictionary unit to analyse meaning
Threshold of word depends if they’ll be passed on eg own name has low threshold

30
Q

Late selection model

A

Places filter after extraction of semantic memory

Hard time accounting for dichotic listening experiments

31
Q

Lavie’s load theory

A

Semantic processing of unattended info depends on cognitive load
Low = spare resources that are automatically used for semantic processing of unattended info
High = No spare resources = no semantic processing of unattended info

32
Q

Lavie’s load theory example

A

More automatic a task = more resources for processing other info
Eg phones distract experienced drivers more than learners

33
Q

Feature extraction and binding

A

Before attending to a stimulus its represented as a set of unconnected features
By attending those features bind together (solve the binding problem)
Eg Some people with parietal lobe damage show impaired binding

34
Q

Evidence for free-floating features before attention

A

Illusory conjunction - features from two objects bound together
Feature (easier as does not require attention) vs conjunction search (cannot be done by parietal lobe damage patient)

35
Q

What shows low level features are pre-attentive

A

Feature extraction and binding

36
Q

Distraction

A

Attention to a primary task is interrupted by another task or stimulus

37
Q

Attentional capture

A

Stimulus attracts reflexive attention (Unconscious process)

Very good capturing attention = highly salient stimulus

38
Q

Factors influencing stimulus salience

A
  1. Distinctiveness- Aquire salience by not sharing many perceptual features with nearby stimuli
  2. Semantic meaning- Aquire salience by being meaningful eg own name
  3. Association with threat or reward - strong positive or negative emotions = high salience eg . dot probe task stimuli after strong is more salient (stronger effect after neg with anxiety)
39
Q

Unlearn attentional capture

A

Cannot even after 2000 trials detection of the target is slower with salient distractor

40
Q

Internal attentional capture

A

Mind wandering eg- counting backwards and thoughts capture attention
Eg. Rumination - get stuck in negative repetitive thoughts
Anxious, depressive or angry rumination

41
Q

ADHD misunderstanding

A

Inattention and hyperactivity are 2 distinct components

42
Q

Inattention ADHD

A

6 or more symptoms of inatttention persisting for at least 6 months that it is impairing
1- fails to give attention
2- trouble holding attention
4 - trouble following through (loses focus, side tracked)
6- dislikes mental effort over long periods
8- easily distracted

43
Q

Attentional blink

A

Difficult to select 2 different objects in the same spatial location if they occur close in time - attention blinks
Assessed with rapid serial visual presentation(RSVP)
Difficulty identifying 2nd stimuli if displayed 200-500 milliseconds after 1st

44
Q

Inattentional blindness

A

Phenomena that shows we are unconscious of perfectly visible stimuli unless we pay attention to it
eg- famous gorilla experiment
Eg- magic tricks

45
Q

Change blindnesses

A

Incapable of detecting changes to stimuli unless we are paying attention to the relevant part of it

46
Q

Balint’s syndrome

A

Occurs after bilateral damage to parietal lobe
3 attentional impairments:
1. stimultagnosla - inability to pay attention to more than 1 object simultaneously
2. oculomotor apraxia - inability to make voluntary eye movements to objects
3. Optic ataxia - inability to guide hand toobject using visual attention

47
Q

Hemispatial neglect

A

Caused by unilateral damage to partial lobe (more common after right side damage)
Causes extreme difficulty directing attention to contralateral side of visual field
Eg. Piazza del duomo - effect internal or external spatial attention

Psy3051 (7 decks)

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