Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
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.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How does attention operate

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

External attention

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Internal attention

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

External vs internal dichotomy issue

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Overt attention

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Covert attention

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Overt and covert attention are…

A

Both kinds of external attention

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Eye tracking data

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Voluntary attention

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

reflexive attention

A

Captures attention because of unconscious processes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Reflexive external attention is usually..

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Sustained attention

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Divided attention

A

Selects multiple stimuli for processing at the same time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Problem with divided attention

A

Performance suffers eg why texting and driving is dangerous

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Capacity-limited attention

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Spatial attention

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
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
Broadbent filter model
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
Problem with broadbents filter model
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
How does the selection process work
``` 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
Treisman's attenuator model
Attention is attenuator not filter Early selection model Amplifies selected message and attenuates others
29
Added stage in treismons attenuator model
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
Late selection model
Places filter after extraction of semantic memory | Hard time accounting for dichotic listening experiments
31
Lavie’s load theory
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
Lavie’s load theory example
More automatic a task = more resources for processing other info Eg phones distract experienced drivers more than learners
33
Feature extraction and binding
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
Evidence for free-floating features before attention
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
What shows low level features are pre-attentive
Feature extraction and binding
36
Distraction
Attention to a primary task is interrupted by another task or stimulus
37
Attentional capture
Stimulus attracts reflexive attention (Unconscious process) | Very good capturing attention = highly salient stimulus
38
Factors influencing stimulus salience
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
Unlearn attentional capture
Cannot even after 2000 trials detection of the target is slower with salient distractor
40
Internal attentional capture
Mind wandering eg- counting backwards and thoughts capture attention Eg. Rumination - get stuck in negative repetitive thoughts Anxious, depressive or angry rumination
41
ADHD misunderstanding
Inattention and hyperactivity are 2 distinct components
42
Inattention ADHD
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
Attentional blink
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
Inattentional blindness
Phenomena that shows we are unconscious of perfectly visible stimuli unless we pay attention to it eg- famous gorilla experiment Eg- magic tricks
45
Change blindnesses
Incapable of detecting changes to stimuli unless we are paying attention to the relevant part of it
46
Balint's syndrome
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
Hemispatial neglect
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)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions