Attention Flashcards
What is cognition?
All forms of knowing and awareness, such as perceiving, conceiving, remembering, reasoning, judging, imagining, and problem solving.
How is attention defined?
In relation to a stimulus (external or internal).
What are the two types of attention regarding stimulus?
Exogenous and endogenous.
What does resource allocation theory suggest about capacity limitations?
We flexibly allocate resources from a single cognitive pool of resources.
What does the central bottleneck model state about resource allocation?
Resources must be sequentially, not simultaneously, allocated to various tasks.
What is the dual task paradigm?
A paradigm requiring participants to perform two tasks simultaneously to study the limits of attention.
What are the three components of the Model of Attention (Petersen & Posner, 2010)?
- Alert: notice the stimulus
- Orient: direct attention to the stimulus
- Executive: supervisory role over attention.
What is the dorsal attention network responsible for?
More voluntary orienting of (spatial) attention.
What does the ventral attention network do?
Stimulus-driven attentional control, especially with unexpected stimuli.
What is sustained attention?
Incorporates vigilance, persistence, and task consistency.
What are the breakdowns associated with sustained attention?
Short attention span and losing concentration over time.
What is selective attention?
“Freedom from distractibility.”
What are the breakdowns associated with selective attention?
Easily distracted by external or internal stimuli.
What is alternating attention?
Requires mental flexibility to go back and forth.
What are the breakdowns associated with alternating attention?
Perseveration, lack of flexibility, slowed processing, difficulty with working memory.
What is suppression in the context of attention?
Control impulsive responding; related to selective attention and working memory.
What are the breakdowns associated with suppression?
Disinhibition or impulsivity.
What is working memory?
Hold on to info so that it can be used.
What are the breakdowns associated with working memory?
Losing track of the topic of conversation.
Who may have deficits in attention?
- Acquired brain injury (e.g., TBI, chemo/radiation, stroke)
- Chronic conditions (e.g., MS)
- Psych conditions (e.g., schizophrenia)
- Developmental conditions (e.g., ADHD, LD).
What are the three steps in assessing attention?
- Determine what types of attention are impaired
- Determine the functional impact of attention deficits
- Determine metacognitive functions related to their attention.
What are some methods of treating attention deficits?
- External aids
- Environment/task modification
- Direct attention training
- Behavioral modification
- Medication.
