Attention Flashcards
Define
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
a disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.
Define
Attentional capture
the phenomenon in which attention is involuntarily directed towards a target stimulus based on the characteristics of that stimulus
Define
Attenuation model of attention
a model of selective attention proposed by Anne Treisman, proposed as a means to explain how unattended stimuli sometimes came to be processed in a more rigorous manner than what Broadbent’s filter model could account for. Claims that instead of a filter which barred unattended inputs from ever entering awareness, it was a process of attenuation
Define
Attenuator
a device consisting of an arrangement of resistors which reduces the strength of a radio or audio signal.
Define
Automatic processing
capable of occurring without the need for attention, and the awareness of the initiation or operation of the process, and without drawing upon general processing resources or interfering with other concurrent thought processes
Define
Balint’s syndrome
a rare manifestation of visual and spatial difficulties due to the parietal lobe lesions
Define
Binding problem
the problem of how brains segregate elements in complex patterns of sensory input so that they are allocated to discrete “objects”
Define
Bottleneck model
any model of attention that assumes the existence of a limited-capacity channel (typically with a capacity of one item) at some specific stage of human information processing. In late-selection theories, this channel occurs after stimulus identification
Define
Change blindness
a perceptual phenomenon that occurs when a change in a visual stimulus is introduced and the observer does not notice it
Define
Cocktail party effect
the phenomenon of the brain’s ability to focus one’s auditory attention (an effect of selective attention in the brain) on a particular stimulus while filtering out a range of other stimuli, as when a partygoer can focus on a single conversation in a noisy room
Define
Conjunction search
a visual search process that focuses on identifying a previously requested target surrounded by distractors possessing one or more common visual features with the target itself
Define
Covert attention
paying attention without moving the eyes
Define
Dichotic listening
a psychological test commonly used to investigate selective attention and the lateralization of brain function within the auditory system
Define
Dictionary unit
A component of Treisman’s attenuation theory of attention. This processing unit contains stored words and thresholds for activating the words
Define
Distraction
a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else.
Define
Divided attention
a type of simultaneous attention that allows us to process different information sources and successfully carry out multiple tasks at a time
Define
Dopamine Beta Hydroxylase (DBH) gene
an enzyme responsible for the conversion of dopamine into noradrenaline. Alteration of the dopamine/noradrenaline levels can result in hyperactivity
Define
Dopamine Transporter (DAT1) gene
an established genetic risk factor for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It mediates the reuptake of dopamine from the synapse
Define
Early selection model
proposed by Broadbent, posits that stimuli are filtered, or selected to be attended to, at an early stage during processing
Define
Feature integration theory
a theory of attention developed in 1980 by Anne Treisman and Garry Gelade that suggests that when perceiving a stimulus, features are “registered early, automatically, and in parallel, while objects are identified separately” and at a later stage in processing
Define
Feature search
a visual search process that focuses on identifying a previously requested target amongst distractors that differ from the target by a unique visual feature such as color, shape, orientation, or size
Define
Filter model of attention
posits that stimuli are filtered, or selected to be attended to, at an early stage during processing
Define
Fixation
the state in which an individual becomes obsessed with an attachment to another human, an animal, or an inanimate object
Define
Focused attention stage
The second stage of feature integration theory, where a subject combines individual features of an object to perceive the whole object.
Define
High-load task
the target is surrounded by a number of different, angular, shapes.
Define
Hyperactivity
means a person seems to move about constantly, including in situations in which it is not appropriate; or excessively fidgets, taps, or talks. In adults, it may be extreme restlessness or wearing others out with constant activity.
Define
Illusory conjunctions
psychological effects in which participants combine features of two objects into one object
Define
Impulsivity
means a person makes hasty actions that occur in the moment without first thinking about them and that may have a high potential for harm, or a desire for immediate rewards or inability to delay gratification
Define
Inattention
means a person wanders off task, lacks persistence, has difficulty sustaining focus, and is disorganized; and these problems are not due to defiance or lack of comprehension.
Define
Inattentional blindness
the failure to notice a fully-visible, but unexpected object because attention was engaged on another task, event, or object
Define
Late selection models of attention
argue that information is selected after processing for meaning, as opposed to during the earlier stages of processing
Define
Load theory of attention
a theory proposing that the extent to which people can focus their attention in the face of irrelevant distractions depends on the level and type of information load involved in their current task
Define
Low-load task
the target is surrounded by a number of identical round shapes
Define
Overt attention
direct focus or when an individual has their eyes directly focused on something
Define
Perceptual load
the amount of information involved in the processing of the task stimuli
Define
Preattentive stage
the subconscious accumulation of information from the environment
Define
Processing capacity
the number of operations a processor can perform in a set amount of time
Define
Ritalin
a nervous system stimulant that’s commonly used to treat ADHD in adults and children
Define
Saccadic eye movement
rapid, ballistic movements of the eyes that abruptly change the point of fixation
Define
Saliency map
an image that shows each pixel’s unique quality
Define
Selective attention
the process of focusing on a particular object in the environment for a certain period of time
Define
Shadowing
an experimental technique in which subjects repeat speech immediately after hearing it
Define
Spatial selective attention
allows humans to selectively process visual information through prioritization of an area within the visual field
Define
Stimulus salience
the features of objects in the environment attract our attention
Define
Stroop effect
a demonstration of cognitive interference where a delay in the reaction time of a task occurs due to a mismatch in stimuli.
Define
Sustained attention
the ability to endogenously maintain an alert state in the absence of exogenous support
Define
Topographic map
detailed, accurate graphic representations of features that appear on the Earth’s surface
Define
Unilateral spatial neglect
a restricted syndrome in which patients fail to copy one side (usually the left) of a figure, fail to read one side of words or sentences, and bisect lines far to the right of center
Define
Visual scanning
the ability to use vision to search in a systematic manner, such as top to bottom and left to right.
Define
Visual search
a type of perceptual task requiring attention that typically involves an active scan of the visual environment for a particular object or feature (the target) among other objects or features (the distractors).
Definition
a disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Definition
the phenomenon in which attention is involuntarily directed towards a target stimulus based on the characteristics of that stimulus
Attentional capture
Definition
a model of selective attention proposed by Anne Treisman, proposed as a means to explain how unattended stimuli sometimes came to be processed in a more rigorous manner than what Broadbent’s filter model could account for. Claims that instead of a filter which barred unattended inputs from ever entering awareness, it was a process of attenuation
Attenuation model of attention
Definition
a device consisting of an arrangement of resistors which reduces the strength of a radio or audio signal.
Attenuator
Definition
capable of occurring without the need for attention, and the awareness of the initiation or operation of the process, and without drawing upon general processing resources or interfering with other concurrent thought processes
Automatic processing
Definition
a rare manifestation of visual and spatial difficulties due to the parietal lobe lesions
Balint’s syndrome
Definition
the problem of how brains segregate elements in complex patterns of sensory input so that they are allocated to discrete “objects”
Binding problem
Definition
any model of attention that assumes the existence of a limited-capacity channel (typically with a capacity of one item) at some specific stage of human information processing. In late-selection theories, this channel occurs after stimulus identification
Bottleneck model
Definition
a perceptual phenomenon that occurs when a change in a visual stimulus is introduced and the observer does not notice it
Change blindness
Definition
the phenomenon of the brain’s ability to focus one’s auditory attention (an effect of selective attention in the brain) on a particular stimulus while filtering out a range of other stimuli, as when a partygoer can focus on a single conversation in a noisy room
Cocktail party effect
Definition
a visual search process that focuses on identifying a previously requested target surrounded by distractors possessing one or more common visual features with the target itself
Conjunction search
Definition
paying attention without moving the eyes
Covert attention
Definition
a psychological test commonly used to investigate selective attention and the lateralization of brain function within the auditory system
Dichotic listening
Definition
A component of Treisman’s attenuation theory of attention. This processing unit contains stored words and thresholds for activating the words
Dictionary unit
Definition
a thing that prevents someone from concentrating on something else.
Distraction
Definition
a type of simultaneous attention that allows us to process different information sources and successfully carry out multiple tasks at a time
Divided attention
Definition
an enzyme responsible for the conversion of dopamine into noradrenaline. Alteration of the dopamine/noradrenaline levels can result in hyperactivity
Dopamine Beta Hydroxylase (DBH) gene
Definition
an established genetic risk factor for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It mediates the reuptake of dopamine from the synapse
Dopamine Transporter (DAT1) gene
Definition
proposed by Broadbent, posits that stimuli are filtered, or selected to be attended to, at an early stage during processing
Early selection model
Definition
a theory of attention developed in 1980 by Anne Treisman and Garry Gelade that suggests that when perceiving a stimulus, features are “registered early, automatically, and in parallel, while objects are identified separately” and at a later stage in processing
Feature integration theory
Definition
a visual search process that focuses on identifying a previously requested target amongst distractors that differ from the target by a unique visual feature such as color, shape, orientation, or size
Feature search
Definition
posits that stimuli are filtered, or selected to be attended to, at an early stage during processing
Filter model of attention
Definition
the state in which an individual becomes obsessed with an attachment to another human, an animal, or an inanimate object
Fixation
Definition
The second stage of feature integration theory, where a subject combines individual features of an object to perceive the whole object.
Focused attention stage
Definition
the target is surrounded by a number of different, angular, shapes.
High-load task
Definition
means a person seems to move about constantly, including in situations in which it is not appropriate; or excessively fidgets, taps, or talks. In adults, it may be extreme restlessness or wearing others out with constant activity.
Hyperactivity
Definition
psychological effects in which participants combine features of two objects into one object
Illusory conjunctions
Definition
means a person makes hasty actions that occur in the moment without first thinking about them and that may have a high potential for harm, or a desire for immediate rewards or inability to delay gratification
Impulsivity
Definition
means a person wanders off task, lacks persistence, has difficulty sustaining focus, and is disorganized; and these problems are not due to defiance or lack of comprehension.
Inattention
Definition
the failure to notice a fully-visible, but unexpected object because attention was engaged on another task, event, or object
Inattentional blindness
Definition
argue that information is selected after processing for meaning, as opposed to during the earlier stages of processing
Late selection models of attention
Definition
a theory proposing that the extent to which people can focus their attention in the face of irrelevant distractions depends on the level and type of information load involved in their current task
Load theory of attention
Definition
the target is surrounded by a number of identical round shapes
Low-load task
Definition
direct focus or when an individual has their eyes directly focused on something
Overt attention
Definition
the amount of information involved in the processing of the task stimuli
Perceptual load
Definition
the subconscious accumulation of information from the environment
Preattentive stage
Definition
the number of operations a processor can perform in a set amount of time
Processing capacity
Definition
a nervous system stimulant that’s commonly used to treat ADHD in adults and children
Ritalin
Definition
rapid, ballistic movements of the eyes that abruptly change the point of fixation
Saccadic eye movement
Definition
an image that shows each pixel’s unique quality
Saliency map
Definition
the process of focusing on a particular object in the environment for a certain period of time
Selective attention
Definition
an experimental technique in which subjects repeat speech immediately after hearing it
Shadowing
Definition
allows humans to selectively process visual information through prioritization of an area within the visual field
Spatial selective attention
Definition
the features of objects in the environment attract our attention
Stimulus salience
Definition
a demonstration of cognitive interference where a delay in the reaction time of a task occurs due to a mismatch in stimuli.
Stroop effect
Definition
the ability to endogenously maintain an alert state in the absence of exogenous support
Sustained attention
Definition
detailed, accurate graphic representations of features that appear on the Earth’s surface
Topographic map
Definition
a restricted syndrome in which patients fail to copy one side (usually the left) of a figure, fail to read one side of words or sentences, and bisect lines far to the right of center
Unilateral spatial neglect
Definition
the ability to use vision to search in a systematic manner, such as top to bottom and left to right.
Visual scanning
Definition
a type of perceptual task requiring attention that typically involves an active scan of the visual environment for a particular object or feature (the target) among other objects or features (the distractors).
Visual search
True or false:
A diagnosis of ADHD requires symptoms to have persisted for more than 8 months.
False
A diagnosis of ADHD requires symptoms to have persisted for more than 6 months.
Which of the following is/are (a) symptom(s) of hyperactivity impulsivity within ADHD?
Select one or more:
Often squirms in seat
Often blurts out answers before questions have been completed
Often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
Often does not listen when spoken to directly
Which of the following is/are (a) symptom(s) of hyperactivity impulsivity within ADHD?
Select one or more:
Often squirms in seat
Often blurts out answers before questions have been completed
Often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
Often does not listen when spoken to directly
___________ control is when you have to exert mental and ___________ effort to keep on task, whereas __________ control occurs when your attention is automatically drawn towards the task due to _________ stimuli.
Endogenous control is when you have to exert mental and internal effort to keep on task, whereas exogenous control occurs when your attention is automatically drawn towards the task due to external stimuli.
Wilkins et al. (1987) found that patients who had ____________ were impaired in their ability to sustain attention
Options:
- Right frontal lesions*
- Left frontal lesions*
- Amyloid plaques*
- Hippocampal lesions*
Wilkins et al. (1987) found that patients who had Right frontal lesions were impaired in their ability to sustain attention
True or false:
Selective attention allows us to inhibit one sensory input in order to focus on another, more irrelevant sensory input.
False
Selective attention allows us to prioritise sensory inputs for further processing, inhibiting the irrelevant information and focusing on the relevant.
The image below demonstrates responses to a task that we would expect from someone experiencing ______________. This may occur with damage to the right cerebral hemisphere
The image below demonstrates responses to a task that we would expect from someone experiencing unilateral spatial neglect. This may occur with damage to the right cerebral hemisphere
The heritability of ADHD is approximately:
Select one:
a. 35-45%
b. 75-90%
c. 10-30%
d. 50-72%
The heritability of ADHD is approximately:
Select one:
a. 35-45%
b. 75-90%
c. 10-30%
d. 50-72%
Considering the candidate gene approach, which of the following genes have studies identified to be associated with ADHD?
Select one or more:
Dopamine alpha hydroxylation gene (DAH2)
Dopamine transporter gene (DAT1)
Dopamine hydroxylase transporter gene (DHT)
Dopamine beta hydroxylase gene (DBH)
Considering the candidate gene approach, which of the following genes have studies identified to be associated with ADHD?
Select one or more:
Dopamine alpha hydroxylation gene (DAH2)
Dopamine transporter gene (DAT1)
Dopamine hydroxylase transporter gene (DHT)
Dopamine beta hydroxylase gene (DBH)
True or false:
Attentional asymmetry at baseline can predict normalisation of symptoms with methylphenidate after 4 weeks.
False
Attentional asymmetry at baseline can predict normalisation of symptoms with methylphenidate after 6 weeks.
What are some examples of inattention symptoms common in ADHD?
- often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities’
- Is often easily distracted by extraneous sitmuli
- Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
What are some examples of hyperactivity symptoms common in ADHD?
- Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat
- Is often on the go as if driven by a motor
- Often blurts out answers before questions have been completed
What test is used to measure sustained attention?
The Sustained Attention to Response Test (SART)
What is this test?
The Sustained Attention to Response Test (SART)
Posner and Peterson (1990) proposed that __________was the dominant neuromodulator of alertness
Posner and Peterson (1990) proposed that noradrenaline was the dominant neuromodulator of alertness
___________ allows us to prioritise sensory inputs for further processing
Selective attention allows us to prioritise sensory inputs for further processing
Damage to which area of the brain usually causes unilateral neglect?
Right hemisphere regions, including TPG, STG and IFG, but also striatal areas.
Why have some have argued that ADHD might be a neurodevelopmental form of the neglect syndrome?
ADHD children often allocate more time to the right visual field than the left
What is the heretibility of ADHD?
75-90%
Which genes have been identified in ADHD?
- Dopamine Transporter Gene (DAT1)
- Dopamine Beta Hydroxylase Gene (DBH)
Which receptor is targeted by Ritalin?
Dopamine transporter (DAT1)
Attentional asymmetry at baseline predicted normalisation of symptoms with MPH after __ weeks
Attentional asymmetry at baseline predicted normalisation of symptoms with MPH after 6 weeks
