Attention and Perception Flashcards
What is sensation?
The stimulus detection process by which our sense organs respond to and translate environmental stimuli into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain
What is perception?
The active process of organising the stimulus output and giving it meaning
Explain the difference between top-down and bottom-up processing.
Bottom-up processing = a process that consists of recognising and processing information from individual components of a stimulus and constructing a perception of the whole
Top-down processing = prior knowledge, expectations or thoughts act on this information to influence our final perceptual state
What are the factors affecting perception of physical symptoms?
Attention Environmental cues Expectation Emotion
What are the two different types of attention and how are they different?
Focused attention – ability to respond discretely to specific visual, auditory and tactile stimuli Divided attention – highest level of attention – refers to the ability to respond simultaneously to multiple tasks or multiple task demands
Sustained Attention
Ability to maintain a consistent behavioural response during continuous / repetitive activity.
Selective Attention
Ability to maintain a behavioural cognitive set in the face of a distracting / competing stimulus.
Incorporated notion of freedom of distractibility.
Alternating Attention
Ability of mental flexibility that allows the individual to shift their foccus of attention and move been tasks that have different cognitive requirements.
Factors that affect Perception
Attention
Arousal
Emotions
Individual Values
Cultural Background
Environment
Factors that affect attention
Stimulus factors:
Intensity, novelty, movement, contrast, repetition
Personal factors:
Motives, interests, threat, mood, arousal
