Attention & Perception

Question 1

2a - Perception
Key concepts:
Sensation and perception (just basic definitions)
Bottom-up and top-down processing (what they mean)
Different types of attention (couple of examples)
What factors are known to influence perception and attention
Factors affecting perception of physical symptoms (examples)

Answer 1

-

Question 2

Define sensation

Answer 2

Sensation: The stimulus detection system by which our sense organs respond to and translate environmental stimuli into nerve impulses that are then sent to the brain

Question 3

Define perception

Answer 3

The active process of organising the stimulus output and giving it meaning

Question 4

What is bottom up processing

Answer 4

Bottom-up

Individual elements are combined to make a unified perception

Question 5

What is top down processing

Answer 5

Top-down

Processing in light of existing knowledge
motives, expectations, experiences, culture
E.g. ‘backmasking’

( sensory info comes into brain –> used by top down processes to make sense of it - using existing knowledge) )

Question 6

What factors are known to influence perception (top down)

Answer 6

Attention 
Past experiences
Current drive state (e.g. arousal state)
Emotions
Individual values & expectations
Environment 
Cultural background
--> different perceptions depending on culture

Question 7

Factors affecting perception of physical symptoms (examples)

Answer 7

• Focus of attention contributes to the perception of our bodily symptoms

Question 8

What is meant by figure ground relations?

Answer 8

tendency to organise stimuli into central or foreground and a background.

Question 9

Describe Gestalt laws

a) continuity =
b) similarity
c) Proximity =
d) Closure =

Answer 9

a) continuity = When the eye is compelled to move through one object and continue to another object
b) Similarity: Similar things are perceived as being grouped together
c) Proximity: Object near each other are grouped together
d) Closure: Things are grouped together if they seem to complete some entity.

Question 10

What is appreciative agnosia?

Answer 10

Apperceptive Agnosia: A failure to integrate the perceptual elements of the stimulus.

Question 11

what is associative agnosia?

Answer 11

Associative Agnosia: A failure of retrieval of semantic information

Question 12

describe the hierarchal model of visual perception

Answer 12

???

Question 13

define attention

Answer 13

the process of focusing conscious awareness, providing heightened sensitivity to a limited range of experience requiring more intensive processing.

Question 14

What are the 2 components involved in attention ?

Answer 14

• Focused attention

- Divided attention

Question 15

What are the 5 stimulus factors affecting attention?

Answer 15

• intensity
• novelty
• movement
• contrast
• repetition

Question 16

What are the 5 personal factors affecting attention?

Answer 16

motives

• interests
• threats
• mood
• arousal

Question 17

describe the cocktail party effect

Answer 17

• there are lots of people around you in a party, but we can focus on the person we are talking to
• and if someone calls out our name from the other side of the room , we immediately divert our attention to the other person

Question 18

What is medical student syndrome

Answer 18

increase in hypervigilance

– Psychological condition where medical trainees experience symptoms of the diseases that they are studying.

Question 19

How does perception of bodily symptoms differ in response to various interventions

Answer 19

Perception of Bodily Symptoms

• Focus of attention contributes to the perception of our own bodily symptoms.
• Example – two groups on treadmills, one with amplified sounds of their own breathing and one with sounds of the street. Group with amplified breathing reported more symptoms as they were more aware.

–> Distraction can play a big part in not perceiving own bodily symptoms.

Question 20

what is chronic pain ?

Answer 20

pain has been present for greater than 3 months and although initial damage is healed, pain persists

Question 21

explain the gate theory of pain

Answer 21

concept :

• Pain signals compete to get through “gates”.
• The gate can be opened or closed by physical AND psychological factors.

–> E.G. Pain relief by “rubbing it better”.
(rubbing acts as a competing stimulus.)

Question 22

describe the fear avoidance model of chronic pain

Answer 22

• moon / thoughts/ stress levels —> affects pain
• pain –> affects day to day functioning (less likely to go out etc.) –> perpetuates stress / low mood / anxiety

(kind of a vicious cycle really)