Chapter 5: Pre-cueing, Change Detection, Inattentional Blindness and Deafness, Distractions, Attentional Networks of the Brain, & Mind Wandering

Question 1

This refers to a procedure in which a cue stimulus is presented to direct an observer’s attention to a specific location where a test stimulus is likely to be presented.

Answer 1

Pre-cueing.

Question 2

This means that you are being informed about an upcoming event.

Answer 2

Cueing.

Question 3

This is defined as the ability to detect change in the world around us.

Answer 3

Change detection.

Question 4

A phenomenon wherein we are “blind”, or in other words, we fail to detect the changes that occurred despite the changes being big and right in front of us.

Answer 4

Change blindness.

Question 5

Seven (7) causes of change blindness.

Answer 5

1. Limited attention
2. Visual masking
3. Top-down processing
4. Expectation and perception
5. Saccadic eye movement
6. Inattentional blindness
7. Visual short-term memory limitations

Question 6

We can’t focus on everything at once.

Answer 6

Limited attention.

Question 7

New stimuli can hide changes in the original scene.

Answer 7

Visual masking.

Question 8

Our perception is influenced by expectations and beliefs.

Answer 8

Top-down processing.

Question 9

We may not notice things that don’t match our expectations.

Answer 9

Expectation and perception.

Question 10

Rapid eye movements can cause changes to go unnoticed.

Answer 10

Saccadic eye movement.

Question 11

We miss changes when our attention is focused elsewhere.

Answer 11

Inattentional blindness.

Question 12

Changes may not be noticed if the original stimulus is not available for comparison.

Answer 12

Visual short-term memory limitations.

Question 13

This involves failing to perceive something because your attention is focused on something else.

Answer 13

Inattentional blindness.

Question 14

This is the failure to hear otherwise audible sounds that may occur under high workload conditions.

Answer 14

Inattentional deafness.

Question 15

These take attention away from what a person needs to do when performing a task.

Answer 15

Distractions.

Question 16

A form of distraction that includes visual triggers, social interactions, music, text messages, and phone calls.

Answer 16

External distractions.

Question 17

A form of distraction that includes hunger, fatigue, illness, worrying, and daydreaming.

Answer 17

Internal distractions.

Question 18

According to Posner and Peterson’s Neurocognitive model, attention involves three (3) neural networks.

Answer 18

1. Subcortical System (Alerting)
2. Posterior System (Orienting)
3. Anterior System (Executive Control)

Question 19

This neural network aims to achieve and maintain a state of high sensitivity to incoming stimuli. Involved brain regions are the frontal and parietal lobe, including the anterior cingulate cortex.

Answer 19

Subcortical system (alerting).

Question 20

This neural network aims to focus on and select specific information from sensory input. Involved brain regions are the superior parietal lobule, temporoparietal junction, and the frontal eye fields.

Answer 20

Posterior system (orienting).

Question 21

This neural network aims to solve conflictual information and involves mechanisms for monitoring and resolving conflict among thoughts, feelings, and responses. Involved brain regions are the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and inferior parietal lobule.

Answer 21

Anterior system (executive control).

Question 22

This is defined as the occurrence of thoughts that are not tied in to the immediate environment, thoughts that are not related to a given task at hand.

Answer 22

Mind wandering.

Question 23

This neural network governs internal cognitive processes rather than processing external stimuli. Involved brain regions are the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and the medial temporal lobe.

Answer 23

Default Mode Network (DMN).