Exam 4: Attention and Consciousness Flashcards
attention (selective attention)
process of selecting or focusing on one or more stimuli
overt attention
occurs when the focus coincides with the sensory orientation
- sensory and attention both attend to the same thing
covert attention
focus is independent of sensory orientation
- looking at something not in direct sight
- bringing attention to someone and saying not to look and they peek
cocktail party effect
selective attention filters out stimuli not being attended to
inattentional blindness
failure to consciously perceive a non-attended stimulus
- not paying attention to
ex: the 4 of hearts turning black but you were not focused on that so did not notice
what does inattentional blindness show us?
there are limits on attentional abilities - impossible for all info to enter sensory
change blindness
failure to notice a change in our perceptual field
- spot the difference activities
limits on attention (3)
- divided attention tasks
- stroop task
- attentional spotlight
divided-attention tasks
subjects asked to process two or more simultaneous stimuli
stroop task
naming the color of the word not the actually color that is written out in letters
attentional spotlight
shifts around environment, highlighting stimuli for processing
early-selection model - attentional bottleneck
filtering occurs at sensory level
- only things you focus on will make it into analysis/processing
- nonattended to info never reaches higher level processing
late-selection model - attentional bottleneck
filtering only after substantial analysis has occurred
unconscius decision
perceptual load
immediate processing demands presented by stimulus
- determines how much of our perceptual resources are used
voluntary attention (endogenous)
directed toward aspects of environment according to our interests and goals
- top down attentional processing
slower
top down attentional processing
controlled by higher level conscious processing
reflexive attention (exogenous)
involuntary reorienting of attention toward a sudden or important event
- bottom up attentional processing
bottom up attentional processing
controlled by lower order sensory inputs rather than by voluntary, conscious processes
ex: hear something ad then turn head to look that way
the target pops out right away due to unique attribute
feature search
based on 2 or more features that distinguish the target
more common, more complex
conjunction search
what type of search is it when you are looking for waldo?
feature search
what guides the movement of eyes toward objects of attention
- overt attention - direct
superior colliculi
what is involved in visual processing, orienting and shifting attention, and filtering stimuli
pulvinar
- back half of thalamus - relay station connecting colliculi to other regions
what are the 2 integrated networks that control attention
- dorsal frontoparietal system
- right temporoparietal system
dorsal frontoparietal system
top down control
cognitive control of voluntary actions
2 parts of dorsal frontoparietal system
Intraparietal sulcus (IPS) frontal eye field (FEF)
encodes salience (priority) map that controls voluntary shifts of attention - shifts or changes in attention controlled here
IPS (intraparietal sulcus )
establishes gaze in accordance with cognitive goals (top down) rather than characteristics of stimuli
- closely connected with superior colliculus
- where eyes are focusing
FEF - frontal eye field
right temporoparietal system
network for reflexive shifts of attention
- bottom up
in the right temporoparietal network what steers attention toward novel or unexpected stimuli?
temporoparietal junction (TPJ)
what two structures allow the reorganization of attentional priorities?
IPS and TPJ
TPJ shows increased activity to stimuli at ____
unexpected locations
- receives input directly from visual cortex
TPJ has strong connections with ____
- involved in working memory
ventral frontal cortex
VFC (ventral frontal cortex) may analyze novelty by
comparing stimuli over short periods of time
- have i seen this before
what other system is the TPJ similar to in the way that it likes unexpected rewards
mesolimbic dopamine system
hemispatial neglect
attention disorder - most frequently results from stroke - complete disregard for 1 side of the world - main symptom - usually left side of body ex: not getting fully dressed some people can partially recover
brain damage in hemispatial neglect
damaged areas: IPS, TPJ, VFC
- issues with sustaining attention and switching between attentional tasks
top down control effected - usually also reflexive actions
