Experiment 3

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate whether information that is not personally meaningful can break the inattentional barrier if participants are given a warning to listen for specific information

Question 2

Sample

Answer 2

Two groups of 14 research workers and undergraduates from Oxford

Question 3

Design

Answer 3

Independent measures

Question 4

Independent variable

Answer 4

One group told to listen out for and remember as many digits as they could, other group told they would be asked questions about the shadowed passage.

Question 5

Dependent variable

Answer 5

The number of digits participants remembered hearing

Question 6

Procedure

Answer 6

Dichotic listening, participants asked to state how many numbers they remembered hearing. Mean number of digits compared over each condition

Question 7

Results

Answer 7

No significant difference in number of digits recalled between group 1 and group 2

Question 8

Conclusions

Answer 8

Neutral, non affective information like numerical digits cannot be made important enough to break the inattentional barrier