Human Attention Flashcards
1
Q
What is Attention?
A
“Everyone knows what attention is. It is taking possession of the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seems several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. Focalization, concentration of consciousness are of its essence. It implies a withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others.”
- William James, 1890
2
Q
Resource Allocation
A
- Attention is the mechanism that allocates cognitive resources to activities and tasks
- Operating systems
- Allocation of resources to applications
- Computing, memory, networking, I/O devices
- Some things can be done in parallel, or in the background
- Human cognitive system
- Allocation of resources to tasks
- Sensor memory and processing, working memory, motor system
- Some tasks are more demanding than others
- Some things can be done in parallel / in the background
3
Q
Hierarchical Model of Attention
A
4
Q
Types of Attention
A
5
Q
Spotlight Model of Attention
A
- Spotlight as a metaphor for focused attention
- Only what the spotlight illumintaes can be seen, everything else is in the dark
- The spotlight can be quickly moved around but is always limited to a very small part of the world
6
Q
Focused Attention and Working Memory
A
- Working memory is directly related to focused attention
- Contains information selected by current focus of attention
- Information brought to the foreground of our awareness
- Literally, chunks of information “fired up” in the brain
- Can be triggered by perception, or by thought
- The limitations of working memory are defined by how much information we can focus on at any time
7
Q
Selective Attention
A
- Ability to focus attention on one stimulus while ignoring distractors
- Filter model
- Selective filter in early processing of sensory ‘data’
- Only selected data becomes processed further
- Associated with meaning, in working memory
- Visual attention control
- Overt attention: where we look (focal vision)
- Covert attention: what we notice in the visual periphery
8
Q
Auditory Attention Control
A
- Attenuation model
- Information is not filtered but volume is turned down
- Audio is processed in stages and at each stage can be attenuated
- Physical (e.g., attend to high voice)
- Linguistic content (e.g., attend familiar accents)
- Meaning (follow this conversation, not that one)
- Cocktail Party Effect
9
Q
Attention Cueing
A
- What triggers attention shifts?
- How we direct our attention?
- Top-down attention
- Based on our goals, intentions and expectations
- Internal cues / triggers (= in our head)
- Bottom-up attention
- Driven by sensory stimuli
- Extenal cues (= in the world)
- Involuntary
10
Q
Bottom-up visual attention
A
- Driven by stimuli in the visual field
- Salience
- Attractiveness of features to draw attention
- Sailent features stand out from their environment because of contrast
- Pop-out features
- Involuntary
- Drawing our attention
- We can’t help to notice
11
Q
Top-down visual attention
A
- Direction attention to sample information, driven by our goals
12
Q
Divided Attention / Multitasking
A
- Ability to attend two (or more) tasks at the same time
- Multiple Resource Theory of Attention
- People have a limited set of cognitive resources available
- Attention to tasks draws on certain resources
- Some tasks can be performed at the same time, because they draw on resources that do not interfere with each other
- Other tasks require alternating attention, because they conflict in the resources they require
13
Q
Multiple Resource model
A
- Processing stages
- Perception and Cognition draw on shared resources (working memory)
- But we can attend to new stimuli while responding to prior ones
- Modality
- Different modalities draw on different resources: audio, video, tactile, …
- Visual processing
- Different resources for foveal processing and peripheral awareness
- Codes
- Different resources for information that is spatial versus semantic
14
Q
Inattentional Blindess
A
- Not noticing information that is in plain view because we are not directing any attention to it
- Happens when we are focusing our attention on something else
- Selective attention to features in the visual field that are relevant to our goals
- Other information is pre-consciously filtered out, as irrelevant
15
Q
Perception biased by goals
A
16
Q
Change blindness
A
- Not noticing changes that have been introduced to the visual scene
- Changes, even large ones, can go unnoticed when they coincide with an interruption of the visual perception
- Changes on displays can go unnoticed when they happen while the user blinks (~300-400ms) or when the display is redrawn
- Instantaneous changes are more likely masked
17
Q
Change blindness in User Interfaces
A
- Change blindness is a common problem in user interfaces
- Any time a new visual element is added to a screen, chances are that it is being overlooked
- Status updates
- Error notifications
- Changes in forms
18
Q
Perception biased by expectation
A
- As attention is limited, we use heuristics for routine tasks
- Procedural knowledge captured in schemas and scripts
- If something triggers a familiar schema then we save resources and do not pay attention
- We perceive the expected structure instead of what is actually in front of our eyes
