L5B: Attention I Flashcards
What is Attention?
A cognitive Resource for mental processes, related to how we Select information to process
What is the pie analogy?
A way to think of attention is related to the limitations in doing two things at the same time.
What are the 3 features of attention that are relevant to performing actions?
- Limited & selective:
- limited capacity causes selective attention
- (measured with secondary tasks)
- Intentional or Incidental
- Intentional: voluntary (conscious/controlled)
- Incidental: involuntary (nonconscious/automatic)
- Directionally-focused:
- Internal (body-focused)
- External (environment/effects’ focused)
(1) Limited Capacity (and selective)
How does performance on one task change when a second task is introduced?
Primary Task
Task A = Soccer Ball Juggling
Secondary Tasks
Task B = having a conversation, making decisions about when and where to pass, juggling with the hands etc… *
If and by how much performance get worse (shows interference), this tells us about how attention-demanding the primary task is
How is Attention Inferred?
Attention is inferred from Capacity interference
(not structural interference)
What is Structural interference?
- Competition for physical or neurological structures.
- Prevents or disrupts primary task because can’t physically do 2 things at the same time.
What is Capacity interference?
- Limitation in central “attentional” capacity.
- Divides attention/ concentration from primary task (resource demanding)
Singing a song while simultaneously juggling a soccer ball interferes with juggling performance. This is an example of
__________ Interference.
a = capacity
b = structural
c = both
a) Capacity
Clapping hands while simultaneously juggling a soccer ball interferes with juggling performance. This is an example of
_________________ Interference.
a = capacity
b = structural
c = both
c) Both
Clapping Hands Demands attention away from Primary Task
Reading flashed letters on a screen while simultaneously juggling a soccer ball interferes with juggling performance. This is an example of __________ Interference.
a = capacity
b = structural
c = both
a) Capacity
c) Both?
What is the Major problem in using a phone while driving?
It used to be assumed that the major source of problem in hand operation of cell phone was structural:
* Operating the vehicle
* Seeing objects in environment
However, Major source of problem in cell phone use when driving lies in attention capacity demanded by phone conversation
How can we test which parts of movement are attention demanding?
- we can use Probe RT Task method
- Have subject perform one task (PRIMARY TASK).
- At strategic point, present a SECONDARY task which requires a response (probe RT).
What does RT to the probe tell us?
measure of the attention demanded by the primary task
Explain the results of this Study to a retard
- Attention is highest at movement initiation and termination, especially for precise tasks.
- Mid-movement requires less attention, likely due to motor program execution.
- More difficult tasks (small targets) require greater attentional resources, leading to longer RTs to the probe tone.
This study supports the idea that motor control and attention interact dynamically, with attentional demand varying throughout movement execution.
Applied example:
