Lecture 6: Attention: Early v late slection and load theory

Question 1

What is the difference between early and late selection?

Answer 1

Early selection filters information based on physical characteristics before semantic processing, while late selection processes all stimuli to the semantic level before selection occurs.

Question 2

What are the key components of Broadbent’s Filter Theory?

Answer 2

1. Sensory Store: Holds information temporarily.
2. Filter: Screens based on physical attributes (e.g., pitch).
3. Detector: Processes filtered information for meaning.
4. Short-Term Memory: Retains information for use.

Question 3

What are the limitations of Broadbent’s Filter Theory?

Answer 3

• Moray (1959): Subjects detected their name in unattended streams.
• Treisman (1960): Bilinguals influenced by ignored languages.
• Gray & Wedderburn (1960): Meaning-based errors (e.g., “Dear Aunt Jane”).

Question 4

How does Treisman’s Attenuation Model differ from Broadbent’s Filter Theory?

Answer 4

Treisman suggested that unattended messages are weakened (attenuated) rather than completely filtered out.

Question 5

What does Treisman’s model say about detecting certain words?

Answer 5

Words have thresholds for detection; familiar/primed words (e.g., one’s name) have lower thresholds, making them easier to detect.

Question 6

What do late selection models propose?

Answer 6

Both attended and ignored inputs are processed to the semantic level, and selection occurs later based on importance or response demands.

Question 7

What evidence supports late selection models?

Answer 7

1. MacKay (1973): Biasing words in unattended streams influenced interpretation of ambiguous sentences.
2. Eriksen & Eriksen (1974): Incongruent distractors slow responses, showing semantic processing of ignored stimuli.
3. Tipper & Driver (1988): Negative priming—responses slowed to previously ignored stimuli.
   Load Theory (Lavie)

Question 8

What does Load Theory propose?

Answer 8

Both early and late selection are possible, depending on the task’s perceptual load:

• High load: Exhausts capacity → Early selection.
• Low load: Leaves spare capacity → Late selection.

Question 9

How does Load Theory explain attention under different conditions?

Answer 9

• High load: Filters irrelevant distractors at the perceptual stage.
• Low load: Processes irrelevant distractors at the semantic stage.

Question 10

What evidence supports Load Theory?

Answer 10

• Behavioral studies: Distractor effects reduced under high-load conditions.
• Neuroimaging: High load reduces visual cortex and amygdala responses to irrelevant stimuli.
• Inattentional blindness: High load prevents noticing unexpected stimuli.

Question 11

How do individual differences affect selective attention?

Answer 11

Efficiency depends on perceptual capacity.

• Low capacity individuals need high-load tasks to avoid distraction.
• Factors influencing capacity: Autism, age, video game experience.

Question 12

How does video game experience affect selective attention?

Answer 12

Video game players are more likely to remain distracted, even under high-load conditions.

Question 13

What are the key takeaways for early selection?

Answer 13

Irrelevant information is filtered or attenuated at the perceptual stage, and semantic information is not processed.

Question 14

What are the key takeaways for late selection?

Answer 14

All stimuli are processed to the semantic level, and selection occurs later, possibly involving inhibition.

Question 15

What does Load Theory contribute to the early vs. late selection debate?

Answer 15

It shows that both types of selection are possible, depending on the perceptual load of the task.