Lecture 6: Attention III & IV

Question 1

In Moray’s experiments on the cost of divided attention - what is the selective (SEL) condition?

Answer 1

selective - monitor targets on L or R only

Question 2

In Moray’s experiments on the cost of divided attention - what is the exclusive OR (XOR) condition?

Answer 2

exclusive OR (XOR) - monitor both channels; no simultaneous targets

accuracy dropped = cost for dividing attention

Question 3

In Moray’s experiments on the cost of divided attention - what is the inclusive OR (IOR) condition?

Answer 3

inclusive OR (IOR) - monitor both channels; simultaneous targets possible

i. OR (no simultaneous) - = XOR
ii. AND (simultaneous) - accuracy down = cost of simultaneous detection

Question 4

_____ selection predicts OR < SEL but not AND < OR.

_____ selection predicts AND < OR but not OR < SEL

Answer 4

early; late

ES: attenuation with divided attention; attenuation should not depend on identity of stimulus

LS: 2 simultaneous targets selected by ‘pertinence’ and compete through filter; no two targets = no competition

Question 5

What are the two means of attention limiting performance?

Answer 5

1. structural (bottleneck) theories

2. capacity (resource) theories

Question 6

What is capacity theory?

Answer 6

reservoir of available energy for activation - capacity can be allocated flexibly to simultaneous tasks

Question 7

List 3 evidence based implications of capacity theory.

Answer 7

1. interfering effects - car RT w/out cell phone distraction
2. dual task performance - difficult peripheral task affected by central task load
3. inattentional blindness

Question 8

What is the major shortcoming of capacity theory?

Answer 8

vagueness

Question 9

What is the finding of dual task tradeoffs for capacity theory?

Answer 9

Should follow Attention Operating Characteristic (AOC) - where shape of curve tells capacity demands.

Difficult tasks follow this, easy ones do not

Question 10

What is covert attention?

Answer 10

Movement independent of eye movements.

Attentional shifts precede eye movements.

Question 11

What is Spotlight theory?

Answer 11

Selective processing enhancement for ‘illuminated’ material

Question 12

Within the spatial cueing paradigm, what does stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) allow? What is it?

Answer 12

Important delay between cue and stimulus.

Allows analysis of cueing effect. Measure RT as a function of SOA

Question 13

What are two potential causes of the cueing effect in the spatial cueing paradigm?

Answer 13

1. switching time account - costs from engaging wrong location
2. unequal capacity allocation - RT depends on capacity of attention allocated to each location

Question 14

What are the two mechanisms for controlling attention?

Answer 14

1. top-down - decide to shift
2. bottom-up - something captures attention

Require both to function in balance. Possible evolutionary explanation

Question 15

What are the two orienting systems for attentional orienting?

Answer 15

Central (symbolic; endogenous; voluntary) vs. Peripheral (spatial; exogenous; reflexive)

Question 16

Explain the time course evidence for separate orienting systems of attention.

Answer 16

1. time course: different time course of peripheral and central cueing - peripheral = rapid, transient, peak; central = slow, sustained, gradual

Question 17

Explain the ‘effect of load’ evidence for separate orienting systems of attention.

Answer 17

2. Effect of load: voluntary orienting is lowed by memory load, whilst reflexive orienting is not

Question 18

Explain the ‘inhibition of return’ evidence for separate orienting systems of attention.

Answer 18

3. inhibition of return: benefits of cueing precede a cost of cueing only for peripheral cueing

Possibly allows search of complex environment.