Role of Attention

Question 1

What role does attention have in perception?

Answer 1

Perception largely depends on what we ‘select’ and how much focus/attnetion we direct to it.

Question 2

How do we select stimuli?

Answer 2

We select stimuli based on 5 factors:
1. If its unusual, intense, unexpected or stands out.
2. We are motivated to or expect to encounter a specific stimuli.
3. Personally significant
4. Moving or changing
5. Repetitious

Question 3

What are the two cognitive processes?

Answer 3

1. Automatic
2. Controlled

Question 4

3 Differences of Automatic and Controlled processes?

Answer 4

1. Multiple automatic tasks can be done at once, however controlled processes need more attention and therefore can only be done once at a time.
2. Controlled is for difficult and un-familiar activities, whereas automatic is for simpler and familiar activities.
3. Controlled processes can become automatic.

Question 5

What are the 3 types of attention?

Answer 5

1. Sustained
2. Divided
3. Selective

Question 6

What is sustained attention?

Answer 6

Focusing on one task for a long time wihout getting distracted by other stimuli.

Question 6

What is divided attention?

Answer 6

Often reffered to as multi-tasking. It is when we focus on 2 or more stimulis at once.

Question 7

What is selective attention?

Answer 7

Selective is when we chose a specific range of stimuli to focus on and block all others out.