Unit 4

Question 1

Definition of Attention

Answer 1

The state of focusing on certain items at the expense of others.

Question 2

2 main focuses or questions about attention

Answer 2

What factors influence attention?

Neural mechanisms of attention

Question 3

Selected vs Divided Attention

Answer 3

Selected = focused on one task
Divided = focused on multiple stimuli

Question 4

Distraction

Answer 4

Something that captures us out of attention on something

Question 5

Attentional capture

Answer 5

Rapid shift of attention to some salient stimuli

Question 6

4 parts of the Filter Model of Attention

Answer 6

Sensory Memory –> Filter –> Detector –> (Short Term) Memory

Question 7

What is a model?

Answer 7

A representation of something

Question 8

What does a filter do in the filter model of attention?

Answer 8

Uses RAW DATA (pitch, location, intensity, etc.) to tend to important information, allowing it to enter awareness.

Question 9

Differentiate early-selection models and late-selection models

Answer 9

early-selection: data is filtered before meaning/processing. (attention happens before meaning)

late-selection: data is filtered after meaning/processing. (attention happens after meaning)

Question 10

What is the detector’s role in the filter model of attention?

Answer 10

To assign meaning or make sense of things after filter.

Question 11

What is the problem with filter model of attention? How did they find this?

Answer 11

Problem: There are things that don’t get sent to the detector but still get processed.

eg. Dichotic Listening Track: 2 different tracks in each ear, they recalled things that were filtered out.

Question 12

Treisman’s Attenuation Model of Attention (4 parts)

alt name?

Answer 12

Leaky Filter Model

Messages –> Attenuator –> Dictionary Unit –> Memory

Question 13

What 2 tracks are between attenuator and dictionary unit in the Treisman Model?

Answer 13

Attended and unattended tracks.

Question 14

What model of selection is the Treisman Attenuation Model? what does it entail?

Answer 14

It’s mixed early and late selection.

Entails that there’s both raw data and meaning in the filtering/attenuating stage. Both before and after meaning, there’s attention involved.

Question 15

How do things go from dictionary unit to memory?

Answer 15

There’s a threshold of activation to enter STM

Question 16

Do different stimuli have different thresholds to enter memory (Treisman’s Model)?

Answer 16

Yes. For example, your name has very low threshold.

Question 17

Where does all the attended info go to in Treisman’s Model?

Answer 17

STM

Question 18

Processing Capacity

Answer 18

How much we can process at once

Question 19

Perceptual Load

Answer 19

task difficulty

Question 20

in the saying color of word task, what part has higher perceptual load?

Answer 20

The color has higher load.

Question 21

2 Types of states in attention?

Answer 21

Alert, Resting

Question 22

In alert state, what type of waves emitted?

What is the alert state?

Answer 22

Beta waves (15-30Hz)

Paying attention and awake

Question 23

In resting state, what type of waves emitted?

What is the resting state?

Answer 23

Alpha waves (8-13Hz)

Not actively paying attention but awake

Question 24

Frontoparietal Attention Network

Answer 24

A process describing the alert state of attention. The frontal and parietal lobes interact to direct attention.

Question 25

Process of visual task looking in frontalparietal attention network

Answer 25

Light hits eye, transduction, feature detectors, feature maps, salience maps/priority maps

Question 26

Which maps are a top-down process, which are a bottom-up?

What does this mean?

Answer 26

Top-down: Priority maps
Bottom-up: Saliency maps

This means top-down uses cognitive processes and focuses attention based on that rather than saliency of some attributes.

Question 27

Which of the two ‘maps’ focuses attention on stimuli that we look for?

Answer 27

Priority maps

Question 28

What type of network is frontoparietal attention network? (Centralized vs. Distributed)

Answer 28

Distributed processing network

Question 29

Where does the feature detectors and feature maps section of the frontoparietal network occur in the brain?

Answer 29

Visual cortex

Question 30

How do feature maps then go to saliency maps then to eye?

Answer 30

The primary parietal cortex then to Frontal Eye Fields (FEF) then to superior colliculus (SC)

Question 31

How do feature maps go to the priority maps then to eye?

Answer 31

Informs the priority parietal cortex through the frontal eye fields, then to the superior colliculus

Question 32

The frontalparietal network. Does it happen before or after our conscious awareness?

Answer 32

Before.

Question 33

Simultagnosia

Answer 33

‘tunnel vision’

The frontoparietal attention network cannot consciously pay attention (priority maps don’t work?)

There’s only salient info but no control or goals

Question 34

The Default Mode Network

Answer 34

Where the brain defaults to (where the brain is active) when we’re zoned out.

Question 35

What is resting state?

Answer 35

A state where we’re not alert and pay no conscious attention

Question 36

2 Hypotheses for how attention works in the resting state

Answer 36

1) Sentinel Hypothesis: “watching out” our brain monitors stimuli and keeps an eye out for salient info

2) Internal Mentation Hypothesis: “mind wandering” our brain mindlessly tries to tie pass experiences with new stimuli. Adds meaning to what we’re currently experiencing.