Cognition and Attention in Psychology
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of selective attention?

  • Effortless focus
  • Voluntary and goal-directed (correct)
  • Automatic attraction to stimuli
  • Involuntary response
  • Short-term memory has a capacity of around 4-7 items.

    True (A)

    What is the duration span of long-term memory?

    lifetime duration

    In Baddeley's model of working memory, sensory input includes visual-spatial and __________ input.

    <p>phonological</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the terms related to memory with their definitions:

    <p>Selective Attention = Depends on cognitive effort to inhibit irrelevant information Automatic Attention = Attracted involuntarily to salient information Short Term Memory = Duration of 15-30 seconds with limited capacity Long Term Memory = Unlimited capacity stored for a lifetime</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes cognitive dissonance?

    <p>Awareness of inconsistencies between attitudes and behaviors (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which characteristic best describes automatic attention?

    <p>It is stimulus-driven. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Long-term memory is easily lost compared to short-term memory.

    <p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The mere exposure effect states that becoming familiar with a concept leads to a more negative evaluation.

    <p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two ideas of rationality mentioned in the content?

    <p>Absolute olympic rationality and bounded ecological rationality</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What influences behavior according to the Theory of Planned Behavior?

    <p>Intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Cognitive dissonance can motivate individuals to _____ their behavior or adapt their attitudes.

    <p>change</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following types of forces with their descriptions:

    <p>Internal forces = Deliberation and cognitive dissonance reduction External forces = Exposure to information and social influence Cognitive conservatism = Familiarity leads to positive evaluations Subliminal messages = Promoting products without conscious awareness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of attitudes towards animals and meat-eating, what effect does exposure to images of animals and their transformed food result in?

    <p>More choices of fruit over meat (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Attitudes are always good predictors of behavior.

    <p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The process of changing one's perception of an object through repeated exposure is known as the _____ effect.

    <p>mere exposure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which process describes the tendency to seek information that confirms our existing beliefs?

    <p>Confirmation bias (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    System 2 processing is characterized by being quick and automatic.

    <p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the three components of attitudes?

    <p>Cognitive, affective, and behavioral</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The tendency to present oneself in a manner that is socially acceptable is known as ______.

    <p>social desirability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the types of attitude measurement with their descriptions:

    <p>Self-report measures = Quantify and report attitudes directly Implicit measures = Observe psychological or behavioral reactions Likert scale = Respondent rates agreement on statements IAT = Measures implicit associations through reaction times</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What principle refers to the motivation to connect with others and be part of groups?

    <p>Affiliation (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Primacy effect refers to giving more weight to information presented last.

    <p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Identify one way in which attitudes can be formed.

    <p>Direct experience, observed experience, information from others, or group discussion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Cognitive resources are ______, which affects our ability to update beliefs and attitudes.

    <p>limited</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the processing system with its characteristics:

    <p>System 1 = Quick and intuitive System 2 = Slow and logical Heuristic = Mental shortcuts for decision-making Cognitive bias = Tendency to think in a certain way</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of heuristic processing?

    <p>It relies on previous experiences. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The strength of an attitude can be described as its valence.

    <p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'cognitive conservatism' refer to?

    <p>The tendency to maintain existing views and resist changing beliefs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Attitudes can be difficult to evaluate because they are ______ complex cognitive structures.

    <p>individual</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of response is measured by the implicit association test (IAT)?

    <p>Behavioral reaction times (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Attention

    Consciously focusing on specific information. It can be controlled or automatic.

    Selective Attention

    Focusing on relevant information by actively filtering out distractions.

    Automatic Attention

    Automatically drawn to noteworthy or salient stimuli.

    Salience

    Information that easily catches your attention, often vivid and stands out.

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    Short-Term Memory

    Memory system with a short duration of 18-30 seconds, limited capacity, and organized based on perception.

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    Working Memory

    A mental store that holds and manipulates information for current tasks, proposed by Baddeley.

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    Long-Term Memory

    Memory system with a long duration, potentially lasting a lifetime, large capacity, and organized semantically.

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    Bounded Ecological Rationality

    The idea that our cognitive abilities and environment shape our thinking and interactions with others.

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    Selective Exposure

    The tendency to favor information that confirms pre-existing beliefs and avoid information that contradicts them. This can lead to biased decision-making and a lack of critical thinking.

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    Cognitive Dissonance

    A state of mental discomfort experienced when our beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors are inconsistent. It motivates us to change our beliefs or behavior to restore consistency.

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    Mere Exposure Effect

    The idea that repeatedly being exposed to a stimulus can lead to increased liking of that stimulus. This can be applied to marketing by increasing brand familiarity.

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    Theory of Planned Behavior

    A model that suggests behaviors are influenced by intentions, which are in turn influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control.

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    Cognitive Dissonance Reduction

    The process of becoming aware of inconsistencies between our attitudes and behaviors. This can lead to internal conflict and motivate us to change.

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    Attitudes

    Beliefs, feelings, and tendencies to act in a particular way towards a person, object, or idea.

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    Attitude Change

    The process of using information, social influence, or persuasive techniques to change someone's attitudes.

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    Conservatism

    The tendency to maintain existing views and opinions, even when presented with contradictory evidence. This occurs because our cognitive resources are limited, and we prioritize confirming our existing beliefs.

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    Bias

    A general pattern or tendency to think in a specific way, regardless of context. It's often driven by subconscious biases and can impact our decision-making.

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    Primacy Effect

    The tendency to give more weight to information presented first, compared to information presented later. This can influence our initial impressions and decisions.

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    Confirmation Bias

    The tendency to actively seek and interpret information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs, while discounting conflicting information. It allows us to reinforce our initial beliefs.

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    Heuristic

    A mental shortcut or simple rule used to quickly make decisions or solve problems. They rely on previous experiences and offer readily available solutions, though they may not always be optimal.

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    System 1 (Thinking)

    A cognitive process that involves a quick, automatic, intuitive, and heuristic approach to information processing. It's suitable for background information and simple tasks.

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    System 2 (Thinking)

    A cognitive process that is slower, voluntary, logical, and systematic. It's used for more complex and demanding tasks, requiring more mental effort.

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    Mastery Motivation

    Motivational principle. The desire to understand people and events, predict their behavior, and gain control over our social environment.

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    Affiliation Motivation

    Motivational principle. The need to connect with others and be part of groups. Social connections provide support, protection, and information.

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    Valuing 'Me' and 'Mine'

    Motivational principle. The desire to see ourselves and our groups in a positive light. It's associated with a desire for self-reliance, social status, and security.

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    Attitude Object

    The specific target of an attitude, such as a person, object, group, event, or idea.

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    Attitude Valence

    The degree to which we hold a positive or negative view of an attitude object. It reflects the strength of our feelings.

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    Attitude Strength

    The strength of our convictions about an attitude object, indicating how strongly we hold our beliefs.

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    Attitude Accessibility

    The ease with which we can recall our attitude towards an object. It's influenced by the frequency, recency,& relevance of exposure.

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    Psychometrics

    The area of psychology that focuses on the measurement of attitudes and other psychological constructs.

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    Explicit Attitude Measurement

    Methods of measuring attitudes that involve directly asking individuals to report their opinions and beliefs.

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    Implicit Attitude Measurement

    Methods of measuring attitudes that rely on observing individuals' physiological or behavioral responses, without asking them directly about their views.

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    Study Notes

    Cognition and Attention

    • Cognition is the mental process of understanding information.
    • Attention is the conscious focus on specific things; it can be selective or automatic.
    • Perception is not dependent on attention.
    • Selective attention requires effort to filter out irrelevant information.
    • Automatic attention is drawn involuntarily by salient information.
    • Salient information stands out due to vividness and prominence.
    • Key differences: selective attention is voluntary and effortful, while automatic attention is involuntary and effortless.

    Memory

    Short-Term Memory (STM)

    • Limited temporal span (18-30 seconds).
    • Attention-based.
    • Limited capacity.
    • Organization is perceptual (e.g., visual, auditory).
    • Capacity is approximately 7 +/- 2 chunks of information.

    Working Memory (Baddeley's Model)

    • Sensory input is processed via separate components (visuo-spatial, phonological, episodic).
    • Central executive integrates and coordinates these components.
    • Information is transferred to long-term memory.

    Long-Term Memory (LTM)

    • Lifelong duration.
    • Recalled voluntarily or by association.
    • Large and limitless capacity.
    • Organization is semantic (meaning-based).
    • Organized as an associative network with nodes and links.

    Key Differences: STM vs LTM

    Feature STM LTM
    Capacity 4-7 items Unlimited
    Duration 15-30 seconds Long-lasting
    Tasks Immediate tasks Permanent storage and learning
    Organization Visual/acoustic Semantic, emotional, procedural
    Susceptibility Easily lost Resistant to loss

    Rationality

    • Two views of rationality: absolute (logical) and bounded (ecological).
    • Bounded rationality considers cognitive limitations and environmental factors.

    Basic Information Processing Principles

    • Accessibility: Concepts are easily retrieved. Factors that influence retrieval: recency, frequency, goals.
    • Conservatism: Existing views are maintained unless required. Updating knowledge is a resource-intensive process.
    • Bias: General tendencies that affect information processing.
      • Primacy effect: Initial information has a greater impact.
      • Confirmation bias: Seeking confirming information and dismissing contradictory information.
    • Superficial/Deep Processing: Processing varying degrees of depth depending on resources and goals.

    Information Processing Systems

    • System 1: Quick, automatic, intuitive, heuristic-driven. Handles background information and simple tasks.
    • System 2: Slow, voluntary, logical, systematic. Deals with salient information and complex tasks.

    Heuristics

    • Mental shortcuts based on experience and available information.
    • Provide quick solutions.

    Basic Motivational Principles

    • Mastery: Understanding and predicting events/people.
    • Affiliation: Connecting with others for support and guidance.
    • Valuing "Me" and "Mine": Positive view of oneself and in-group.

    Attitudes

    Attitude Formation and Change

    • Attitude: Thoughts, feelings, and actions towards an object.
    • Components: cognitive (beliefs), affective (feelings), behavioral (intentions).
    • Formation: Direct experience, observation, social influence, group discussion;
    • Features: Value/valence, strength, accessibility, self-awareness, social desirability.

    Attitude Measurement

    • Explicit (self-report): questionnaires (single item, Likert scale, semantic differential).
    • Implicit (indirect): Galvanic skin response, pupillary response, IAT.

    Attitude Change

    • Internal forces: deliberation, cognitive dissonance reduction.
    • External forces: exposure to information, social influence, persuasion.
    • Cognitive dissonance: discomfort from inconsistent attitudes and behaviors.
    • Exposure to information, including subliminal messages. Mere exposure effect: familiarity breeds liking.

    Attitude-Behavior Relationship

    • Attitudes are not always good predictors of behavior.
    • Intentions are better predictors. (Theory of Planned Behavior -Ajzen)
    • Influence on Intentions: Attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control.

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    Description

    Explore the fascinating concepts of cognition, attention, and memory in this quiz. Learn about selective and automatic attention, as well as the intricacies of short-term and working memory. Test your understanding of these key psychological processes and how they influence our perception and information processing.

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