Experimental Psychology: Attention Functions

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Questions and Answers

What phenomenon describes the difficulty in noticing changes in a visual scene due to the presence of other visual distractions?

Attentional blink

Perceptual grouping

Visual segmentation

Change blindness (correct)

Which principle suggests that distant objects can form part of a perceptual unit if they adhere to common characteristics?

Law of Closure

Law of Figure-Ground

Law of Proximity

Law of Similarity (correct)

In which scenario does attentional blink primarily occur?

When two identical stimuli are presented simultaneously

When multiple objects are moving in the same direction

When attention is fully engaged with one stimulus (correct)

When stimuli are presented in rapid succession without breaks

What experimental setup is typically used to illustrate change blindness?

Sequential image presentation with gaps (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does object-based attention primarily focus on in perceptual processing?

The relationship between different visual elements (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of attention in processing stimuli?

To prioritize some stimuli for detailed processing (B) Signup and view all the answers

In Posner’s paradigm, what percentage of trials were considered valid?

80% (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does the metaphor of attention as a spotlight imply?

Attention illuminates specific parts of the visual field while neglecting others. (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to Treisman’s Features Integration Theory, what does the theory primarily study?

The detailed processing of features in visual stimuli (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a common outcome when attention is successfully directed toward valid cues in experimental tasks?

Faster response times to the target (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'object-based attention' imply?

Attention can be directed to specific objects regardless of their location. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does a neurologic deficit indicate in the context of attention?

Attention can completely fail, resulting in no processing. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of cognitive processing does spatial attention primarily target?

A specific location in the visual field (B) Signup and view all the answers

What happens when an element is distinctive from others in visual attention tasks?

Its identification is quick and does not depend on the number of distractors. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to Treisman's Features Integration Theory, how does reaction time change when targets must be identified by combining two characteristics?

It increases proportionally to the number of distractors. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes voluntary orientation in attention control?

It operates independently of cognitive load. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What role do distractions play according to Contingent Capture Theory?

They only influence attention when they match some attributes of the target. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Under which condition does attention primarily act according to the object-based attention hypothesis?

Attention is driven by the characteristics of objects, regardless of their spatial location. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of automatic attention control?

It functions irrespective of expectations. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How does the interaction between automatic and voluntary attention factors typically function?

They usually work together synergistically but can sometimes compete. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does reaction time indicate in visual attention when many distractors are present?

Reaction time generally increases with more distractors. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Course Title and Instructor

Course: Experimental Psychology
Instructor: Claudia Repetto
Institution: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan

Definitions and functions of attention
Spatial attention
Visual attention: Features Integration Theory
Attention control
Object-based attention
Attention failure: "experimental" deficits and neurological deficits.

Definition and Functions of Attention

Attention is a selection process used by the brain to filter out the constant flow of stimuli from sensory organs
This selection allows some stimuli to be processed in detail while others are neglected, like a sieve.
Selection is required because cognitive systems have limited resources.

Spatial Attention

Used to focus attention on a specific area or region of space, possibly different from where the eyes are looking directly.
Posner's Paradigm: Investigates spatial attention shifts using cues. Experiments are conducted in labs using computers to record reaction times in response to cues.

Spatial Attention: Posner's Paradigm

Posner studied shifts of attention in space via spatial cues.
Experiments use a computer to record reaction times for different types of trials (valid, invalid)
An increase in response speed for valid trials confirms that attention shifts impact information processing speed.
Demonstrates a spotlight or lens-focus metaphor for attention.

Visual Attention: Treisman's Features Integration Theory

Investigates underlying mechanisms of visual perception and selective attention.
Target characteristics influence search efficiency.
Distinguishing features enhance identification speed and not depend on the number of distractors.
Combining features for identification results in reaction times proportional to the number of distractors.

Attention Control

Addresses automatic and voluntary attentional orientation.
Voluntary orientation depends on factors and cognitive load.
Automatic orientation is fast, independent of cognitive load, resistant to suppression and expectations are not important.
Interactions can be synergistic, sometimes opposing.

Attention Control: Contingent Capture Theory

Automatic capture of attention by irrelevant information occurs only when distractors share features with the target.

Object-Based Attention

Attentional focus is on objects rather than spatial coordinates.
Attention acts on objects, irrespective of their location.
Objects are treated as 'units' whether close together or separated from each other.

Neurological Deficits When Attention Fails

Specific brain damage can result in attention deficits, absent other perceptual impairments.
Neglect: A lack of attention to a portion of the visual field; commonly affecting the left visual field due to right parietal damage; peripersonal space and one's own body can be affected.
Attention deficit is sometimes temporary often resolves after the initial trauma.
Clinical tests such as the Barrage test can assess the extent and nature of neglect by observing eye movement patterns and object drawings.

Attentional Blink

Difficulty processing a target stimulus when the mind is focused on another stimulus.

Change Blindness

Inability to notice a change in a visual scene.
Studied using the "door study" and the Flicker paradigm.

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Description

This quiz covers various aspects of attention in experimental psychology, including definitions, spatial attention, and the functionality of visual attention. Explore concepts such as Attention Control and Object-based Attention, as well as attention failures related to experimental and neurological deficits.