Neisser's Experiment on Attention and Perception

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

What is the primary function of attention according to James (1890)?

To select and maintain a piece of information or thought in consciousness (correct)
To divide mental resources between multiple tasks
To switch between different mental states
To process all sensory information available

Which of the following best describes the concept of divided attention?

Dividing mental resources between multiple stimuli (correct)
Switching attention between multiple tasks
Processing all sensory information simultaneously
Focusing on a single stimulus while ignoring others

Neisser's (1976) explanation for the failure to notice unexpected events in the unattended film is based on:

Filtered attention
Selective attention
Skilled perceiving (correct)
Divided attention

What is the term for the concentration of mental activity that allows you to take in a limited portion of the vast stream of information available?

Focused attention (D) Signup and view all the answers

According to Morgan & Gilliland (1942), attention is characterized by being:

Keenly alive to some specific factor in our environment (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of attention in processing information?

To filter out irrelevant information and focus on what is relevant (C) Signup and view all the answers

What happens to attentional demands when we become well-practiced in a task?

They decrease significantly (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of attention in terms of mental resources?

It allows us to use our limited mental resources judiciously (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of attention according to James (1890)?

The selection and maintenance of a piece of information or thought in consciousness (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of attentional processes in the human brain?

To filter out irrelevant information and focus on relevant stimuli (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of attentional processes in terms of taking action?

We take action based on the information we attended to (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary distinction between conscious and unconscious attentional processes?

Conscious attention is easier to study, while unconscious attention is harder to study (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of attention in terms of mental resources?

To use mental resources judiciously by focusing on relevant information (D) Signup and view all the answers

According to Morgan & Gilliland (1942), what is attention?

Being keenly alive to some specific factor in our environment (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the key benefit of selective attention?

The ability to tune out insignificant details and focus on what is important (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary limitation of human attention, according to the text?

The limited capacity to process information at a given time (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of selective attention in action?

Focusing on a conversation while ignoring background noise (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the ultimate outcome of attentional processes, according to the text?

Taking action on the basis of the information attended to (A) Signup and view all the answers