PS2111: Selective Attention in Psychology

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Questions and Answers

What type of attention is influenced by the expectations and goals of an individual?

Exogenous attention

Alternating attention

Endogenous attention (correct)

Divided attention

According to the Feature Integration Theory, what is the primary function of attention in visual perception?

To filter out irrelevant information

To focus on specific locations

To enhance the processing of relevant features

To integrate features into a coherent object (correct)

What is the term for the phenomenon where attention is constrained by the boundaries of an object?

Object-based attention (correct)

Attentional bias

Feature-based attention

Spatial attention

Which of the following is an example of selective attention in everyday life?

Focusing on a specific conversation at a noisy party Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the bias in attention that occurs when attention is directed towards a specific location or feature?

Attentional bias Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between exogenous and endogenous attention?

Exogenous attention is bottom-up, while endogenous attention is top-down Signup and view all the answers

What type of attentional bias is referred to as the Emotional Superiority Effect?

Top-down attentional bias Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of feature-based attention in visual scenes?

To enhance perceptual processing at specific locations Signup and view all the answers

According to the Feature Integration Theory, what is the function of the Master Map of Locations?

To integrate visual features from separate anatomical modules Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between feature and conjunction searches, according to the Feature Integration Theory?

Qualitative distinction in performance Signup and view all the answers

What type of attention is responsible for enhancing perceptual processing in visual scenes?

Selective attention Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process of directing attention towards non-spatial features, such as colour or emotional valence?

Feature-based attention Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism by which attentional biases are resolved according to the Biased Competition Model?

Competition for representation via reciprocal links between bottom-up and top-down processes Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of top-down processes in attentional modulation, according to the lecture?

Supressing the salience of task-irrelevant information Signup and view all the answers

According to the feature integration theory, what is the key factor in determining the efficiency of visual search?

The similarity between target and distractor features Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of selective attention, according to the lecture?

Protecting capacity limits in perceptual and post-perceptual systems Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between bottom-up and top-down processes in attentional modulation, according to the lecture?

There is a reciprocal connection between bottom-up and top-down processes Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of attentional modulation, according to the lecture?

Prioritizing relevant information in perceptual and post-perceptual systems Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Selective Attention

Selective attention biases perceptual and post-perceptual processing at cued locations
Attention can be oriented by exogenous (bottom-up), endogenous (top-down), or a combination of both effects

Attention to Locations, Features, and Objects

Attention can be directed towards locations, features (colour, contrast, orientation), and objects (single and groups)

Object-Based Attention

Object-based attention is when attention is focused on objects rather than locations
Valid cues and invalid cues separated by the same spatial distance (Egly et al., 1994)
Object-based attention is constrained by object boundaries, which are delineated by perceptual processes (e.g., amodal completion)

Feature-Based Attention

Feature-based attention is when attention is focused on non-spatial features (e.g., colour, emotional valence)
Attention modulates perceptual input from the visual field (Martinez-Trujillo & Treue, 2004)
Attention enhances perceptual processing at locations, constrained by perceptual information that governs object recognition

Models of Attention

Feature Integration Theory (FIT) (Treisman and colleagues, 1980; 1998) conceptualizes attention as the glue that binds visual features encoded by separate anatomical modules
The Biased Competition Model (Joseph, Chun & Nakayama, 1997) proposes that selection is the result of competitive interactions between objects

The Emotional Superiority Effect

Emotional stimuli have a prioritization advantage in visual search tasks (Maratos et al., 2008)

Visual Search

Visual search tasks can be feature-based or conjunction-based, with different performance characteristics
Feature-based attention appears to be global (reciprocal connections between what and where)

Computational Resource and Salience

Attention is not a unitary construct, but rather neural and cognitive mechanisms for prioritizing information
Competition for representation is resolved via reciprocal links between bottom-up and top-down processes

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Description

Test your knowledge of selective attention, including exogenous and endogenous effects, location-based attention, and object-based attention. Covers key concepts in PS2111 psychology course.