Podcast
Questions and Answers
What term is used when attention is captured involuntarily by a stimulus?
What term is used when attention is captured involuntarily by a stimulus?
What type of processing is influenced by cognitive factors such as goals and expectations?
What type of processing is influenced by cognitive factors such as goals and expectations?
Which type of cue in the Posner Cueing Task provides the fastest reaction time?
Which type of cue in the Posner Cueing Task provides the fastest reaction time?
What does covert attention allow a person to do?
What does covert attention allow a person to do?
Signup and view all the answers
In which scenario are participants less likely to notice stimuli according to Shinoda et al. (2001)?
In which scenario are participants less likely to notice stimuli according to Shinoda et al. (2001)?
Signup and view all the answers
How does bottom-up selection differ from top-down selection?
How does bottom-up selection differ from top-down selection?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following best explains the shift in attention without eye movement?
Which of the following best explains the shift in attention without eye movement?
Signup and view all the answers
What reaction time pattern was observed in participants during the Posner Cueing Task?
What reaction time pattern was observed in participants during the Posner Cueing Task?
Signup and view all the answers
What characterizes controlled processing compared to automatic processing?
What characterizes controlled processing compared to automatic processing?
Signup and view all the answers
In the context of selective attention, what happens during the Stroop task?
In the context of selective attention, what happens during the Stroop task?
Signup and view all the answers
When searching for a single feature in a visual search task, what is the primary characteristic?
When searching for a single feature in a visual search task, what is the primary characteristic?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a downside of automatic processing as mentioned in the content?
What is a downside of automatic processing as mentioned in the content?
Signup and view all the answers
Which brain activity is associated with conscious thought during controlled processing?
Which brain activity is associated with conscious thought during controlled processing?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the impact of distractors in a visual search for a conjunction of features?
What is the impact of distractors in a visual search for a conjunction of features?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following best describes automatic processing?
Which of the following best describes automatic processing?
Signup and view all the answers
Why are invalid trials slower for exogenous cues?
Why are invalid trials slower for exogenous cues?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary function of the parietal lobe in relation to attention?
What is the primary function of the parietal lobe in relation to attention?
Signup and view all the answers
Which network is responsible for inhibiting autonomic responses?
Which network is responsible for inhibiting autonomic responses?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a common characteristic of patients suffering from (hemi)neglect?
What is a common characteristic of patients suffering from (hemi)neglect?
Signup and view all the answers
According to Treisman and Gelade, which type of processing is faster?
According to Treisman and Gelade, which type of processing is faster?
Signup and view all the answers
What percentage of children is affected by Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) according to Polanczyk et al. (2014)?
What percentage of children is affected by Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) according to Polanczyk et al. (2014)?
Signup and view all the answers
What factor may contribute to reduced attentional capacity in patients with neglect?
What factor may contribute to reduced attentional capacity in patients with neglect?
Signup and view all the answers
In what way do patients with neglect process stimuli in the left visual field?
In what way do patients with neglect process stimuli in the left visual field?
Signup and view all the answers
What percentage of ADHD cases in children is accounted for by males according to Wittchen et al. (2011)?
What percentage of ADHD cases in children is accounted for by males according to Wittchen et al. (2011)?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary focus of selective attention?
What is the primary focus of selective attention?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following best describes inattentional blindness?
Which of the following best describes inattentional blindness?
Signup and view all the answers
Who is quoted as saying, 'No one knows what attention is'?
Who is quoted as saying, 'No one knows what attention is'?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following statements about overt attention is true?
Which of the following statements about overt attention is true?
Signup and view all the answers
What does stimulus salience refer to in the context of attention?
What does stimulus salience refer to in the context of attention?
Signup and view all the answers
Which type of attention is characterized by focusing resources on one source of information while disregarding others?
Which type of attention is characterized by focusing resources on one source of information while disregarding others?
Signup and view all the answers
What can be a consequence of not using selective attention effectively?
What can be a consequence of not using selective attention effectively?
Signup and view all the answers
Which statement best explains the 'top-down' process in attention?
Which statement best explains the 'top-down' process in attention?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Learning Objectives
- Understand visual attention
- Define attention
- Classify types of attention (selective)
- Explain automatic and controlled processes
- Discuss attention and the brain
- Note disorders of attention (neglect, ADHD)
Definition of Attention
- William James (1980): Attention is the mind's focus on one aspect among several possible options; it involves a withdrawal from other things.
- Harold Pashler (1988): A debated concept; no universally agreed-upon definition.
- Another definition: The ability to concentrate mental resources on a specific object or task.
Selective Attention
- Selective attention involves focusing on particular stimuli while ignoring others.
- This process simplifies our experience of the world by filtering out irrelevant information.
- Without it, we would be overwhelmed by the numerous stimuli in our environment.
- It is beneficial because it allows us choose what stimuli to focus on and what comes next.
- An example: Dichotic listening task, where individuals are presented with two different messages at the same time, but report only one of these.
Over and Covert Attention
- Overt attention involves shifts of eye movement.
- Covert attention involves shifting attention without moving the eyes.
Stimulus Salience
- Bottom-up, stimulus-driven attention is triggered by noticeable aspects of a stimulus (e.g., colour, contrast, movement, or sound).
- It's often involuntary (e.g., an unexpected loud noise catches our attention).
- This can be helpful for safety reasons.
Top-Down Processing
- Top-down processing involves cognitive factors affecting attention (e.g., goals, expectations, and knowledge).
- These can influence our perception of the environment and what aspects to focus on.
- Our prior knowledge shapes and quickens our processing of information.
- Our expectations heavily influence our focus.
Inattentional Blindness
- Inattentional blindness is the failure to perceive an unexpected stimulus because it is unattended.
Attention and the Brain: Cueing Tasks
- Posner cueing tasks measure attentional selection.
- Valid cues help participants respond faster than neutral or invalid cues.
- Endogenous cues (top-down) guide our attention based on goals.
- Exogenous cues (bottom-up) capture attention based on salient stimuli.
Automatic vs. Controlled Processing
- Controlled processing requires conscious effort and attention.
- Automatic processing occurs unconsciously and is often faster.
- Familiar tasks become automatic through practice.
The Stroop Effect
- In selective attention tasks, the Stroop effect shows the difficulty in ignoring the irrelevant stimulus (e.g., reading a color word printed in a different color).
- Relevant tasks may be difficult to perform because the automatic response from a relevant task takes over.
Visual Search
- Feature search is rapid, efficient, and automatic.
- Conjunction search is slow, effortful, and controlled.
- The impact of distractors and the nature of a search can impact how quickly that attentional process takes place.
Attentional Disorders
- Hemi-neglect: A disorder where stimuli presented on the opposite side of the brain damage are not processed or recognized (degraded visual or auditory information, such as pictures or noises).
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Characterized by inattentiveness and hyperactivity, impacting focus and impulsivity, often associated with early diagnosis.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
This quiz focuses on the concept of attention in psychology, exploring its definitions, types, and the relationship with brain functions. Key topics include selective attention, automatic vs. controlled processes, and attention disorders like ADHD. Test your understanding of how attention shapes our perception and experience.
