Psychology Chapter on Attention and Arousal

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What anatomical feature is particularly noted for its decreased volume in individuals with ADHD?

Amygdala

Prefrontal cortex (correct)

Hippocampus

Cerebellum

Which brain area is particularly activated when focusing on faces according to the content?

Fusiform face area (correct)

Occipital lobe

Parahippocampal place area

Primary auditory cortex

What is the term for the task where attention is maintained on a single stimulus source for a specific time?

Divided attention task

Peripheral spatial cuing task

Sustained-attention task (correct)

Symbolic cuing task

Which effect is specifically associated with auditory attention?

P3 effect Signup and view all the answers

What does the line cancellation test primarily assess?

Neglect Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary characteristic of Balint’s Syndrome?

Visual attention disturbance Signup and view all the answers

What challenge does the Binding Problem address?

How individual features are registered to form a cohesive object. Signup and view all the answers

Which process does the Feature Integration Theory describe as searching for multiple features at once?

Top-down processing Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the phenomenon where stimuli can be easily identified from distractors by a single feature?

Pop Out Signup and view all the answers

What is the impact of unilateral spatial neglect primarily caused by?

Damage in one hemisphere Signup and view all the answers

Which task involves using a symbolic cue to indicate the location for attention?

Spatial cuing task Signup and view all the answers

Which area is activated when attention is directed towards houses?

Parahippocampal place area Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes ‘extinction’ in the context of neglect?

Failure to perceive contralesional stimuli with concurrent ipsilesional stimuli Signup and view all the answers

Which feature is NOT typically associated with stimulus salience?

Familiar faces Signup and view all the answers

In the field of attention, what does 'set size' refer to?

The number of items in an array Signup and view all the answers

What can potentially improve the effects of neglect in a patient?

Directing attention to neglected areas Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by the P1 effect in visual attention?

Initial sensory processing Signup and view all the answers

How does ‘goal-directed behavior’ relate to attention?

It involves voluntary attention when searching for specific features. Signup and view all the answers

What type of processing is used when searching for one basic stimulus feature at a time?

Bottom-up processing Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of visual perception is primarily impaired in individuals with Balint's Syndrome?

Simultaneous perception of multiple objects Signup and view all the answers

What type of attention involves focusing on specific stimuli over an extended period?

Sustained attention Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes reflexive attention?

The shifting of attention due to an unexpected event. Signup and view all the answers

What concept does the cocktail party effect illustrate?

Auditory attention Signup and view all the answers

How can covert attention be defined?

Focusing on a target without moving the eyes. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors contributes to information overload?

An inability to prioritize stimuli effectively. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the dichotic presentation method in studying attention?

To measure shadowing abilities in participants. Signup and view all the answers

Arousal can be best described as:

A measure of physiological and psychological readiness. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes attentional phenomena?

The inability to process multiple stimuli simultaneously. Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates voluntary attention from reflexive attention?

Voluntary attention is controlled by interests and goals, reflexive attention is not. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between attention and arousal?

High arousal can enhance the ability to focus attention. Signup and view all the answers

How does the superior colliculus contribute to attention?

It directs eye movements towards attended stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the function of the pulvinar?

It helps filter distractions during attention tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What role does the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) play in attention?

It sends an alerting signal in response to unexpected stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

Which brain network is primarily involved in the top-down voluntary control of attention?

Dorsal Frontoparietal Network Signup and view all the answers

How does experience influence attention processing?

It can change the way information is processed in the brain. Signup and view all the answers

Which area is specifically associated with controlling eye movements based on cognitive goals?

Frontal Eye Field Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic feature of Balint’s Syndrome in relation to attention?

Severe difficulty in visual attention and spatial awareness. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes type 1 from type 2 thinking in the context of attention?

Type 1 thinking is fast and automatic; type 2 is slow and deliberate. Signup and view all the answers

Which region is most active during attention tasks with many distractions?

Pulvinar Signup and view all the answers

What is characterized as the best-known disorder of attention?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Attention

Attention (selective attention) is focusing on specific stimuli (sensory or thoughts) for better processing.
Overt attention involves directing senses and attention to the same target.
Covert attention is shifting visual focus without moving the eyes.
The cocktail party effect is an example of auditory attention (selectively listening to one frequency).

Types of Attention

Sustained attention is focusing on stimuli for an extended time.
Auditory attention is focusing on sounds while ignoring distractions.
Voluntary attention is intentionally focusing on a stimulus based on interest or goals.
Reflexive attention is involuntarily shifting focus to unexpected stimuli.

Arousal

Arousal is a global physiological and psychological brain state. It ranges from deep sleep to alertness.

Attentional Phenomena

Attentional phenomena include the ability to choose focus, attending to multiple things simultaneously, and selective attention.

Information Overload

Information overload occurs when there's more information than we can process.
The nervous system prioritizes information to survive.

Attention Tasks

Dichotic presentation is a method to study attention using two streams of speech delivered through headphones.

Balint's Syndrome

Balint's Syndrome is caused by bilateral damage to the posterior parietal and occipital cortex.
People with this syndrome have difficulty with visual attention and awareness, mislocalizing objects or seeing only a few objects at a time.

Feature Integration Theory

The theory proposes that attention coordinates our search by focusing on one feature at a time (bottom-up).
Searching for multiple features is a top-down process.

Neglect

Unilateral spatial neglect happens due to brain damage in one hemisphere, often from a stroke.
People with neglect have a biased attention, often to the right, thus neglecting the left visual field.
Neglect may be overcome by attention directed to the neglected parts.
Extinction is failing to perceive or act on a stimulus when presented along with another on the opposite side of the brain to the damaged area.

What Influences Attention

Stimulus salience is factors that cause reflexive attention (loud noises, flashes).
Goal-directed behavior is intentional searching for features
Difficulty of task/stimuli affects how attention works.
Experience changes how the brain processes information.
Brain damage impacts attention.

Subcortical Regions

Superior Colliculus is in the midbrain and controls visual input and overt attention.
Pulvinar is in the thalamus, involved in visual processing, attention orienting.

Cortical Regions

Dorsal Frontoparietal network controls voluntary attention.
Lateral Intraparietal Area (LIP) and Intraparietal Sulcus (IPS) are involved in voluntary top-down attention control.
Frontal eye field (FEF) controls eye movements.
Right Temporoparietal Network (TPJ) governs bottom-up processes and reflexive attention.

ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder involving neural processing disturbances in the attention network.
MRI studies show reduced white matter in brain regions associated with attention.
Attention affects brain activity in regions processing attended stimuli, such as the fusiform face area, and parahippocampal place area.
Attention tasks include auditory attention tasks (N1 & P3 effects), visual attention tasks, spatial cuing tasks, including symbolic and peripheral tasks.

Other Important Information

Pop Out: Finding a target immediately from distractors.
Set Size: The number of items in an array.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

This quiz explores the concepts of attention and arousal, detailing types of attention such as selective, sustained, and auditory attention. It also discusses attentional phenomena and the impact of arousal on focus. Test your understanding of these psychological concepts!