1 Foundations of Attention Free Online FlashCards

What is attention?

Attention is the set of processes that prioritizes some information or mental operations over others to guide perception, thought, and action.

What is selective attention?

Selective attention prioritizes a target while competing stimuli are present, such as following one speaker in a noisy gathering.

Why measure both reaction time and accuracy?

Faster responses can come at the cost of more errors, so researchers consider both reaction time and accuracy when assessing performance.

What does Broadbent’s early-selection filter propose?

Broadbent’s filter model proposes that inputs are briefly analyzed for basic physical properties, then a capacity-limited filter selects one channel for fuller processing.

What do capacity theories say limits concurrent tasks?

Capacity theories explain performance through the mental effort available and how it is allocated. If concurrent tasks demand more effort than can be supplied, performance tends to suffer.

What is divided attention?

Divided attention coordinates processing across more than one task or information stream; performance often declines when tasks overlap.

How do sustained attention, orienting, and executive control differ?

Sustained attention maintains focus over time; orienting shifts focus toward a location or event; executive control manages conflict and task goals.

What does dichotic listening test?

Dichotic listening presents different speech streams to the two ears. Researchers may ask participants to shadow one stream and assess what they report from each.

How does visual search help study attention?

In visual search, participants find a target among distractors; changes in response time and accuracy as distractors vary reveal demands on selection.

How does Treisman’s attenuation model treat unattended information?

Treisman’s attenuation model proposes that unattended inputs are weakened rather than completely blocked, allowing important or primed information to reach recognition.

When does selection occur in late-selection accounts?

Late-selection accounts propose that multiple inputs may receive substantial perceptual or semantic analysis before selection guides a response or reaches awareness.

How does perceptual load affect distractor processing?

When a target task uses little perceptual capacity, spare capacity may process distractors and cause interference; demanding target tasks often leave less capacity for them.