psyc 316: limitations of attention

types of attention

types of attention

sustained, selective, alternating, and divided (ssad)

sustained attention

holding/maintaining attention over time, necessary for the focus and concentration needed in learning/listening and paying attention during verbal communication

selective attention

paying attention to specific input by brain’s ability to select the input we pay attention to. Consciously, and unconsciously, we are able to select the input which is most important

alternating attention

the ability to switch or immediately transfer focus from one activity to another — switching points of concentration is needed to make sudden switches in alternating attention in tasks which require different cognitive skills

divided attention

one’s ability to focus on two or more things at the same time. simultaneously concentrating on various factors is evidenced by driving and holding a conversation simultaneously.lii

capacity

limited quantity of items we can attend to

attention span

limited duration of time we can attend to

some other factors of limitations

age, shifting attention, distractions, disorders

on average, how many objects can one track at a time?

four or five

multiple object tracking:

the ability to simultaneously monitor multiple objects as they move

what can negatively affect tracking ability?

spatial and temporal crowding

spatial crowding:

how close objects are together

temporal crowding:

how fast objects are moving

MOT task is an example of how limitation has ________

limited capacity

sustaining attention:

ability to maintain focus over time

average attention span for an adult is around __________

20 minutes (performance naturally declines over time)

Continuous Performance Task (CPT)

neuropsychological test that measures the ability to sustain and selectively focus attention

Conners Continuous Performance Test

• 360 trials

• press spacebar when target letter appears

• 325 targets appear and the non-target appears 36 times

• CPTAX: variation of original task

switching focus from one task to another can lead to

loss of or missing information

task switching is

its own category of executive function

distractions can:

impede or dampen focus

• technology

• anything that draws attention away from given task

ways to improve attention:

therapy (CBT), avoid multitasking, nutrition, and meditation

structural model for attention

Frontal Parietal Network (FPN)

• Dorsal FPN: feature driven attention (top-down)

• Ventral FPN: stimulus driven attention (bottom up)

connections between the two (dorsal and ventral FPN) allow us to:

shift or direct our attention

change blindness

when you do not notice a major or significant change in a visual scene because you were not paying attention to it

which network would be responsible for a noticing a shift in the environment (stimulus driven)?

ventral FPN

inattentional blindness

when you do not notice something that is fully visible and unexpected because you are focusing on something else

inattentional blindness is valid for:

stationary stimuli too

what network would be responsible for focusing on a task?

dorsal FPN

who has difficulties with attention?

ADHD, depression, severe head injuries (can include stroke), learning disabilities, autism

spatial neglect / hemi spatial neglect

unconscious or implicit processing neglected information

stimulus to the neglected side of space may fail to be _______ but _____

reported, but be processed to a substantial degree

spatial / hemi spatial neglect can manifest in which domains?

visual, auditory, proprioceptive, and olfactory

hemi - spatial neglect can be cause by:

damaged to posterior parietal cortex and/or stroke

neglected information would occur of on the ______ _______ of the injury

contralateral side (damage to right posterior parietal cortex would lead to neglect of the left side of the body