attention 3

What is selective attention?

The process of focusing on a specific stimulus while filtering out others.

What is the dichotic listening task?

An auditory attention experiment where participants hear different messages in each ear and must focus on one.

What does divided attention refer to?

The ability to simultaneously perform multiple tasks or respond to multiple stimuli.

What is the capacity of attention described as?

A mental resource with finite capacity.

What do resource theories suggest about attention?

Attention is viewed as a pool with limited capacity rather than a structural filter.

What happens when task demands exceed available attentional capacity?

Interference occurs, leading to slower responses and increased errors.

What is the Central Resource Capacity Theory?

Kahneman's theory that posits a single pool of attention where all tasks compete for mental effort.

What influences dual-task performance according to Central Resource Theory?

Task difficulty and the sum of task demands exceeding available capacity.

What is the Multiple Resource Theory (MRT)?

Wickens' theory that suggests multiple resource pools exist, each with its own capacity.

What factors determine dual-task performance in MRT?

The similarity of tasks at input modality, output modality, and processing stage.

What is cross-modal interference?

Interference that occurs when performing tasks using different modalities, suggesting shared attentional resources.

What did Strayer & Johnston (2001) study about dual-tasking while driving?

They found that participants missed more red lights and had slower braking speeds when talking on a mobile phone.

What was a key result from Driver & Spence (1994)?

Shadowing performance improved when visual and auditory attention were directed to the same spatial location.

How does task similarity affect dual-task performance?

Greater similarity between tasks leads to higher interference and poorer performance.

What is the role of practice and expertise in dual-task performance?

Practice can improve performance, as seen in expert chess players who manage dual tasks effectively.

What are controlled and automatic processing?

Controlled processing requires conscious effort, while automatic processing occurs with little or no conscious effort.

What is the impact of individual differences on dual-task performance?

Some individuals, known as 'super-taskers,' can perform multiple tasks with less interference.

What is the relationship between task difficulty and dual-task performance?

Higher task difficulty generally leads to decreased performance in dual-task conditions.

What is the significance of attentional capacity limits?

They determine how well individuals can perform multiple tasks simultaneously without interference.

What evidence challenges the independence of multiple resource pools?

Studies showing interference between tasks that appear to require different resources, such as driving and talking.

What does the term 'dual-task costs' refer to?

The performance decrement that occurs when trying to perform two tasks simultaneously.

How does attentional demand affect performance?

Higher attentional demand leads to greater interference and reduced performance.

What is the concept of 'spatial synergies' in attention?

The idea that visual and auditory attention can be more effectively coordinated when spatially aligned.

What is the effect of task modality on dual-task performance?

Tasks with different modalities (e.g., visual and auditory) typically result in lower interference compared to similar modalities.

What is the implication of the findings from McEvoy et al. (2007) regarding hands-free phone use?

Using a hands-free phone while driving significantly increases the risk of accidents.

What is the main takeaway from the evolution of attention theories?

Attention has shifted from a single resource model to recognizing multiple resource pools that interact and overlap.

What are the key variables influencing divided attention?

Task difficulty, task similarity, and individual differences in attentional capacity.

What are the characteristics of controlled processes?

Controlled processes require attention, have limited capacity, are slow, conscious, effortful, and flexible.

What are the characteristics of automatic processes?

Automatic processes do not require attention, have unlimited capacity, are fast, effortless, outside full awareness, uncontrollable, and inflexible.

What are the two types of automatic processes?

Innate automatic behaviors (bottom-up) and learned automatic behaviors.

What is an example of an innate automatic behavior?

Saccade to movement or orienting to loud noise.

What is an example of a learned automatic behavior?

Walking or reading.

What did Schneider & Shiffrin (1977) propose about practice and processing modes?

Practice increases efficiency, making processes faster and error-free, transitioning from controlled to automatic processing.

What is the difference between controlled and automatic processing according to Logan (1988)?

Controlled processing uses a general cognitive algorithm, while automatic processing retrieves learned information from memory.

What is the Stroop effect?

The Stroop effect is the interference of an irrelevant dimension of a stimulus (e.g., word meaning) on the relevant dimension (e.g., ink color naming).

What does the Simon Task demonstrate?

The Simon Task shows how an incongruent dimension of a stimulus (e.g., location) can interfere with responding to the target dimension (e.g., color).

What are action slips?

Errors in routine, over-learned actions where the intended goal is sensible, but execution goes wrong.

What are the characteristics of action slips?

They occur in familiar tasks and are often noticed after the fact.

What are capture errors?

Actions performed that are very similar to well-practiced behaviors, where the habit captures the behavior.

What are description errors?

Performing the right action on the wrong but similar object.

What are data-driven errors?

External events activate well-practiced action schemas, causing inappropriate actions.

What are loss-of-activation errors?

Errors that occur when goal representation drops out due to inattention.

What is the Supervisory Attentional System (SAS)?

A system that selects goal-appropriate schemas and inhibits competing schemas, monitoring for mismatches between behavior and goals.

What is the main disadvantage of automatic processes?

Their inflexibility, making them hard to control and unlearn.

How does automaticity affect cognitive control?

Automaticity greatly reduces the demands on cognitive control and attention.

What is the significance of action slips in understanding attention?

They provide evidence about attentional control and failures, relevant in safety-critical settings.

What is the impact of automaticity on everyday tasks?

It can lead to errors due to over-dependence on automatic processes, such as in driving or operating machinery.

What is the relationship between practice and automaticity?

With practice, behaviors become automatic, reducing cognitive load but increasing the risk of errors.

What is the role of attentional control in action slips?

Attentional control can fail, leading to selection failures, object selection failures, or goal maintenance failures.

What are the implications of automaticity for designing environments?

Understanding automaticity can help design environments and interfaces that support attentional control.

What is the take-home message regarding action slips?

Action slips are behavioral footprints of transient failures of attention in routine cognition.