Chapter 1-10: Unconscious Processing, Inattentional Blindness, Subliminal Effects, and Pheromones

Flashcards covering inattentional blindness, subliminal and supraliminal processing, priming, and pheromones, based on the lecture notes.

What phenomenon describes failing to notice an unexpected object when attention is focused on a primary task?

Inattentional blindness.

In Mack and Rock's cross paradigm, when participants' attention remained on the cross, what happened to the unexpected object?

They often failed to notice it.

What objects were more likely to be noticed when presented with the cross if they were meaningful to the participant?

One's own name or happy faces (and other stimuli meaningful to the observer).

Which field studied pilot attention load and head-up displays in relation to inattentional blindness?

Aviation psychology (e.g., Christopher Wickens).

What question about individual differences does the introduction raise regarding inattentional blindness?

Whether factors like working memory or intelligence influence susceptibility to inattentional blindness.

What is the mere exposure effect?

Repeated exposure to a stimulus increases positive attitude toward it.

In the web-page ad experiment, what distinguished the experimental group from the control group?

The experimental group saw a pop-up advertisement; the control group did not.

How long did the attitude difference persist after exposure in the mere exposure/web-page ad study?

Differences persisted for at least one week and extended to three months.

What is the difference between subliminal perception and subliminal persuasion?

Subliminal perception is processing stimuli outside awareness; subliminal persuasion is attempting to influence thoughts or behavior without conscious awareness.

What did the Lipton tea subliminal study find regarding thirst and intention?

Subliminal messaging increased intention to drink Lipton tea only among participants who reported being thirsty.

What is priming in psychology?

A process where exposure to stimuli (supraliminal) activates associations and influences later responses.

In the wine study, what effect did congruent music have on sales?

Higher sales when the music matched the wine's country of origin.

What was observed in the elderly stereotype priming task regarding walking speed to the elevator?

Participants primed with elderly words walked more slowly to the elevator.

What did priming with the professor stereotype do to test performance?

Increased performance (about 60% correct) compared with control (50%), while priming with the hooligan stereotype decreased performance (about 40%).

Have priming effects been consistently replicated?

They have had difficulty replicating, so effects may not be as robust as originally reported.

What is the vomeronasal organ (VNO) and its relation to pheromones?

A sensory system in animals that processes pheromones; its removal reduces sexual behaviors in animals, highlighting pheromones' role.

What are the primary human sources of pheromones?

Sweat glands in the armpits and the pubic region.

What early observation by Martha McClintock suggested human pheromones influence menstrual cycles?

Menstrual synchrony among women living in close quarters.

What is menstrual synchrony and its current status in research?

The idea that women's menstrual cycles synchronize; supported in early studies but challenged by replication failures and methodological concerns.

What were the two placebo-controlled pheromone studies showing?

Participants wearing synthetic pheromones reported more sexual activity than those wearing a placebo.

What does MHC stand for and how does it relate to pheromone preferences?

Major Histocompatibility Complex; people tend to prefer the smells of shirts from wearers with dissimilar MHC genes, suggesting a cue for healthier offspring.

What is the evolutionary rationale for pheromones affecting mate selection via MHC differences?

Different MHC genes between partners may produce offspring with stronger immune systems.

What are pheromone parties?

Events where people wear pheromones and attempt to select partners based on scent.

What caveat is emphasized about pheromones and sexual behavior?

Effects are often unconscious and not fully proven; evidence and mechanisms remain debated.

What key distinction does the course make about unconscious processing and behavior?

Unconscious processing occurs, but there is no definitive proof that it reliably alters behavior or thinking.

What is supraliminal stimuli?

Stimuli that are perceived consciously.

What is the difference between subliminal perception and subliminal persuasion in practical terms?

Perception refers to noticing stimuli outside awareness; persuasion refers to attempting to change thoughts or behavior without conscious awareness.