PS262 Chapter 6: Visual Attention (terms)

attention

the process of focusing on certain information while ignoring other information

overt attention

directing attention by moving your eyes toward something

example:

• turning your head and looking at someone who calls your name in class

covert attention

paying attention without moving your eyes

example:

• staring at your laptop during lecture but listening to people talking behind you

dichotic listening

listening to different messages in each ear at the same time

example:

• hearing two conversations simultaneously through headphones and trying to focus on and repeat only one of them

selective attention

focusing on one stimulus while ignoring others

example:

• studying in a busy cafe while focusing on your textbook and ignoring nearby conversations

attended ear

the ear that the listener is instructed to focus on during dichotic listening

broadbent’s filter model

theory that attention works like a filter, allowing only selected information to be processed

spatial attention

focusing attention on a specific location in space

posner precueing experiment

study showing that cues about where a stimulus will appear speed up responses

valid trial

the cue correctly predicts where the stimulus appears

invalid trial

the cue predicts the wrong location

spotlight model of attention

attention works like a spotlight, enhancing processing in one area

feature integration theory (treisman)

theory explaining how attention combines object features like colour and shape

preattentive stage: feature integration theory

early stage where features are processed automatically and separately

focused attention stage: feature integration theory

stage where attention combines features together

binding: feature integration theory

the process of combining features into a single object

illusory conjunction: feature integration theory

when features from different objects are mistakenly combined

example:

• seeing a green triangle when none exists

visual search

looking for a target object among other objects

example:

• looking for your friend in a crowded lecture hall

feature search

search based on one feature (fast, target “pops out”)

example:

• finding a red circle among many blue circles

conjunction search

search based on multiple features (slower and requires attention)

example:

• finding a red circle among red squares and blue circles

visual scanning: eye movements

looking around a scene by moving the eyes

fixation: eye movements

when the eyes pause briefly on an object

saccade: eye movements

a rapid eye movement between fixations

fovea: eye movements

area of the retina with the sharpest vision

visual salience: what directs attention

when something stands out visually and attracts attention

examples:

• bright colour

• high contrast

• movement

attentional capture: what directs attention

when a stimulus automatically grabs attention

saliency map: what directs attention

a map showing which areas of a scene are most visually noticeable

top-down attention: what directs attention

attention directed by goals, knowledge, or expectations

example:

• searching for your car in a parking lot

task demands: what directs attention

attention guided by the steps needed to complete a task

example:

• making a sandwich

scene schema: what directs attention

knowledge about what objects normally appear in certain scenes

example:

• expecting a stove in a kitchen

attention speeds up processing: benefits of attention

people respond faster to things they are paying attention to

attention influences appearance: benefits of attention

attended objects may appear stronger or clearer

parahippocampal place area (PPA)

brain region involved in scene and place recognition

fusiform face area (FFA)

brain region specialized for face perception

inattentional blindness

failing to notice a visible object because attention is focused elsewhere

example:

• while counting how many times a basketball team passes the ball, a person walks through the scene in a gorilla suit, but many people don’t notice it because they’re focused on counting passes

change blindness

failing to notice a change in a scene after a brief interruption

example:

• looking at two pictures of the same room shown one after the other, but not noticing that a lamp has disappeared between the images

distractors

stimuli that are irrelevant to the task but compete for attention

load theory of attention

when a task is demanding, fewer distractors are processed

distracted driving: smartphone distraction

using a phone while driving reduces attention and slows reaction time

important finding:

• hands-free phones do not eliminate the problem

spatial neglect: attention disorders

a neurological condition where a person ignores one side of space

• usually caused by right hemisphere brain damage

focused attention mediation

a type of meditation where attention is focused on one thing (like breathing)

• meditation can improve attention control and awareness