Cognitive Psychology: Attention Types, Theories, and Neuroscience

What is attention?

It is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring others.

What are the two main types of attention?

Divided attention and selective attention

What is divided attention?

It refers to the ability to process multiple sources of information simultaneously.

What is selective attention?

It is the process of focusing on a particular object in the environment for a certain period while ignoring other stimuli.

What is controlled processing?

It is a serial, effortful cognitive process that demands high levels of attention, typically used for complex or novel tasks.

What is automatic processing?

It is a parallel cognitive process that requires less effort and lower levels of attention, usually applied to simple or well-practiced tasks.

Who conducted a study on divided attention in driving?

David Strayer et al. (2003).

What was the dependent variable in Strayer's driving study?

The reaction time to press the brake in a car simulator.

What effect did hands-free conversations have on driving according to Strayer's study?

Hands-free conversations led to increased braking time, especially under high traffic conditions.

What is inattentional blindness?

It is a phenomenon where individuals fail to notice an unexpected stimulus in their visual field when focused on another task.

What did Wikman et al. (1998) study regarding driving experience?

They studied the effects of driving experience on attention while driving and tuning a radio or dialing a phone.

What is the Stroop effect?

It demonstrates the interference that automatic processing (reading) has on controlled processing (color naming).

What happens during the Stroop task?

Participants are asked to name the color of the ink used for words rather than reading the words themselves, which can lead to slower responses due to interference.

What is Broadbent's Bottleneck Theory?

It suggests that attention has limits and only a certain amount of information can be processed at one time, filtering out unattended information early in the processing stream.

What is Treisman's Feature Integration Theory?

It proposes that feature detection is automatic and occurs first, followed by feature integration, which is a controlled process requiring focused attention.

What is the role of the Anterior Attention System?

It is involved in top-down control and focused attention, screening relevant information from irrelevant stimuli.

What is the Posterior Attention System responsible for?

It regulates visual search and is involved in spatial attention.

What is unilateral neglect?

A condition often following a stroke where a patient fails to attend to stimuli on one side of space, typically the left side after a right-sided stroke.

What is the Cocktail Party Effect?

It refers to the ability to focus on a single conversation in a noisy environment, while filtering out other conversations.

What did Cherry's (1958) Dichotic Listening Task demonstrate?

It showed that participants could track content in the attended ear but often missed changes in the non-attended ear, such as language changes.

What is the significance of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) in the Stroop Effect?

It is active during the Stroop task, indicating its role in detecting conflict between automatic and controlled processes.

What is the difference between distributed attention and focused attention?

Focused attention involves concentrating on a specific task, while distributed attention allows for processing multiple stimuli simultaneously.

What does the term 'feature detection' refer to in attention studies?

It is the initial automatic process of identifying specific attributes of stimuli.

What is the purpose of the Clock Drawing Test in assessing attention?

It is used to evaluate spatial awareness and attention in patients, particularly those with unilateral neglect.