Topic 5: attention

Question 1

Define perceptual experience

Answer 1

• Response of whole person to stimulus
• Stimulus > perception = depends on who you are + with who + expectations +values

Question 2

Explain how perception is measured

Answer 2

• Qualitative measurement = not reliable in practice as it is objective
• Absolute threshold = minimum intensity required for senses to be perceived HOWEVER not reliable across individuals/situation
• Subliminal priming = presenting stimulus at high speed = not consciously recognized + when presented with +/- stimuli = more accuracy predicting -ve stimuli = due to predisposition in cases of danger

Question 3

What are the 3 factors affecting perception?

Answer 3

1) Degree of interest: perception more accurate + detailed when individual interested in subject
2) External stimuli: changes in environment e.g. lighting/sound can direct/redirect focus = perception adaptable to circumstances
3) Influence of ideas: pre-existing thoughts/beliefs/mental states

Question 4

Define inattentional blindness

Answer 4

Phenomena where foveally presented changes not detected by individual

Question 5

Give an example of a study of attention

Answer 5

• Simon + Levin
• Students at Harvard stopped and asked for directions
• Midway board carried between participant + experimenter = experimenters switched with similar but not identical
• Continued conversation = 50% didn’t notice change
• 2nd experiment = dressed as construction workers = more noticeable differences
• 2/3 didn’t notice change

Question 6

Define attentional bias

Answer 6

• Focusing attention to 1 stimulus = reduces capacity to focus on others
• Attention distributed = concern-related cues

Question 7

How does attentional bias affect addiction?

Answer 7

• Drug/alcohol dependant individuals = distracted by drug related stimuli
• Therefore find it hard to ignore them
• Study by Cox/Hogan/Kristian/Race = found increased attentional bias for alcohol-related cues at treatment = predicted risk of relapse 6 months

Question 8

How does attentional bias affect emotion?

Answer 8

• Concern-related stimuli activate memories/thoughts of negative stimuli
• Causes = negative effect on health + behaviour

Question 9

How does attentional bias affect motivation?

Answer 9

• Motivation for a goal = increase attendance towards goal-related info
• However can cause not attending fully to info not desirable