Simon and Chabris (1999) Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What is the full name of this study?

A

Simons & Chabris (1999) Gorillas in our midst: sustained in-attentional blindness for dynamic events

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What does this study build upon?

A

classic studies of divided visual attention to:
- examine inattentional blindness for complex objects and events in dynamic scenes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What did previous studies fail to do?

A
  • not systematically consider the role of task difficulty in detection
  • no direct comparisons made between performance and superimposed version of the display with a live version
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How did this study aim to correct past failures?

A
  • several video segments
  • same set of actions
  • same location
  • same day
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is an overview of this study?

A
  • large number of naïve participants watched video recordings
  • later answer questions about unexpected event
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the sample?

A
  • 228 participants = ‘observers’
  • undergraduates
  • volunteers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a strength of the sample?

A

large = more representative = population validity = generalisable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a weakness of the sample?

A

36 participants were removed = 192 as the sample

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the sampling technique?

A

self-selected (volunteer)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is a strength of volunteer sampling?

A

easy to obtain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a weakness of volunteer sampling?

A

only a certain type of person volunteers = not as representative or generalisable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What were the participants given as a reward for participating?

A

either a large candy bar or paid a single fee

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is a strength of offering a reward?

A

gives incentive to stay and complete the study - less chance of attrition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is a weakness of offering a reward?

A

participants may not feel like they have the right to withdraw

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What was the sample for the controlled observation?

A

12

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What was the controlled observation?

A

the video where the gorilla thumps its chest

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What was the method used for this study?

A

laboratory experiment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is a strength of the method?

A
  • high control over extraneous variables = more valid results
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is a weakness of the method?

A
  • lacks ecological validity
  • lacks mundane realism
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is the design?

A

independent measures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the strengths of the design?

A
  • less chance of order effects
  • less chance of demand characteristics
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the weaknesses of the design?

A

more participants are needed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What are the 4 IVs?

A

1- Transparent/umbrella
2- Transparent/gorilla
3- Opaque/umbrella
4- Opaque/gorilla

24
Q

What are the 4 task conditions?

A

1- White/Easy (passes by white shirts)
2- White/Hard (bounce or aerial passes by white shirts)
3- Black/Easy (passes by black shirts)
4- Black/Hard (bounce or aerial passes by black shirts)

25
Q

How many conditions are there total?

A

16

26
Q

What is the DV?

A

noticing the unexpected event

27
Q

What type of media was used in this study?

A
  • videotapes
  • 4
  • 75 seconds each
  • filmed using SVHS
28
Q

What did each tape have in common?

A
  • 2 teams
  • 3 players each (6)
  • white shirts vs. black shirts
29
Q

What apparatus was used?

A

a standard orange basketball

30
Q

Where did the videos get filmed?

A

in front of 3 elevator doors

31
Q

What was the standardised passing order?

A

1-2-3-1-2-3-1

32
Q

What type of movements were often displayed?

A
  • bounce or aerial passes
  • dribbling
  • moving arms
  • other movements of a similar fashion
33
Q

What was the purpose of the movement of the players?

A

to mimic stimuli from previous research

34
Q

When in the videos did the unexpected event occur?

A

44-48 seconds in

35
Q

How long did the unexpected event last?

A

5 seconds

36
Q

What was the unexpected event in one condition?

A
  • umbrella
  • tall woman
  • left to right
37
Q

What was the unexpected event in the other condition?

A
  • gorilla costume
  • short woman
  • covered whole body (by costume)
  • left to right
38
Q

What was the separate video also filmed?

A
  • gorilla event
  • right to left instead
  • opaque
39
Q

What were the two styles of video?

A

opaque and transparent

40
Q

How were the transparent videos filmed?

A
  • all parts filmed separately
  • superimposed through editing software
  • non-linear editing software
41
Q

How were the opaque videos filmed?

A
  • simultaneously
  • rehearsal was needed
42
Q

Why was rehearsal needed for the opaque videos?

A
  • eliminate collisions
  • making the patterns of movement appear natural
43
Q

How many experimenters were there?

A

21

44
Q

Why were there so many experimenters?

A

to ensure standardisation = more reliable

45
Q

How were participants tested?

A

individually

46
Q

What ethical issue was addressed at the start of the study?

A

informed consent

47
Q

What were participants told before they watched the video?

A
  • an outline of what the video is eg., a video of 6 people 3 in white shirts and 3 in black passing a basketball
  • who to focus on e.g., the white shirts and how many passes
48
Q

What were participants told to do?

A
  • keep a mental count of passes (easy con) or aerial and bounce passes (hard con)
  • write down amount they counted on paper immediately after
49
Q

What were participants asked after they watched the video?

A

3 surprise questions

50
Q

What were some of the surprise questions?

A

1- did you notice anything unusual?
2- anything other than the 6 players?
3- [unexpected event]?

51
Q

Why were some participants details omitted?

A
  • already aware of the phenomenon
  • lost count of passes
  • inaccurately counted passes
52
Q

What are some general findings?

A
  • 54% noticed the unexpected event
  • more noticeable in the opaque condition
  • 33% failed to report the unexpected event
  • transparent condition harder
  • umbrella woman was noticed more than the gorilla
53
Q

What are some specific findings?

A
  • noticed gorilla more when watching black team = 58% vs. 27%
54
Q

What are the findings of the controlled observation?

A
  • 50% noticed the unexpected event
55
Q

What are the conclusions of this study?

A
  • individuals are more likely to notice an event if they are visually similar
  • individuals have sustained inattentional blindness for dynamic events