Attention Flashcards
Forms of Attention
- Endogenous and Exogenous.
- Covert and Overt.
- Selective and Divided.
Endogenous Attention
Is internally driven, where you consciously choose to focus on something.
It’s like intentionally deciding to read a book.
Exogenous Attention
Is externally triggered, often by sudden or salient stimuli.
It’s like when a loud noise grabs your attention involuntarily.
Covert Attention
Is when you mentally focus on something without any observable outward movement.
For example, silently reading a book.
Overt Attention
Involves physically moving your sensory organs.
Like moving your eyes to look at an object or turning your head towards a sound.
Selective Attention
Is when you focus on one thing while ignoring others.
It’s like listening to a single conversation in a crowded room.
Divided Attention
Is when you split your attention between two or more tasks simultaneously.
Such as texting while watching TV.
Models of Selective Attention
- Filter Model or Early Selection Model (Broadbent).
- Late Selection Model (Deutsch & Deutsch).
- Attenuation Model (Treisman).
Filter Model or Early Selection Model
The Filter Model, proposed by Broadbent, is like a gatekeeper at a party who only allows certain guests to enter.
In this model, sensory information is initially processed, but there’s an early selection process where only a limited amount of information is allowed to pass through for further processing. The rest of the information is filtered out and not consciously perceived.
For example, imagine you’re at a noisy party, and you can only pay attention to one conversation while ignoring all others.
Late Selection Model
The Late Selection Model, proposed by Deutsch and Deutsch, is like a security guard who checks the ID of every partygoer before deciding who can enter.
In this model, all sensory information is fully processed, and selection occurs at a later stage based on the meaning or relevance of the information. So, even though everything is processed, you only pay attention to what’s deemed important.
For instance, consider reading a book while the TV is on. You may not consciously hear the TV, but if your name is mentioned, you’ll suddenly tune in.
Attenuation Model
The Attenuation Model, proposed by Treisman, is like having a volume knob for different sources of information.
This model suggests that all incoming information is processed to some extent, but a selective filter allows some information to be processed more deeply, while attenuating or weakening others (based on relevance).
For example, think of listening to music with lyrics while working. When the lyrics are relevant (e.g., your favorite song), you pay full attention. When they’re not, they become background noise, still processed but at a reduced level.
Divided Attention & Processing Capacity
Divided attention refers to the ability to focus on multiple tasks simultaneously.
Processing capacity is the limit to how much information can be processed at once.
It’s like juggling tasks while considering your mental “bandwidth.”
Automatic & Controlled Processing
Automatic processing occurs without conscious effort and often with practice, like riding a bike.
Controlled processing requires conscious attention, such as learning to drive a car.
Attention Networks
- Alerting.
- Orienting (posterior network).
- Executive (anterior network).
Orientation or Posterior Network
The Orientation Network helps us direct attention to specific sensory information in our environment.
It’s like turning your head to look at something that caught your eye.
