Chapter 4: Interacting with the Environment

Question 1

selective attention

Answer 1

the process by which one input is attended to and the rest are tuned out

Question 2

Broadbent Filter Model of Selective Attention

Answer 2

Inputs from the environment first enter a sensory buffer; one of the inputs is then selected and filtered based on physical characteristics of the input; the information enters short-term memory storage, where semantic processing occurs

Question 3

cocktail party effect

Answer 3

occurs when information of personal importance from previously unattended channels catches our attention

Question 4

Trainman’s Attenuation Model

Answer 4

tried to account for the cocktail party effect; rather than a filter, the mind has an attenuator that turns down the unattended sensory input, rather than eliminating it

Question 5

selective priming

Answer 5

people can be selectively primed to observe something, either by encountering it frequently or having an expectation

Question 6

spotlight model

Answer 6

the spotlight (attention) is a bean that can shine anywhere within an individual’s visual field; the shifting of attention requires us to unlock the beam from its current target, move the focus, and lock onto a new target

Question 7

binding problem

Answer 7

the problem of how all these different aspects are assembled together an related to a single object

Question 8

divided attention

Answer 8

concerns when and if we are able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously

Question 9

resource model of attention

Answer 9

says that we have a limited pool of resources from which to draw from when performing tasks

Question 10

What three factors are associated with performance on multi-tasking?

Answer 10

1. task similarity (if two activities are similar they interfere with each other)
2. task difficulty
3. practice

Question 11

controlled tasks

Answer 11

require flexibility and drain more resources (are typically not multitasked)

Question 12

working memory

Answer 12

short-term memory

Question 13

Baddley’s Model of Working Memory

Answer 13

stated that working memory consisted of 4 parts: the phonological loop, the visuospatial sketchpad, the episodic buffer, and the central executive

Question 14

phonological loop

Answer 14

allows us to repeat verbal information to help us remember it

Question 15

visuospatial sketchpad

Answer 15

allows us to repeat mental images to help us remember visuospatial information

Question 16

episodic buffer

Answer 16

occurs when information in the working memory can interact with information in long-term memory

Question 17

central executive

Answer 17

orchestrates the process of working memory by shifting and dividing attention

Question 18

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

Answer 18

1. Sensorimotor Stage (birth to 2 years)- babies experience the world through their senses and movement; they learn object permanence; they demonstrate stranger anxiety
2. Preoperational Stage (ages 2 to 7)- children learn that things can be represented by symbols, such as words or images; the lack logical reasoning; they are egocentric
3. Concrete Operational Stage (ages 7 to 11)- children learn to think logically about concrete events; they learn the principle of conservation
4. Formal Operational Stage (ages 11 to adulthood)- people learn from abstract reasoning and moral reasoning

Question 19

recall

Answer 19

retrieving information from memory without any clues

Question 20

recognition

Answer 20

retrieving information from memory with clues

Question 21

heuristics

Answer 21

mental shortcuts

Question 22

confirmation bias

Answer 22

the tendency to search only for information that confirms our preconceived thinking, rather than information that might not support it

Question 23

fixation

Answer 23

an inability to see a problem from a fresh perspective

Question 24

mental set

Answer 24

a tendency to fixate on a solution that worked in the past, though it may not apply to the current situation

Question 25

functional fixedness

Answer 25

a tendency to perceive the functions of objects as fixed and unchanging

Question 26

representativeness heuristic

Answer 26

a tendency to judge the likelihood of an event occurring based on our typical mental representation of those events (Ex-we tend to believe that more people die from shark attacks than from vending machines)

Question 27

availability heuristic

Answer 27

a tendency to make judgments based on how readily available information is in our memories

Question 28

belief bias

Answer 28

the tendency to judge arguments based on what one believes about their conclusions rather than on whether they use sound logic

Question 29

belief perseverance

Answer 29

a tendency to cling to beliefs despite the presence of contrary evidence