W4_lec2+3

Question 1

What are the 3 ways we can think of attention?

Answer 1

1. selective attention
2. attention as a resource
3. control vs automaticity

Question 2

Describe divided attention

Answer 2

splitting our attention amongst multiple tasks at once

Question 3

Describe the idea of capacity of limitation wrt attention being a resource

Answer 3

Its the idea that attention is a finite resource

Question 4

wrt the central processing bottleneck - dual task performance
a) which types of attention does it focus on - 1
b) What question is it trying to ANS? - 1
c) Describe the 2 tasks involved? - 6
d) describe the 3 processing stages involved? - 6
e) What were the results found? - 2
f) how does slack relate to this study? - 3
f) Describe th PRP (psychological refractory period) effect

Answer 4

a) attention as a resource
b) at which processing stage does the limitation in attention occur?
c)
- first task = indicate the correct tone (high, middle, low) with their right hand while
- second task = indicate the size of the shape (big, medium, small) with their left hand
d)
- perceptual analysis = understanding what they are seeing/hearing
- response selection/decision = the decision on how to respond
- response processing = the act of responding
e) they found that the response time of the second task gradually INC as the distance b/w when the first and second task occurred grew (INC rxn time ~ INC SOA)
f) they found that the perceptual analysis was able to occur at the same time as the first task however the response selection/decision of the second task could not be at the same time as the response selection/decision of the first task. Thus the slack indicates the time b/w the completion of the perceptual analysis and the start of the response selection/decision of the second task
g) the effect that prevents the response selection/decision for both tasks from happening simultaneously

Question 5

In the dual task performance which one would results in a faster response time?
a) short SOA
b) long SOA
c) more slack
d) less slack

Answer 5

b

Question 6

in the dual task performance which one represents what would happen during a faster response time?
a) short SOA
b) long SOA
c) more slack
d) less slack

Answer 6

d

Question 7

T or F - the perceptual analysis in the dual task performance study can only be done one at a time

Answer 7

F - its the response selection/decision process that cannot be done simultaneously in multiple tasks

Question 8

Describe the idea of sustained attention

Answer 8

the idea that there is a limit to how long we can pay attention to something

Question 9

Describe two tasks that can be used to assess sustained attention

Answer 9

1. the sustained attention to response task (SART) = you are shown a number on a screen which slowly changes. you must indicate when you see a certain number
2. vigilance task (Mackworth clock task) = a dot is circulating around slowly and you must indicate when it skips a spot

Question 10

When testing sustained attention they find that as time _____ the amount of errors you make ______
a) INC, DEC
b) INC, INC
c) DEC, DEC
d) DEC, INC

Answer 10

b

Question 11

Describe the following views wrt sustained attention
a) resource-depletion
b) underload view

Answer 11

a) over time our attention runs out due to it being a finite resource
b) due to our brain always seeking novelty once it gets bored of a task it will automatically focus on something else that is new causing you to lose concentration

Question 12

Describe the role of task-unrelated thoughts (TUT)

Answer 12

the idea that when our brain gets bored it starts to wander towards more novel thoughts

Question 13

Explain why we make more mistakes over time in the Mackworth clock test using the underload view

Answer 13

after sometime the mind becomes bored and begins to wander. That wandering DEC your concentration on the task itself resulting in you not noticing when the dot skips a spot.

Question 14

Describe the following types of processing. provide an example for each
a) controlled - 1
b) automatic

Answer 14

a) a conscious use of attention in order to exhibit a certain behaviour
- first learning to drive
b) a process that does not require conscious attention in order to be executed
- auto pilot while driving

Question 15

Describe the stroop effect

Answer 15

the idea that we use our controlled processing to suppress our automatic processing

Question 16

Describe what activates the following brain regions
a) anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
b) dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)

Answer 16

a) the conflict detection = when the controlled processing is fighting the automatic processing (recognizing a conflict)
b) when the controlled processing actively suppresses the automatic processing (overcoming the conflict)

Question 17

For the stroop effect what would the results be if you it was 75% congruent and 25% incongruent
a) worse performance for the congruent
b) better performance for the incongruent
c) better performance for the incongruent
d) worse performance for the congruent

Answer 17

b

Question 18

Which of the following stroop tasks involves indicating the direction of the central arrow
a) Eriksen flanker task
b) simon task
c) spatial stroop
d) emotional stroop

Answer 18

a

Question 19

Which of the following stroop tasks involves indicating the colour of the shape
a) Eriksen flanker task
b) simon task
c) spatial stroop
d) emotional stroop

Answer 19

b

Question 20

Which of the following stroop tasks involves indicating the directon of the arrow in the box
a) Eriksen flanker task
b) simon task
c) spatial stroop
d) emotional stroop

Answer 20

c

Question 21

Which of the following stroop tasks involves indicating the expression of the face
a) Eriksen flanker task
b) simon task
c) spatial stroop
d) emotional stroop

Answer 21

d

Question 22

In the task switching study which type of task is found to be more difficult
a) task A = constants vs vowels
b) task switch
c) task repletion
d) task B = even vs odd

Answer 22

b

Question 23

a) Describe mental set
b) which study is it involved in? how?
c) describe residual switch cost (RSC)

Answer 23

a) your mental state of cognitive processing while completing a certain task
b) task switching = when you undergo the repetition task you are able to react quickly due to using the same cog processing. However when you undergo the switch task you respond much slower due to having to switch to a new cog process (changing your mental set takes some time)
c) the cost of cog control b/w the switch task and the repetition task

Question 24

T or F - as you INC the response-stimulus interval in the task switching study the rxn time of the switch trials DEC until it reaches the repetition task

Answer 24

F - it does DEC a bit but then it plateaus

Question 25

Okay we know that the rxn for switch tasks vs repetition tasks in the task switching study is slower for the switch tasks but what if the participants could choose when you wish to switch? a) no change b) DEC rxn time for switch task c) INC rxn time for switch task d) DEC rxn time for repetition task e) INC rxn time for repetition task

Answer 25

a

Question 26

A researcher shows you 8 images each with a certain number of dots. You are required to tell her how many dots are on each slide. She uses the same slide and randomly flips over and over again. Over time your ability to state the number of dots on each slide becomes easier and easier. Which of the following is occurring? Which of the following sit would make the task harder a) INC the number of the same slides b) adding more slides with more dots c) changing the position of the dots for each slide but keeping the number of dots the same d) more than one of the above are true

Answer 26

d