25-1: 2050 Learning and Cognition > Wk7: Attentional Control, WM > Flashcards

Wk7: Attentional Control, WM Flashcards

Exam-like questions: (1) phenomenon, (2) experiment, (3) theory (44 cards)

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1
Q

Parallel Search

Phenomenon

A
  • Feature/ disjunctive/ pop-out search
  • Searching all item simultaneously/ in parallel
  • Number of distractors irrelevant to how quickly stimuli is found
  • E.g. a red x among black x’s
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2
Q

Serial Search

Phenomenon

A
  • Conjunction search
  • Searching each item individually/ serially
  • Number of distractors linearly increase search time (time as a function of set size)
  • E.g. a red x among black x’s and red o’s
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3
Q

Feature Integration Theory

Theory

A
  • Elementary features (colour, shape, motion) automatically processed
  • Individual feature “maps” (map of reds, map of o’s/ round shapes) give locations of these features
  • These maps can be read without focussed attention
  • Attention required to bind features to an object
  • Binding required for object recognition in serial tasks
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4
Q

Preattentive visual search

Theory, part

A
  • Feature integration theory
  • Preattentive = parallel
  • Efficient, quick, automatic
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5
Q

Attentive visual search

Theory, part

A
  • Feature integration theory
  • Attentive = serial
  • Inefficient, slow, required focus (‘manual’ search)
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6
Q

Limitations of feature integration theory

Theory, part

A
  • Features don’t always pop-out
  • Similarity of targets and distractors increases reaction time
  • Heterogeneity of distractors (distractors having less feature similarities) increases reaction time
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7
Q

How does the heterogeneity of distractors in search tasks impact reaction time?
What does this disprove?

Phenomenon

A

Heterogeneity is the increase in variation of distracting stimuli (opposing homogeneity, similarity of stimuli)
Increases reaction time
Limitation of feature integration theory (features the same but “pop-out” search doesn’t apply)

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8
Q

Difference between feature integration theory (Treisman) and guided search (Wolfe)

Theory

A

FIT posits there is preattentive search, where feature maps do not require attention to read and search is parallel
FIT is a dichotomous model
Guided search posits all search is attentive, and features guide serial search
Guided search is a continuous model

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9
Q

What is the attentional blink?

Phenomenon

A
  • The phenomenon where 200-600 ms after target stimuli is presented in RSVP tasks, any other relevant stimuli go unnoticed.
  • AB doesn’t occur as often before 200 ms (Lag-1-sparing)
  • AB reduces as Target 1 becomes easier to identify (no retention necessary)
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10
Q

RSVP

Experiment

A

Rapid search visual presentation
Present ~15 items per stream; stream consists of items with one stimuli (red x, green 1, blue w)
Px told to report number of target stimuli (letters, red, red letter, etc.)

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11
Q

What does the attentional blink tell us about attention?

Phenomenon

A

Evidence for resource depletion, capacity/ structural limits (T1 difficulty factor)
Attentional control mechanisms for selecting targets and rejecting distractors (Lag-1-sparing)

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12
Q

What are task sets and what factors into them?

Phenomenon

A
  • The series of tasks requires to set up for the new task
  • Includes establishment (of new tasks)
  • And disengaging (of previous tasks)
  • Results in switching costs
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13
Q

What is a paradigm (experiment) that shows task switching?

Experiment

A

Two tasks, using the left (L) and right (R) arrows to respond
Letter task: L for consonants, R for vowels
Digit task: L for even, R for odd numbers
A letter and digit was always presented in 1 of 4 spaces in a 2x2 grid
Letter task when stimuli appeared in the top row
Digit task for the bottom row
DV: Compare switching to non-switching accuracy and reaction time

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14
Q

Task Switching paradigm results

Experiment

A

Switching tasks has a significantly higher RT compared to non-switching tasks
Learning present: RT for switching tasks decreased over second day, but was never eliminated

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15
Q

In task-switching paradigms, switching from an easy to a hard task (increases/decreases) the cost?

Phenomenon

A
  • Increases
  • Switching to easier tasks are harder because its harder to disengage from tasks than engage in them
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16
Q

What is the theory task set reconfiguration?

Theory

A
  • Task switching costs are a result of the difficulty in “reconfiguring” (establishing new and disengaging old) tasks
  • Can be rededuced; never eliminated
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17
Q

What is some evidence for task set reconfiguration?

Theory

A
  • Supported by Supported by preparation time effects: more notice before switch reduces cost
  • Supported by unecessary disengagement: using diff responses for same stimuli in 2 tasks decreases cost
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18
Q

What are preparation time effects and how can you explain them?

Theory

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A
  • Seen is task-cuing paradigm (given notice before task switching trial)
  • px perform better with more notice
  • This is because px have more time to reconfigure before tasks
  • Controlled for time between tasks (notice trials vs. non-notice (same duration) trials)
19
Q

What are some exogenous effects of task-switching?

Theory

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A
  • Cannot start task unless stimulus (stimulus-driven) is present
  • Task-switching paradigm: congruent vs incongruent A and B task response effects RT; indicates learning of response behaviour (bottom-up)
20
Q

What are the factors of Baddeley’s WM model?

Theory

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A
  • Central executive
  • Phronological loop
  • Visuo-spacial sketchpad
  • Episodic buffer
21
Q

What is the function of the central executive related to WM

Theory

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A
  • Interface b/w WM and LTM
  • Co-ordinates subsidiaries (phron, VS, buffer) of WM
  • Controls encoding and retrieval
  • Switching attention
  • Mental manippulation of slave system material
22
Q

What is the evidence for the central executive?

Evidence

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A
  • Increasing CE load decreases ability to generate random numbers (CE generates random numbers)
  • Increasing load via chess, reasoning, problem solving, mental arithmetic, semantic item generation (name random countries)
23
Q

What are the two components of the phronological loop

Theory

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A
  • The inner ear - I don’t hear my rendition of Lady Gaga, i hear Gaga
  • The inner voice - I hear my own voice when reciting pi
24
Q

What is the name of the evidence for the phronological loop?

Evidence

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Phronological similarity
  • Irrelevant speech effect
  • Word length effect
  • Concurrent articulation
25
What is phronological similarity? What does it proove? ## Footnote Evidence
* When px presented with similar sounding stimuli, they struggle to recall that stimuli more * Occurs across individual letters, words, spelling differences (e.g. caught, sort) * Phronologically similar items being confused demonstrates these items are remembered using a system for phronologically similar stimuli
26
What is the irrelevant speech effect? What does this proove? ## Footnote Evidence
* When doing auditory recall tasks, other (irrelevant) auditory stimuli inhibit recall ability * Effect found for music, foreign language, backward speak * Effect **not** found for white noise, or volume * We automatically process speech in the phronological loop
27
What is the word length effect? What does this proove? ## Footnote Evidence
* Tendency for people to find it easier to recall shorter (rather than longer) words * Effect present regardless of syllables, and in recognition (not recall) tasks * Px without vocalisation show effect; Px without speech programming do *not* show effect * Int: not vocalisation or recall - not about rehersal duration * Int: problems with understanding words as speech - phron about words as speech, not as phonemes
28
What is concurrent articulation? What does this proove? ## Footnote Evidence
* Px repeat phonemes (la-la, the-the, etc.) suppress the phronological similarity effect and word length effect * Indicates it uses the same phronological system * Int: Eliminates vocal rehersal and auditory encoding of stimuli
29
What effects do the phronological loop have on language? ## Footnote Theory
* Not required for language comprehension * Impairs language learning when absent in children
30
What are the two components of the visuo-spacial sketchpad?
* Visual cache: visual patterns; "what did you see?" * Inner scribe: spacial based rehersal; "copy my movement" * VS as a book * Visual cache, like a published, printed, official book I read * Inner scribe, like a notebook I write in, copying the words as I read
31
What is the visuo-spatial sketchpad? How do you test is? ## Footnote Theory
* WM for imagery * Corsi tapping task: boxes on a page, get px to tap them in an order * Concurrent speech does not effect VS; load up phronological loop to ensure you're testing VS alone
32
What is the purpose and function of the VS? ## Footnote Theory
* Spacial tasks: driving, walking, sport * Tracking visual changes: playing peekaboo doesn't eman i disappeared * Maintaining spacial orientation, directing mvmt: "walk straight" where's straight? * Instruction of VS info: directions use visual cues, e.g. "go left at the ugly statue"
33
What effects does the Baddeley model explain? ## Footnote Theory
* Explains modality effects (diff in VS, audio load) * Explains limitations of memory * Does **not** explain interaction of these stores enough - needs expanding
34
What is the slot model of visual WM? ## Footnote Theory
* Luck and Vogel * Limit of number of objects held in memory. Capacity is fixed (usually at 4); no more memory after that
35
What is the resource model of visual WM? ## Footnote Theory
* Alvarez and Cavangh * Limited supply of memory continuously distributed among objects * Items given more resources stored with less noise
36
What is the disengagement theory of task switching? ## Footnote Theory
* TS decays after minutes * Impairs adoption of new task set
37
What is the endogenous + exogenous theory of task switching ## Footnote Theory
* Endogenous (top-down internal) component requires time * Endogenous prep time reduces RT * Exogenous (stimulus-driven) component only occurs with stimulus presence * Exogenous component can never be eliminated
38
What is the endogenous only theory of task switching? ## Footnote Theory
* Endogenous (top-down internal) component requires time * Endogenous prep time reduces RT * Not preparing adequately results in task-switch costs * Probs incorrect; need to condider exogenous factors
39
Evidence for the endogenous component in task switching costs includes a) Practice effects b) Preparation time effects c) Inter-trial effects d) None of the above
b) Preparation time effects * Giving notice reduces TS costs * Giving time and no notice does **not** reduce TS costs * Practice of tasks does not reduce TS costs
40
What effects do practice have on control? ## Footnote Phenomenon
* Improves performance * Reduces task effort * Facillitates restructuring and coordination of concurrent tasks (multitasking-ish)
41
How would you test automaticity? ## Footnote Experiment
Present px with two target letters, respond if they appear in the trial; a sequence of 15 items in rapid succession. Target letters change for each trial IV: stimuli have either 2 or 4 letters IV: Target letters were never distractors (categorical), or were distractors in other trials (mixed) DV: C did better; C initially performed better in 2 than 4, but more sessions eliminated difference. M always did better in 2 than 4 Int: C learned automatic response to target letters (no matter what); M could not because response was conditional.
42
What are the characteristics of automatic processes? ## Footnote Theory
* Without awareness * Without conscious delibertion * Without resource expenditure * Fast * Rigid/ habitual
43
What are the characteristics of Logan's theory of automaticity? ## Footnote Theory
* Based in knowledge aquisition * Seperate memory for each encounter * Practice = storage of how to respond to stimuli * Rapid retrieval i.e. going from untouched ground (novel) to a beaten, dirt path (automaticity) - knowing where to step (stim response), based on experience (seperate memory)
44
What are the problems with current criteria of automaticity? ## Footnote Phenomena
* Well-practised tasks still impacted by task load - automaticity not free of resources * Confuse "awareness" with "intent" - accidentely taking the road to work instead of the M1, I am aware I'm driving, it is the intention that was automatic

25-1: 2050 Learning and Cognition (11 decks)

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