Chapter 4
How do external and internal attention interact in everyday tasks?
In daily tasks, external and internal attention often work together. For instance, while participating in a meeting (external attention), a person might internally strategize how to respond or recall relevant information from memory (internal attention). Effective interaction between the two is crucial for successful task performance.
How does the articulatory rehearsal loop function?
The articulatory rehearsal loop functions by encoding verbal information through a phonological store (which holds sounds) and a rehearsal mechanism that repeats the information to keep it active. For example, when trying to remember a phone number, a person might silently repeat the digits to themselves, using the loop to prevent forgetting.
What is consistency bias?
Consistency bias is a cognitive bias that refers to the tendency of individuals to perceive their past attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors as being more consistent with their current views than they actually were. This bias leads people to remember their past self as being more aligned with their present self, often overlooking changes in opinions or behaviors over time
What is feature integration theory?
Feature integration theory (FIT) is a cognitive theory proposed by Anne Treisman that explains how individuals perceive and recognize objects in their environment. The theory posits that visual perception occurs in two stages: the preattentive stage, where basic features (such as color, shape, and orientation) are processed independently, and the focused attention stage, where these features are combined to form a coherent perception of an object.
What is the main objective of the Luck and Vogel 1997 change detection studies?
The primary objective of change detection studies is to investigate how individuals perceive and recognize changes in visual scenes or arrays. Researchers aim to understand the capacity of visual short-term memory (VSTM) and the mechanisms involved in detecting changes in stimuli over time.
How do overt and covert attention differ in their impact on perception?
Overt attention often enhances perception of the attended stimulus due to direct sensory focus, allowing for clearer and more detailed processing. Covert attention can also enhance perception, enabling individuals to process information from a stimulus without directly looking at it. However, covert attention may provide less detail compared to overt attention.
What is the episodic buffer?
The episodic buffer is a component of Baddeley’s model of working memory, introduced to explain how different types of information are integrated and temporarily stored. It acts as a multi-dimensional storage system that combines verbal, visual, and spatial information into coherent episodes, allowing for more complex processing.
Describe distributed practice vs massed practice
Distributed practice involves spreading out study sessions or practice over time, allowing for breaks between learning sessions. This approach is often more effective for long-term retention of information because it allows for consolidation and reduces cognitive overload.
Massed practice refers to studying or practicing a skill in a concentrated manner, with little to no breaks between sessions. For example, cramming for an exam by studying intensively over a short period of time is an example of massed practice. While it may lead to short-term gains, it often results in poorer retention over the long term.
What are the two types of cognitive load according to load theory?
What methodology is commonly used in change detection studies?
A typical methodology involves presenting participants with an array of visual items (such as colored squares) for a brief period. After a short delay, the same array is presented again, but with some items altered. Participants are asked to indicate whether any changes occurred. Variations can include altering the number of items or the complexity of the scene to assess the limits of memory and attention.
What is feature-based attention?
Feature-based attention is the process of focusing on specific attributes or features of objects within a visual scene, such as color, shape, or motion. This type of attention allows individuals to selectively process relevant features while filtering out irrelevant information.
What is mental chronometry?
Mental chronometry is the study of the time it takes for cognitive processes to occur. It involves measuring the reaction times associated with specific mental tasks to understand the timing and sequence of cognitive operations. This method is often used to investigate how long it takes to perceive information, make decisions, or respond to stimuli.
What is the forgetting curve?
The forgetting curve is a graphical representation of how information is lost over time when there is no attempt to retain it. Introduced by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, it illustrates that memory retention decreases rapidly shortly after learning, then levels off, indicating that some information can be retained longer than others.
What is attention restoration theory?
Attention restoration theory (ART) is a psychological framework proposed by Stephen Kaplan and Rachel Kaplan that suggests exposure to natural environments can help restore an individual’s ability to focus and concentrate. The theory posits that directed attention can become fatigued, and that natural settings can provide restorative benefits by allowing the mind to recover and rejuvenate.
What was the primary focus of Vogel et al. (2005) regarding visual working memory?
The primary focus of the study was to investigate the capacity limitations of visual working memory and the role of attention in filtering out irrelevant information. The researchers aimed to understand how well individuals can detect changes in visual arrays when distractors are present.
What is the cocktail party problem?
The cocktail party problem refers to the challenge of focusing on a single conversation in a noisy environment filled with multiple overlapping sounds, like at a party. It illustrates how humans can selectively attend to one auditory stream (e.g., a friend's voice) while filtering out others (background chatter and music).
What is task-switch cost?
Task-switch cost refers to the increase in time and/or errors that occurs when an individual switches from one task to another. This phenomenon reflects the cognitive load involved in reconfiguring mental processes to adapt to the demands of a new task, leading to decreased performance immediately following the switch.
What is infantile amnesia?
Infantile amnesia refers to the phenomenon where individuals are unable to recall memories from early childhood, typically before the age of 3 to 4 years. This lack of early memory is thought to stem from various cognitive and neurological factors related to brain development.
What was the main objective of Jacoby et al.'s 1989 study?
The main objective of the study was to investigate the difference between two types of memory retrieval: recollection (remembering) and familiarity (knowing). The researchers aimed to determine how these two processes operate in recognition memory and how they can be influenced by factors such as context and prior exposure.
What did the Vogel et al 2005 study reveal about the capacity limits of visual working memory?
The study revealed that visual working memory typically has a capacity limit of around 3 to 4 items. When participants were shown arrays with more items than this limit, their ability to detect changes decreased significantly, indicating that memory performance is heavily influenced by the number of items being processed.
What is emotion-induced blindness?
Emotion-induced blindness is a phenomenon where strong emotional stimuli can impair the perception of subsequent visual information. When individuals are exposed to emotionally charged events or images, they may become less aware of or fail to notice neutral stimuli that appear afterward.
Can you provide an example of how the Yerkes-Dodson curve could affect a public speaker?
A speaker may perform well with moderate anxiety, which can enhance focus and energy. However, if their anxiety becomes too high, they may struggle to remember their points or become overwhelmed, leading to poor performance. Conversely, if they are too relaxed, they may lack the necessary drive and engagement to deliver an impactful presentation.
What is the method of loci?
The method of loci, also known as the memory palace technique, is a mnemonic device that involves visualizing a familiar spatial environment to aid in the recall of information. By associating items to be remembered with specific locations within that environment, individuals can enhance their memory retrieval.
What methodology did Jacoby et al. use in their study?
The study involved participants learning a list of words and then undergoing a recognition test. Participants were divided into different conditions based on whether the words were presented in a standard format or with an additional context (e.g., presented in a specific font or color). After the learning phase, participants were asked to recognize words and indicate whether they "remembered" the word or "knew" it (i.e., felt familiarity without recalling specific details).
How did the use of event-related potentials (ERPs) contribute to the findings of the study?
The use of event-related potentials (ERPs) allowed the researchers to measure brain activity associated with attention and memory processes. The findings showed that the P300 component, which indicates attentional allocation, was larger for relevant items than for distractors. This provided electrophysiological evidence that the brain allocates more resources to processing relevant information, highlighting the importance of attention in visual working memory tasks.