EXSS 380 -FINAL EXAM 2 Questions
with Guaranteed Pass Solutions
2026/2027 Update.
Attention - Answer -selectively concentrating on a particular stimulus while ignoring other
perceivable information
-attention is a *limited resource*
types of stimuli - Answer 1. exogenous attention = external (bottom - up)
ex: alarms, stop light, touching a hot stove, etc.
2. endogenous attention = internal/intention (top - down)
ex: having a conversation during the middle of a loud party or consciously paying attention and
deciding how to interpret braille
attentional/change blindness - Answer -unaware of specific stimuli or a change in certain
stimuli
ex: videos where someone is talking to a person, a large object goes through the middle of them
and the person switches but they do not realize it
classical selective attention experiments - Answer dichotic listening task: selectively filtering
out information and deciding which to focus on
ex: headphones play two different recordings into opposite ears and the one that is said will be
the attended input and the other will be the ignored input
broadbent's early selection theory - Answer inputs (attended messages & unattended
message) ---> sensory store --> selective filter -- bottleneck --> higher level processing -->
working memory
*therefore, only the attended message will make it between the selective filter and higher level
processing due to the bottleneck effect
not really plausible because you never fully filter all information before processing it
ex: having a conversation during a loud party but you are still able to hear your name yelled
across the room (cocktail party effect)
,Deutsch and Deutsch attention theory - Answer -late filter model
sensory input --> the senses --> higher level processing
-not plausible at all because there is not filtration
Treisman's attention theory - Answer inputs --> sensory store --> attenuating filter --
bottleneck--> hierarchy of analyzers --> working memory
-attenuating filter = something that can you can adjust (pitch, loudness, etc.)
-hierarchy of analyzers = syllabus, words, grammar, semantics
*we do not filter out completely, but we can sharpen or lessen our attention to different things
Selection priming - Answer -exposure to one stimulus influences a response to another
ex: visualization
duel task paradigm - Answer -an experimental procedure where a person performs two tasks
simultaneously in order to compare to each task individually
+if performing a task simultaneously *does not* impact performance, then tasks do not
compete for processing capacity
*if performing tasks simultaenteouly *does* impact performance, then they do compete for
processing capacity
ex: have someone walk as fast as they can and count up by 7s
-look at both separately and then together
-possible outcomes = stay similar at both, get worse at one & same at other, both get worse (=
compete for processing capacity)
stages of information processing - Answer 1. stimulus identification
-stimulus must be recognized (this is not reflexive)
2. response selection
-which response (or lack thereof) is appropriate? (do we want to respond or not?)
3. response initiation/programming
-neuromuscular system must be "primed," the motor response initiated
, example of information processing - Answer APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT
1. stimulus identification = recognition in light color (green to yellow) and significance
2. response selection = stop or go?
-influenced by numerous factors (current speed, closeness of car behind, quality of breaks, etc.)
3. response programming
-activate lower extremity musculature to press either the break or the gas
donder's subtractive method - Answer -increasing reaction time with greater movement
complexity
+more stages of processing
ex: adding number of stimulus choices and number of response choices greatly affects reaction
time (pressing the button example from class)
consider pattern recognition of stimuli - Answer -most movement tasks associated with
multiple stimuli
-inter-related stimuli typically presented in a prescribed pattern
-recognition of this pattern is essential for appropriate neuromuscular response
response selection stage - Answer -determination of the appropriate response is influenced by
*environmental cues*
-the time required to select the appropriate response is dependent on:
1. number of stimulus-response alternative
2. stimulus-response compatibility
number of stimulus-response alternative - Answer Hick's law
-as the number of response alternatives increases, so does choice reaction time
-the time required to choose response is *linearly* related to the amount of information that
must be processed in making a decision
*exceptions: practice and experience*
response-programming stage - Answer final stage of information processing
with Guaranteed Pass Solutions
2026/2027 Update.
Attention - Answer -selectively concentrating on a particular stimulus while ignoring other
perceivable information
-attention is a *limited resource*
types of stimuli - Answer 1. exogenous attention = external (bottom - up)
ex: alarms, stop light, touching a hot stove, etc.
2. endogenous attention = internal/intention (top - down)
ex: having a conversation during the middle of a loud party or consciously paying attention and
deciding how to interpret braille
attentional/change blindness - Answer -unaware of specific stimuli or a change in certain
stimuli
ex: videos where someone is talking to a person, a large object goes through the middle of them
and the person switches but they do not realize it
classical selective attention experiments - Answer dichotic listening task: selectively filtering
out information and deciding which to focus on
ex: headphones play two different recordings into opposite ears and the one that is said will be
the attended input and the other will be the ignored input
broadbent's early selection theory - Answer inputs (attended messages & unattended
message) ---> sensory store --> selective filter -- bottleneck --> higher level processing -->
working memory
*therefore, only the attended message will make it between the selective filter and higher level
processing due to the bottleneck effect
not really plausible because you never fully filter all information before processing it
ex: having a conversation during a loud party but you are still able to hear your name yelled
across the room (cocktail party effect)
,Deutsch and Deutsch attention theory - Answer -late filter model
sensory input --> the senses --> higher level processing
-not plausible at all because there is not filtration
Treisman's attention theory - Answer inputs --> sensory store --> attenuating filter --
bottleneck--> hierarchy of analyzers --> working memory
-attenuating filter = something that can you can adjust (pitch, loudness, etc.)
-hierarchy of analyzers = syllabus, words, grammar, semantics
*we do not filter out completely, but we can sharpen or lessen our attention to different things
Selection priming - Answer -exposure to one stimulus influences a response to another
ex: visualization
duel task paradigm - Answer -an experimental procedure where a person performs two tasks
simultaneously in order to compare to each task individually
+if performing a task simultaneously *does not* impact performance, then tasks do not
compete for processing capacity
*if performing tasks simultaenteouly *does* impact performance, then they do compete for
processing capacity
ex: have someone walk as fast as they can and count up by 7s
-look at both separately and then together
-possible outcomes = stay similar at both, get worse at one & same at other, both get worse (=
compete for processing capacity)
stages of information processing - Answer 1. stimulus identification
-stimulus must be recognized (this is not reflexive)
2. response selection
-which response (or lack thereof) is appropriate? (do we want to respond or not?)
3. response initiation/programming
-neuromuscular system must be "primed," the motor response initiated
, example of information processing - Answer APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT
1. stimulus identification = recognition in light color (green to yellow) and significance
2. response selection = stop or go?
-influenced by numerous factors (current speed, closeness of car behind, quality of breaks, etc.)
3. response programming
-activate lower extremity musculature to press either the break or the gas
donder's subtractive method - Answer -increasing reaction time with greater movement
complexity
+more stages of processing
ex: adding number of stimulus choices and number of response choices greatly affects reaction
time (pressing the button example from class)
consider pattern recognition of stimuli - Answer -most movement tasks associated with
multiple stimuli
-inter-related stimuli typically presented in a prescribed pattern
-recognition of this pattern is essential for appropriate neuromuscular response
response selection stage - Answer -determination of the appropriate response is influenced by
*environmental cues*
-the time required to select the appropriate response is dependent on:
1. number of stimulus-response alternative
2. stimulus-response compatibility
number of stimulus-response alternative - Answer Hick's law
-as the number of response alternatives increases, so does choice reaction time
-the time required to choose response is *linearly* related to the amount of information that
must be processed in making a decision
*exceptions: practice and experience*
response-programming stage - Answer final stage of information processing
