1. Where’s Your Head At?
Created @September 6, 2022 6:17 AM
Reviewed once
Selective Attention (Problem A)
Selective attention
processes that allow an individual to select & focus on particular input for further
processing while simultaneously suppressing irrelevant or distracting
information
deliberate
girl is selectively attending to reading her book while deliberately ignoring the
other stimuli
1. Where’s Your Head At? 1
, Cocktail party phenomenon
process of tracking one convo in the face of the distraction of other
conversations
studied by “shadowing”
more continuous because a lot convos can be heard through parties
Shadowing
Dichotic presentation
each ear is presented a separate message
1. Where’s Your Head At? 2
, Explanation
Listen to 2 different messages & follow one message
“shadowing” one but ignoring the other
notice physical or sensory changes in the ignored/unattended message
eg. voice / tone change
HOWEVER failed to notice semantic changes (meaning in language & logic)
or when language shifts
eg. from English to German or played backwards
1/3 ppl when their name is presented ▶ will switch their attention to their name
these people tend to have limited WM capacity ▶ easily distracted
3 Factors to selectively attend
Distinctive sensory characteristics of the target’s speech
high vs low pitch, pacing and rhythmicity
sound intensity - loudness
location of the sound source - least important
Theories of Selective Attention
Filter theory
blocks some of the info going through & selects only a part of the total info to
pass through the next stage
1. Where’s Your Head At? 3
, Bottleneck theory
slows down the flow of info passing through
everything can be processed
depends on how much info is going through
2 Main differences
1. Is there a distinct “filter” for incoming info?
2. If yes, where in the processing of information does the filter occur?
Broadbent’s Model
Model EXPLAINED
Filter info right after we notice it at the sensory level
Multiple channels of sensory input reach an attentional filter
Those channels can be distinguished by physical characteristics eg. loudness,
pitch
Filter permits only ONE CHANNEL of sensory info to proceed & reach the
process of perception
Supported by Colin Cherry’s findings
sometimes sensory info may be noticed by an unattended ear if it DOES NOT
have to be processed elaborately
eg. tone switch
BUT info requiring higher perceptual processes is not noticed if not attended
to
eg. switching languages
1. Where’s Your Head At? 4
Created @September 6, 2022 6:17 AM
Reviewed once
Selective Attention (Problem A)
Selective attention
processes that allow an individual to select & focus on particular input for further
processing while simultaneously suppressing irrelevant or distracting
information
deliberate
girl is selectively attending to reading her book while deliberately ignoring the
other stimuli
1. Where’s Your Head At? 1
, Cocktail party phenomenon
process of tracking one convo in the face of the distraction of other
conversations
studied by “shadowing”
more continuous because a lot convos can be heard through parties
Shadowing
Dichotic presentation
each ear is presented a separate message
1. Where’s Your Head At? 2
, Explanation
Listen to 2 different messages & follow one message
“shadowing” one but ignoring the other
notice physical or sensory changes in the ignored/unattended message
eg. voice / tone change
HOWEVER failed to notice semantic changes (meaning in language & logic)
or when language shifts
eg. from English to German or played backwards
1/3 ppl when their name is presented ▶ will switch their attention to their name
these people tend to have limited WM capacity ▶ easily distracted
3 Factors to selectively attend
Distinctive sensory characteristics of the target’s speech
high vs low pitch, pacing and rhythmicity
sound intensity - loudness
location of the sound source - least important
Theories of Selective Attention
Filter theory
blocks some of the info going through & selects only a part of the total info to
pass through the next stage
1. Where’s Your Head At? 3
, Bottleneck theory
slows down the flow of info passing through
everything can be processed
depends on how much info is going through
2 Main differences
1. Is there a distinct “filter” for incoming info?
2. If yes, where in the processing of information does the filter occur?
Broadbent’s Model
Model EXPLAINED
Filter info right after we notice it at the sensory level
Multiple channels of sensory input reach an attentional filter
Those channels can be distinguished by physical characteristics eg. loudness,
pitch
Filter permits only ONE CHANNEL of sensory info to proceed & reach the
process of perception
Supported by Colin Cherry’s findings
sometimes sensory info may be noticed by an unattended ear if it DOES NOT
have to be processed elaborately
eg. tone switch
BUT info requiring higher perceptual processes is not noticed if not attended
to
eg. switching languages
1. Where’s Your Head At? 4
