Results of the Posner spatial cuing task (1980) showed that cuing participants to the location of an upcoming target decreased their reaction time to detect it because attention enhanced perceptual processing for the target. This finding is most consistent with ________ models of attention.
A)gating
B)bottleneck
C)early-selection
D)late-selection

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Posner spatial cuing task supports the early-selection models of attention, which propose that attentional selection occurs early in the perceptual processing stream, before semantic processing. In this task, cuing participants to the location of a target enhances perceptual processing for the target, which suggests that attentional selection occurs at an early stage of processing. The other options are not supported by the findings of the Posner spatial cuing task. The gating model proposes that attentional selection involves opening a perceptual gate for selected information, but this model does not account for the findings that attention in the Posner task enhances perceptual processing. The bottleneck model proposes that attentional selection is necessary due to limited processing resources, but the Posner task does not suggest that attentional selection is due to capacity limitations. The late-selection model proposes that attentional selection occurs after semantic processing, but the Posner task suggests that attentional selection occurs at an early stage of processing.

Results of the Posner Spatial Cuing Task (1980) Showed That