Question 1

Which statement demonstrates the results of Woldorff et al.'s (1993)neuroscience study of dichotic listening?
A) Activity levels are higher for brain regions associated with the unattended ear.
B) Activity levels for brain regions associated with both ears are dependent on the type of stimulus presented.
C) The primary auditory cortex is very active for the unattended ear,but the primary auditory cortex and the surrounding language areas are very active for the attended ear.
D) Activity levels are higher for brain regions associated with the attended ear.

Accepted Answer

The study found that activity levels were higher for brain regions associated with the attended ear. This supports the idea of selective attention and the ability to prioritize certain stimuli for processing.

Question 2

The points at which it is no longer possible to continue processing all information in parallel are referred to as:
A) parallel bottlenecks.
B) parallel conjunctions.
C) serial bottlenecks.
D) serial conjuctions.

Accepted Answer

Serial bottlenecks refer to the points at which it is no longer possible to continue processing all information in parallel, while parallel bottlenecks refer to the points at which parallel processing becomes saturated or limited. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

Question 3

When subjects were asked to look at two superimposed visual stimuli,they:
A) could not filter out one of the scenarios and thus retained little information about either.
B) could filter out one of the scenarios and retain most of the content of the attended-to scenario.
C) could filter out one of the scenarios but could not retain much content.
D) tended to focus largely on context in both scenarios and ignore physical traits.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that when subjects are presented with superimposed visual stimuli, they are able to selectively attend to and filter out one of the stimuli while retaining most of the content of the attended-to stimuli. This is known as selective attention. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Question 4

In Treisman's attenuation theory of attention,the notion is that:
A) messages may be attenuated on the basis of physical properties,but semantic selection criteria apply to all messages.
B) weak semantic content attenuates the strength of a message,thus leading to it being filtered out.
C) weak physical traits attenuate semantic evaluation,resulting in the message being filtered out.
D) messages may be attenuated on the basis of semantic traits,but physical selection criteria apply to all messages.

Accepted Answer

In Treisman's attenuation theory of attention, physical properties can cause messages to be attenuated, but semantic selection criteria apply to all messages. This means that all messages are evaluated semantically, but some may be filtered out based on physical properties such as lower volume or less salient visual features. Therefore, choice A is the best option.

Question 5

Triesman and Geffen compared the attenuation theory with the late-selection theory.They asked subjects to indicate when they heard a target word,but the word could occur either in the shadowed or unattended ear.Their results suggest that:
A) the attenuation theory is supported since most subjects detected the shadowed,but not the unattended,target words.
B) the late-selection theory is more accurate since subjects detected the targets equally often in both ears.
C) the attenuation theory must be inaccurate since subjects detected more unattended than attended targets.
D) both the attenuation and late-selection theories do an equally good job of explaining attention.

Accepted Answer

The attenuation theory, proposed by Treisman, suggests that information is not entirely blocked in the unattended channel but is instead turned down or "attenuated." This theory predicts that some information from the unattended channel (like the target words) might still be processed, but with less efficiency compared to the attended channel. The finding that most subjects detected the shadowed (attended) but not the unattended target words supports the attenuation theory over the late-selection theory, which posits that all information in the unattended channel is blocked from processing.

Question 6

Processing a complex visual scene is MOST analogous to:
A) ignoring an auditory signal.
B) hearing a single sound.
C) experiencing tactile input.
D) shadowing a conversation.

Accepted Answer

Processing a complex visual scene involves actively engaging with and interpreting multiple elements simultaneously, similar to shadowing a conversation where one must listen, understand, and possibly repeat what is being said in real-time.

Question 7

You are at a museum.Which answer choice is an example of exogenous control?
A) a brightly-colored painting against a white wall
B) a description of the painting's key features
C) a tour guide's description of a sculpture
D) arrows pointing to a section of the gallery

Accepted Answer

Exogenous control refers to attention that is driven by external stimuli, such as a brightly-colored painting that naturally draws the eye due to its contrast with the white wall.

Question 8

In the dichotic listening task,subjects are asked to:
A) "shadow" a message in one ear while hearing another stimulus in the other ear.
B) provide information on an oral message that has been segmented in an atypical way.
C) accurately monitor disparate information that is coming in from both auditory channels.
D) listen to two competing oral messages presented on the same soundtrack.

Accepted Answer

Subjects are asked to "shadow" a message in one ear while hearing another stimulus in the other ear. This means they listen and repeat back (or "shadow") one message while ignoring the message in the other ear.

Question 9

In studies of dichotic listening,psychologists have found that the subjects could:
A) identify some semantic meaning of the message heard in the nonattended ear.
B) identify only the physical characteristics of the message (speech vs.noise)heard in the nonattended ear.
C) identify fairly accurately the semantic content of the message heard in the nonattended ear.
D) not only identify semantic content,but also tell which language was being spoken in the nonattended ear.

Accepted Answer

In dichotic listening studies, subjects typically can identify only the physical characteristics, such as whether the sound is speech or noise, of the message heard in the nonattended ear, not the semantic content.

Question 10

In O'Craven,Downing,and Kanwisher's (1999)study,participants viewed a series of pictures consisting of faces superimposed on houses.Which statement BEST summarizes the results of the study?
A) Only the parahippocampal place area became active,regardless of the participant's focus.
B) Only the fusiform face area became active,regardless of the participant's focus.
C) The parahippocampal place area and fusiform face area both always became active.
D) The active region varied,depending on whether the participant attended to faces or houses.

Accepted Answer

The study found that the active region varied depending on whether the participant attended to faces or houses. Specifically, the fusiform face area became active when participants were attending to faces, and the parahippocampal place area became active when they were attending to houses. Therefore, choice D is the correct summary.

Question 11

When visual stimuli are presented off the foveal fixation point,subjects:
A) are faster shifting attention to an expected point than to an unexpected point.
B) are equally fast shifting attention to expected and unexpected points.
C) are generally unable to shift attention fast enough to see the stimulus.
D) can shift attention rapidly to an expected point,but they are very inaccurate in identifying the stimulus.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that when visual stimuli are presented off the foveal fixation point, subjects are faster in shifting their attention to an expected point than to an unexpected point. This is known as the "validity effect." Therefore, Option A is the correct answer. Option B is incorrect because there is a difference in the speed of shifting attention. Option C is also incorrect because shifting attention is possible. Option D is incorrect because the accuracy of identifying the stimulus was not mentioned in the question.

Question 12

Which answer choice is an example of endogenous control?
A) a fire-alarm sounding in the hallway
B) a flickering light above a sculpture
C) a loud argument at the gift shop
D) arrows pointing to a section of the gallery

Accepted Answer

Endogenous control refers to factors within an environment that guide behavior without requiring any external cues or influences. In this case, the arrows pointing to a section of the gallery are an example of endogenous control as they are part of the exhibit itself and guide visitors without requiring any external factors. The other answer choices all involve external cues (fire alarm, flickering light, argument) that are not specifically designed to guide behavior within the environment.

Question 13

In Neisser and Becklen's experiment with superimposed video scenarios,what is a likely explanation of the outcome?
A) Subjects must be able to use both content and physical cues to guide their eyes to the critical detail.
B) Subjects must depend largely on content and context to be able to monitor one scenario in preference to the other.
C) Subjects must depend largely on physical traits of the stimuli to be able to monitor one scenario in preference to the other.
D) Subjects must use a complex segmentation and cognitive resynthesis to monitor one scenario while filtering out the other.

Accepted Answer

Subjects must be able to use both content and physical cues to guide their eyes to the critical detail.

Question 14

In a visual array,subjects must identify the location of the target letter O.This should be EASIEST when the distracters are:
A) C's and G's.
B) C's and I's.
C) G's and X's.
D) I's and X's.

Accepted Answer

The target letter "O" is visually distinct from the distracters "I" and "X", making it easier to identify its location compared to distracters that are more similar in shape.

Question 15

In an experiment,a subject is asked to put on headphones and repeat the message that is played in the right ear while another message plays simultaneously in the left ear.After the task is completed,the experimenter asks what played in the left ear.The subject is MOST likely able to remember:
A) whether the voice was male or female.
B) what the topic of the message was.
C) most of the words in the message.
D) the emotional tone of voice that was used.

Accepted Answer

The task is focused on repeating the message played in the right ear, so the subject's attention is primarily on that message. It is more likely that they will remember superficial characteristics, such as the gender of the voice in the left ear, rather than the content or emotional tone.

Question 16

Imagine that you are at a party with many conversations going on around you.Your attention is "grabbed" by a conversation that includes your name.This event suggests that:
A) people are not able to concentrate attention very easily when they are bombarded with stimuli.
B) the meaning of a message is more important than the physical characteristics of the message.
C) background noise can interfere significantly with attending processes.
D) people can simultaneously process many different messages,as long as they are rich with meaning.

Accepted Answer

This event illustrates the "cocktail party effect," which demonstrates that people can focus their attention on a particular stimulus (like their name being mentioned) amidst a noisy environment, indicating that the meaning of a message can indeed capture attention more effectively than its physical characteristics.

Question 17

What is a major distinction between the filter theory and the late-selection theory?
A) Filter theory assumes that selection criteria are mostly semantic,while late selection assumes they are mostly physical.
B) Filter theory assumes that people can readily attend to multiple meaningful messages,while late selection assumes multiple messages are processed only in terms of physical traits.
C) Filter theory assumes a limited channel capacity,while late selection assumes that any capacity limits must come later in processing.
D) None of these statements distinguishes these theories.

Accepted Answer

The major distinction between filter theory and late-selection theory is that filter theory assumes a limited channel capacity, while late selection assumes that any capacity limits must come later in processing. Option A is incorrect because both theories assume that selection criteria are semantically driven. Option B is incorrect because both theories acknowledge the processing of multiple messages. Option D is incorrect because the statements differentiate the two theories.

Question 18

Broadbent's filter theory of attention assumed that:
A) people use physical traits of stimuli to choose what gets through the attention bottleneck.
B) attending is largely a volitional process that opens and closes gates on information flow.
C) recognition of the stimulus must occur before filtering can occur.
D) the attender uses mostly semantic information to decide what gets through and what does not get through.

Accepted Answer

Broadbent's filter theory of attention posits that stimuli are filtered or selected to be attended to at an early stage of processing based on their physical characteristics, such as the pitch of a sound or the color of a visual stimulus, rather than on a semantic or meaning-based analysis.

Question 19

When stimuli are presented off the foveal fixation point,it becomes clear that:
A) eye movement to a new fixation point occurs prior to the shift in attention.
B) shifting eye fixation to a new point is an automated routine independent of attention processes.
C) a shift in attention precedes and guides the eye movement to the nonfoveal region.
D) shifting eye fixation is largely a volitional top-down process that has little to do with attention.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that attention shifts precede and guide eye movements to the nonfoveal region, indicating that attention processes play a crucial role in the control of eye movements. Option A is incorrect because attention shifts occur before eye movements, not the other way around. Option B is also incorrect because there is a strong relationship between attention and eye movements. Option D is incorrect because research has shown that attention has a strong influence on the control of eye movements.

Question 20

Which statement concerning divided-attention (e.g. ,shadowing)experiments is NOT true?
A) Subjects use meaning as a criterion for shadowing,even when the message switches from ear to ear.
B) Subjects often cannot recall anything about the content of the unattended message.
C) The process of shadowing one message is automatic for most subjects.
D) All the information from an attended message can be processed.

Accepted Answer

Shadowing one message requires considerable attention and effort from subjects, making it a controlled rather than an automatic process.

Quiz 3: Attention and Performance

Which statement demonstrates the results of Woldorff et al.'s (1993) neuroscience study of dichotic listening?

The points at which it is no longer possible to continue processing all information in parallel are referred to as:

When subjects were asked to look at two superimposed visual stimuli,they:

In Treisman's attenuation theory of attention,the notion is that:

Triesman and Geffen compared the attenuation theory with the late-selection theory.They asked subjects to indicate when they heard a target word,but the word could occur either in the shadowed or unattended ear.Their results suggest that:

Processing a complex visual scene is MOST analogous to:

You are at a museum.Which answer choice is an example of exogenous control?

In the dichotic listening task,subjects are asked to:

In studies of dichotic listening,psychologists have found that the subjects could:

In O'Craven,Downing,and Kanwisher's (1999) study,participants viewed a series of pictures consisting of faces superimposed on houses.Which statement BEST summarizes the results of the study?

When visual stimuli are presented off the foveal fixation point,subjects:

Which answer choice is an example of endogenous control?

In Neisser and Becklen's experiment with superimposed video scenarios,what is a likely explanation of the outcome?

In a visual array,subjects must identify the location of the target letter O.This should be EASIEST when the distracters are:

In an experiment,a subject is asked to put on headphones and repeat the message that is played in the right ear while another message plays simultaneously in the left ear.After the task is completed,the experimenter asks what played in the left ear.The subject is MOST likely able to remember:

Imagine that you are at a party with many conversations going on around you.Your attention is "grabbed" by a conversation that includes your name.This event suggests that:

What is a major distinction between the filter theory and the late-selection theory?

Broadbent's filter theory of attention assumed that:

When stimuli are presented off the foveal fixation point,it becomes clear that:

Which statement concerning divided-attention (e.g. ,shadowing) experiments is NOT true?