Attention refers to :
AStoring information permanently
BSelecting and focusing on specific stimuli
CForgetting irrelevant information
DImagining future events
Answer:
B. Selecting and focusing on specific stimuli
Read Explanation:
Concept of Attention
- Definition: In cognitive psychology, attention is the process of selectively focusing on specific sensory information or mental thoughts while ignoring other irrelevant stimuli from the surrounding environment.
- William James' View (1890): Described attention as "the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what may seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought."
Types of Attention
- Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a targeted stimulus while filtering out distractions (e.g., the Cocktail Party Effect).
- Sustained Attention (Vigilance): The ability to maintain focused awareness on a single task or stimulus over an extended period.
- Divided Attention: The ability to process multiple inputs or carry out more than one task simultaneously (often termed multitasking).
- Alternating Attention: The capacity to shift the focus of cognitive control back and forth between tasks that have different cognitive requirements.
Key Theories and Models
- Broadbent's Filter Theory (1958): Proposed an early selection model suggesting that a bottleneck or sensory filter allows only selected information to reach conscious awareness for processing.
- Treisman's Attenuation Theory (1964): Suggested that unattended stimuli are not completely blocked, but rather "attenuated" or weakened in strength.
- Kahneman's Capacity Model (1973): Conceptualized attention as a limited pool of cognitive resources distributed according to task demands and arousal levels.