Author Question: Several methodological approaches were presented for the study of attention. Briefly describe three ... (Read 51 times)

HCHenry · **on:** Jun 20, 2018

Several methodological approaches were presented for the study of attention. Briefly describe three of these approaches and state what type of information each approach contributes to our understanding of attentional processing.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Differentiate between feature integration theory and guided search.

What will be an ideal response?

reversalruiz · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 20, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Answer: Behavioral studies (e.g., visual search) typically use RTs to make inferences about how attentional processing takes place. ERP studies measure changes in electrical activity in response to a stimulus providing information about the temporal nature of attention (i.e., when it takes place). PET and fMRI studies measure blood flow or metabolism to determine which regions of the brain are active in processing information (i.e., where it takes place). TMS studies of attention use a magnetic field to render a set of neurons inactive for a brief period of time. These studies are somewhat similar to lesion studies without the long-term consequences.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: Both feature integration theory (FIT) and guided search divide the perceptual system into separate feature maps. The feature information stored in these maps is location specific. According to feature integration theory, disjunctive searches isolate feature information in the appropriate feature map while conjunctive searches combine features from multiple maps for a particular location. The main difference between FIT and guided search is that guided search occurs in two stages. In the first stage, preattentive information is obtained and is used to rule out objects that cannot be targets. This information is then used to guide later serial searches.