ATTENTION:Subsidiary Task, Capacity Theory, Reaction Time & Accuracy, Implications

<< ATTENTION (continued):Capacity Models, Arousal, Multimode Theory

RECAP OF LAST LESSONS:AUTOMATICITY, Automatic Processing >>

Cognitive Psychology PSY 504

Lesson 10

ATTENTION

Multimode Theory (continued)

A theory which proposes that people's intentions and the demands of the tasks determine the

information processing stage on which information is selected.

Experiments to test multimode theory

A series of 5 experiments was conducted to measure the amount of capacity required to perform

a task and they record how quickly a person responds to a subsidiary task (reaction time). Main

task was a selective listening task. In selective listening task there are different voices in both

ears. And subjects are asked to attend only one voice or one list and repeat it.

The Subsidiary task was to a randomly appearing light signal by pressing a button.

Subsidiary Task

A task that typically measures how quickly people can react to target stimulus in order to evaluate

the capacity demands of the primary task.

Every theory has assumption if experiment fulfills that assumption then we can say our theory is

true. Every theory predicts some phenomenon and we test these predictions through

experiments. If these predictions meet we accept theory otherwise we reject theory.

Capacity Theory

Main Assumption of Capacity Theory is;

The greater the portion of capacity allocated to selective listening (primary task), the less should

be available for monitoring the signal light, causing longer reaction times.

It means if selective listening task has more required capacity then the subsidiary task's capacity

to monitor signal light must b less that's why the reaction task is longer.

Reaction Time & Accuracy

The time it takes for the subject to respond to a stimulus is called reaction time. The longer the

time taken, the more difficult the task. If the task is demanding, subjects likely to make mistakes

and you take long time. Like mathematics is difficult subject. So we make many mistakes in

mathematics because it is demanding. If there is more demanding task, the more mistakes and

less accuracy. Less demanding task more accuracy. Some time reaction time slow but there is

accuracy.

Experiment

In this experiment pairs of words presented simultaneously to both ears through headphones.

Undergraduates at University of Utah were asked to do the following. They were asked you have

to attend the different voices. The stimulus were

Either by the pitch of the voice (male/female)

Or by semantic category (cities, occupations)

Cognitive Psychology PSY 504

The conditions of experiment were;

No lists

It means no list of stimulus was presented in both of the ears

One list

Only one list was presented in one ear. May be male voice or female voice was presented.

3. Two lists

Two different lists of stimulus were presented in both ears. In this condition first understand

meanings. It is late selection. In one ear male or female voice was presented. And in other ear

different city's names or occupation's names were presented.

The rationale in that experiment was; those using pitch (male/female) were using physical

information and could use an early, sensory mode of selection because the two messages were

physically different.

Those using meaning (cities, occupations) had to use a late, semantic mode of selection because

it was necessary to know the meaning of the word before categorizing them.

Predictions of Multimode theory

Multimode theory predicts that more capacity is required to perform at a late mode of selection.

Use of the semantic mode would therefore cause slower reaction times to the light signal and

more errors on the selective listening task. You need more conditions it was late selection it

requires more capacity.

In no list the performance is best, in one list condition the performance is better, in two lists

condition performance is worst.

Results of subsidiary tasks

Performance on Subsidiary Task

When No list was given the reaction time was 310 ms

370 ms

When there was one List either female voice or cities names the reaction time was

In Two Lists condition (pitch) the reaction time was 433 ms

In Two Lists (meaning) the reaction time was 482 ms

Results of Primary Task

Percentages of Errors

In case of one List the error percentage was 1.4%

In case of Two Lists (Pitch)error percentage was 5.3%

In case of Two Lists (Meaning) error percentage was 20.5%

Implications

The implications of this experiment are;

Selective Attention requires capacity

Reaction Time slower for two lists condition over one

Cognitive Psychology PSY 504

Amount of capacity required increases from early to late selection

Reaction Time slower for meaning than for pitch (male and female).

Summary

-Attention is flexible

-People have the choice how best to use it. People can allocate attention to the task

according to their will.

-Task difficulty decreases with practice

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