Experiments – Attention and Perception

Experiments – Attention and Perception

Robinson-Riegler & Robinson-Reigler (2012) found that perception and attention are key areas in the study of cognitive psychology. The study of perception and attention started in the mid-20^th century when scientific research on the internal processes between response and stimulation started (Styles, 2005). Attention can be understood from various perspectives. For instance, attention to perception entails looking at one thing to find out what it is, whereas attention to action entails focusing on whether one wants to do something, such as taking a call from the telephone (Styles, 2005). On the other hand, perception refers to sensory processing (Styles, 2005). It entails a phenomenal or conscious experience of touching, hearing, or seeing, among others. This paper discusses my experience with perception and attention through four tests: Stroop, Selective Attention, Ambiguous Figures, and Muller-Lyer.

In the Stroop experiment, the test showed three different colors, including red, green, and blue. Under the congruent condition, the word (blue or red) matched with the font color, whereas under the incongruent condition, there was a mismatch between the word (blue or red) and the font color. Upon finishing the experiment, I found the results not surprising as I responded to all the answers correctly. I was able to tell from my performance that my perception and attention were a bit slower since I mostly read the word rather than the color of the word. Since the reading function was automatic (Algom & Chajut, 2019), I had to slow down to be keen and careful to pay attention. As Styles (2005) writes, attention may start wandering, and people need to keep their attention on the work at hand. Besides, controlling attention entails determining what should be selected and how to maintain vigilance.

I was a little surprised by my results from the Selective Attention experiment. I only got one question correct, and according to the global results, very few people would agree that the hands clapped the entire time the ball bounced. This experiment revealed to me that my attention was really on the clapping of the hands or that it changed a bit throughout the time the ball was bouncing. As Weseley & McEntarffer (2022) state, people encode only what they are paying attention to and what they consider important to them. Therefore, my results may reflect that I did not consider the clapping of hands very important in the experiment until I was asked the second time. That was when I paid attention and got the question correct. This may be reflected in life, such as when talking with a friend and selectively listening to them until someone mentions something more important like ‘fire!’ This is when attention shifts to another message (Weseley & McEntarffer, 2022).

When doing the Ambiguous Figures experiment, my percentage of primed answers was 50%. I, therefore, understood that I was somehow likely to be influenced by the priming condition. This means that I was primed to view the image in a particular way, making it hard for me to see it differently after other primes had been presented to me. Since my first viewing was at 16.67% and the second viewing was at 83.33%, I believe that my perception is likely to be influenced by other factors along the way to the extent of viewing the image differently. I was not so surprised by this experiment since, according to my real-life experience, I tend to change my mind when a certain view presents itself about something or someone. According to Raftopoulos (2005), ambiguous stimuli do not degrade; rather, they can be interpreted in more ways than one. This explains my different results in the first and second views.

In the Muller-Lyer experiment, I was as nonchalant with the results as I was with the experiment. From the results, I observed that there was a time when the target line was shorter than my line, and according to the test, this produced a positive error number. There was also a time when the target line was shorter than my line, which produced a negative error number. According to Cherry (2022), this can be explained using the size constancy perspective. This usually happens when one perceives something in a stable manner by considering the distance. In real-life experience, I may perceive a short individual as short, regardless of whether they stand next to me or not. These results may also be because the cues presented in the depths cause the different lengths (Cherry, 2020). Thus, when I am in an environment where most people are short, I may not perceive a person as short, but when I go to an environment where most people are tall, I would perceive that person as short.

References

Algom, D., & Chajut, E. (2019). Reclaiming the Stroop effect back from control to input-driven attention and perception. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1683.

Cherry, K. (2020). What is the Muller-Lyer Illusion? https://www.verywellmind.com/how-the-muller-lyer-illusion-works-4111110

Qiu, J., Li, H., Zhang, Q., Liu, Q., & Zhang, F. (2008). The Müller–Lyer illusion seen by the brain: An event-related brain potentials study. Biological psychology, 77(2), 150-158.

Raftopoulos, A. (2005). Cognitive Penetrability of Perception: Attention, Action, Strategies, and Bottom-up Constraints. New York: Nova Publishers.

Riegler, B. R., & Riegler, G. R. (2012). Cognitive psychology: Applying the science of the mind. E: Cognitive Psychology An Introduction: ISBN-10, 205033644.

Styles, E.A. (2005). Attention, Perception, and Memory: An Integrated Introduction. New York: Psychology Press.

Weseley, A. & McEntarffer, R. (2022). AP Psychology Premium, 2022-2023. Comprehensive Review with 6 Practice Tests + an Online Timed Test Option. Fort Lauderdale: Simon and Schuster.

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Prior to completing this assignment, please read Chapter 3 carefully. View the video The Study of Attention Links to an external site., and review the article Driven to Distraction: Dual-Task Studies of Simulated Driving and Conversing on a Cellular Telephone Links to an external site. Then complete the following experiments:

Experiments – Attention and Perception

Stroop
Selective Attention
Ambiguous Figures
Muller-Lyer
Attention in its different forms (e.g., selective attention, divided attention, etc.) and perception are both essential aspects of cognition. The goal of this assignment is to introduce you to the topics of attention and perception and the procedures used to study them. Keep in mind that each experiment illustrates a procedure or task that is used by scientists to understand attention and/or perception.

Your paper must begin with an introduction to the topic and must address the four bullet points below. In your paper,

Reflect on your experience as the subject in the experiments—did your performance surprise you? Why or why not?
Describe what your performance on the selected task tells you about attention and perception.
Describe the extent to which the results of each experiment or procedure apply to real-life experiences and settings. Support your points with evidence from at least one peer-reviewed research article.