Make sure to answer all aspects of the questions.
With such a small amount of words to work with, you don’t need to waste it by restating the question in your answer.
Questions:
The first attention research in the 1950s led to the development of three models of selective attention — the early-selection, intermediate-selection, and late selection model. Briefly state, in a sentence or two, what the main differences are between these models. What are the limitations of each model?
Following this early work on selective attention, researchers began to study divided attention and practice effects. What is the attention metaphor that researchers often use to describe how attentional demands change with practice? Using this metaphor, describe an example of the attentional processing involved when a person learns a new task and then becomes well-practiced at it.
It can be difficult to perform some types of tasks together at the same time. The results of experiments have demonstrated, however, that with a lot of practice, even quite incompatible tasks can be performed together very well. In particular, when well-practiced, they can be done “automatically” without requiring much of our attention. On the other hand, some pairs of tasks, even when performed together many times, never become automatic … no matter how much we practice get at doing them at the same time. Why? And what are some examples of task pairings that never become automatic?
There are a lot of demands on our attention, and particularly since phones and tablets and other mobile devices have become such a big part of our lives. Some researchers believe that focusing attention is a skill that must be developed, and that multitasking has negatively affected some people’s capacity to do so. Others believe that warnings about negative impacts of frequent mobile device multitasking are overblown. Which of these two positions do you support? Please defend your argument.
There is a debate among attention researchers about the world’s best performers (e.g., athletes, musicians). Some believe that their ability is due to intense practice and others believe that much of it is due to natural talent that these people are born with. Which of these two positions do you support? Please defend your argument. How does deliberate practice differ from other types of practice that people commonly do? What sort of brain changes might occur when someone has practiced a task for thousands of hours? What type of brain imaging technique is often used to show brain changes that can occur as a result of extended practice?
