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Related Experiment Videos

Depth of nontarget processing in an attention task.

W A Johnston, S P Heinz

    Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance
    |February 1, 1979
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Increasing sensory discriminability between target and nontarget words reduces the depth of nontarget processing. This suggests attentional inhibition of irrelevant information is possible, challenging late-selection theories.

    Area of Science:

    • Cognitive Psychology
    • Auditory Perception
    • Selective Attention

    Background:

    • Understanding the depth of processing for unattended information is crucial for theories of selective attention.
    • Previous research has explored factors influencing how much information is processed when attention is divided.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate how sensory discriminability between target and nontarget stimuli affects the depth of processing for nontargets.
    • To test predictions of multiple-loci versus late-selection theories of attention.

    Main Methods:

    • Two experiments involved participants shadowing target words presented binaurally with simultaneous nontarget words.
    • Sensory discriminability was manipulated by using the same male voice (low discriminability) or different male and female voices (high discriminability).

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Nontarget processing depth was measured by shadowing accuracy disruption from semantic overlap, reaction time to subsidiary signals, and nontarget recall.

    • Main Results:

    • All measures of nontarget processing depth significantly decreased as sensory discriminability increased.
    • Higher sensory discriminability led to less disruption from semantic overlap, faster reaction times, and lower nontarget recall.

    Conclusions:

    • The findings support multiple-loci theories of attention, indicating that nontargets can be perceptually inhibited.
    • The results contradict late-selection theories, which propose that perceptual processing is automatic and cannot be suppressed.