Deck 8: Attention and Reaction Time

Question 1

When using the subtractive method, experimental manipulations are used to

A) alter the quality of stages involved in a task.
B) alter the duration of stages.
C) alter the error rates.
D) add or delete stages.

Answer 1

add or delete stages.

Question 2

An experimenter obtained the following reaction times for three tasks: Task 1: 250 msec
Task 2: 350 msec
Task 3: 500 msec
Donders' subtractive method predicts that Task 1 is the ________ task, Task 2 is the ________ task, and Task 3 is the _________ task.

A) A (simple) reaction; B (choice) reaction; C reaction
B) A reaction; C reaction; B reaction
C) B reaction; A reaction; C reaction
D) B reaction; C reaction; A reaction

Answer 2

A reaction; C reaction; B reaction

Question 3

In explaining how people process overlapping tasks, central bottleneck models

A) postulate sequential processing of one task at a time.
B) postulate a common resource needed for mental operations
C) assume that a mental module can be added or deleted without altering the processing duration of the other modules.
D) assume that there are no limits to processing capacity.

Answer 3

postulate sequential processing of one task at a time.

Question 4

The following reaction times were obtained for one participant: Donders A (simple) reaction task = 200 msec
Donders B (choice) reaction task = 350 msec
Donders C reaction task = 400 msec
Based on these reaction times, using Donders' subtractive method for estimating the time required for mental operations, how long would you estimate the identification process tasks?

A) 50 msec
B) 200 msec
C) 150 msec
D) Using Donders' method, the identification time cannot be computed from these data.

Question 5

If an experiment contains a confound, then

A) it is very difficult to interpret the results of the experiment.
B) if the experiment is replicated with the confound removed, the results will differ from those of the original experiment.
C) the results are not replicable.
D) it is important to evaluate statistically the reliability of the results.

Question 6

The brief delay between the presentation of two stimuli is known as the

A) speed-accuracy tradeoff.
B) stimulus onset asynchrony.
C) confounding.
D) interaction.

Question 7

Confounding can occur

A) only in small n designs.
B) only in experiments with one independent variable.
C) only in factorial experiments.
D) in any experimental design.

Question 8

One is protected from a speed-accuracy tradeoff when

A) reaction time and accuracy rates are inversely related.
B) reaction time and accuracy rates are positively related.
C) accuracy measures are not reported.
D) reaction time measures are not reported.

Question 9

There is a(n) ________ relation between speed and accuracy.

A) direct
B) indirect
C) inverse
D) complex

Question 10

_______ is commonly used as a dependent variable in an experiment examining attention.

A) Reaction time
B) Heart rate
C) Pupil diameter
D) Trained introspection

Question 11

In order to manipulate attention, psychologists gradually increase task demands until the subject can hardly complete them. This is known as

A) d'.
B) overload.
C) confounding.
D) stimulus onset asynchrony.

Question 12

When a confound exists in an experiment, it places restrictions on

A) statements made about causation.
B) interpretations of the main effects.
C) interpretations of the interactions.
D) the statistical significance of the results.

Question 13

When the time between two signals to respond is very short, the response to the second stimulus

A) speeds up.
B) is more accurate.
C) slows down.
D) remains the same compared to longer intervals.

Question 14

Speed-accuracy tradeoffs pose a problem whenever

A) error rates are not systematically related to the independent variable.
B) there is no effect of the independent variable.
C) error rates increase as reaction time increases.
D) error rates increase as reaction time decreases.

Question 15

The dependent measure "bits" is a measure of

A) information.
B) stimulus intensity.
C) stimulus duration.
D) the time required by a processing stage.

Question 16

A systematic way of examining one's own consciousness is known as

A) priming.
B) channeling.
C) additive factors logic.
D) introspection.

Question 17

In an experiment, confounding occurs when

A) more than one independent variable is manipulated.
B) an uncontrolled variable covaries with an independent variable.
C) an interaction occurs between two independent variables.
D) an interaction occurs between three or more independent variables.

Question 18

The _________ refers to the difference among different astronomers estimation of the time and position of astral events.

A) personal equation
B) simple reaction
C) choice reaction
D) subtractive logic

Question 19

In an experiment, an interaction can be obtained only when

A) the experiment involves more than one independent variable.
B) the experiment involves more than one dependent variable.
C) the experiment confounds either two independent variables or two psychological processes.
D) the results depend upon the combination of the dependent variables.

Question 20

Which of the following represents a simple (Donders A) reaction?

A) A receptionist's telephone has several buttons corresponding to different telephone numbers. When the telephone rings the receptionist responds by pressing the button that is flashing on and off.
B) When a resident of the apartment building rings a bell the security guard responds by pressing a button that opens the front door. If a nonresident rings the bell the guard does not let that person in the building.
C) When a bicyclist sees a stop sign he puts on his brakes to stop.
D) When the alarm clock goes off a person can either press the "snooze" button or else turn the alarm off.

Question 21

Steinhauser, Maier, and Hubner (2007) found an interaction between stress levels and cue-stimulus interval on a reaction time task.

Question 22

An experimenter compared the reaction times of participants to a red light and to a yellow light and found that reaction time was faster for the yellow light. However, it was also discovered that the yellow light was perceived by the participants as being brighter than the red light. In this experiment,

A) the color of the light is confounded with reaction time.
B) the color of the light is confounded with the perceived intensity of the light.
C) the red light is confounded with the yellow light.
D) there are no confounds.

Question 23

Pashler argued that the psychological refractory period is a result of response selection difficulties.

Question 24

Reaction times in a Donders A task are longer than reaction times in a Donders C task.

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT used in experiments on attention to increase the attentional demands of a task?

A) increasing the number of stimuli to which the participant must attend
B) increasing the presentation rate of the stimuli shown to the participant
C) increasing the complexity of the stimuli shown to the participant
D) increasing the time allowed for the participant to make a response to a stimulus

Question 26

An experimenter predicts that using a warning signal in a different sensory modality will result in faster reaction time than using a warning signal in the same sensory modality. In a simple reaction time experiment, participants must press a button as quickly as possible when a red light comes on. On half of the trials, a yellow light comes on 500 ms before the red light; on the remaining trials, a tone comes on 500 ms before the red light. The results show a significant difference in reaction time between the two conditions. Which of the following statements is accurate?

A) A warning signal given in the same sensory modality is more effective than one in a different sensory modality.
B) A warning signal given in a different sensory modality is more effective than one in the same sensory modality.
C) There is no difference in the effectiveness of a warning signal based on its sensory modality.
D) We cannot determine which warning signal was more effective based on the information given.

Question 27

In a Donders C reaction

A) two stimuli are presented on separate trials, and the participant must make a different response to each stimulus.
B) two stimuli are presented on separate trials, but the participant must respond to only one of them.
C) one stimulus is presented on each trial, and the participant must respond to that stimulus on every trial.
D) one stimulus is presented on each trial, but the participant must alternate between two different responses on every trial.

Question 28

The slowing of a response to the second of two stimuli presented in quick succession is known as

A) stimulus onset asynchrony.
B) a Donders C reaction.
C) a speed-accuracy tradeoff.
D) the psychological refractory period.

Question 29

A researcher records mean response time in milliseconds for a group of participants who perform a Donders A task and a Donders C task under two conditions. In one condition, they do the reaction time tasks alone; in the other condition, they perform the two tasks while doing a secondary attentionally demanding task at the same time. Reaction times for the Donders A task are the same for both conditions of the experiment; however, reaction times for the Donders C task are longer when the secondary task is being performed. Using the subtractive method, these results suggest

A) the secondary task slowed down the baseline reaction of the participants.
B) the secondary task speeded up the baseline reaction of the participants.
C) the secondary task slowed down the identification time of the participants.
D) the secondary task slowed down the selection time of the participants.

Question 30

The ability to shift one's focus of attention from one aspect of a stimulus to a different aspect is called cognitive control.

Question 31

The use of trained introspection in psychological research

A) is still considered a powerful tool for the study of cognitive processes.
B) is a widely used method in contemporary research on attention.
C) was used by early experimental psychologists to collect data on a person's conscious experience.
D) supported the use of Donders's subtractive method.

Question 32

Several possible reasons for the psychological refractory period are problems in identifying S2, selecting R2, or executing R2.

Question 33

Confounding occurs when an uncontrolled factor covaries or changes together with an independent variable.

Question 34

An interaction occurs when more than one independent variable is manipulated in an experiment and the results depend upon the combination of these variables.

Question 35

Simulus intensity can affect attention and reaction times.

Question 36

Central bottleneck explanations for the psychological refractory period predict that

A) the time to respond to the second of two stimuli presented in quick succession will be longer as the time between the two stimuli becomes shorter.
B) the time to respond to the first of two stimuli presented in quick succession will be longer as the time between the two stimuli becomes shorter.
C) there should be no difference in response time to the second of two stimuli presented in quick succession as the time between the two stimuli varies.
D) the time to resepond to the second of two stimuli presented in quick succession will be longer as the time between the two stimuli becomes longer.

Question 37

When more than one independent variable can account for obtained results, we say that the variables interact.

Question 38

An interaction occurs when the effects of an independent variable are the same across different levels of a second independent variable.

Question 39

The capacity-sharing model is considered the better explanation for the psychological refractory period because

A) the Bottleneck model cannot explain the shorter reaction time that occurs for the first of two stimuli presented in quick succession.
B) the Bottleneck model cannot explain the longer reaction time to the second of two stimuli presented in quick succession.
C) reaction time to the first of two stimuli presented in quick succession does not vary with changes in stimulus onset asynchrony.
D) the reaction time to the second of two stimuli presented in quick succession varies with changes in stimulus onset asynchrony.

Question 40

The psychological refractory period refers to the ________ between the length of stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) and the speed of responding to a second stimulus.

A) inverse relation
B) positive relation
C) direct relation
D) none of the above.

Question 41

Describe Donders A, B, and C reactions and how they are used to examine the components of cognitive processing in Donders' subtractive method.

Question 42

When the effects of an independent variable are the same at all levels of another independent variable, there is no interaction between the variables.

Question 43

When they are instructed to respond as quickly as possible, the error rate of participants may increase.

Question 44

Reaction time is rarely used as a dependent variable in research on attention.

Question 45

A speed-accuracy trade-off refers to the situation where the conditions that have the fastest reaction time also have the most errors.

Question 46

Dependent variables must be carefully selected, and it is often useful to use more than one measure of behavior. Discuss the advantages of using multiple measures of a dependent variable.

Question 47

When the effects of an independent variable are different at different levels of another independent variable, there is an interaction between the variables.

Question 48

According to the assumption of pure insertion, a mental module can be added or deleted without altering the duration of the other modules.

Question 49

Donders' subtractive method involves introspection.

Question 50

Interest in reaction time began with phenomena discovered among eighteenth-century astronomers.

Question 51

A confounding of variables makes the interpretation of the results clear.

Question 52

Studies that measure RT should also record error rate, because errors tend to be lower when a task is completed quickly.

Question 53

A simple reaction time involves selecting one response from a set of responses.

Question 54

An interaction occurs when error rate and reaction time are inversely related.

Question 55

Subtracting the Donders' A reaction time from the Donders' C reaction time tells us how long response selection takes.

Question 56

Stimulus onset asynchrony is a dependent variable.

Question 57

In the Donders' B (or choice) reaction task, two stimuli are linked to one response.

Question 58

Reaction time is the most common dependent variable in studies of attention.

Question 59

In a Donders' C reaction task there is more than one stimulus but only one response.

Question 60

They psychological refractory period refers to the difference in time onsets between the presentation of two different stimuli.

Question 61

Discuss what is meant by a speed-accuracy trade-off. Is this an important consideration for researchers? Why or why not?

Question 62

Explain what is meant by the assumption of pure insertion. Why is separate modifiability evidence for the validity of this assumption?

Question 63

Discuss the following statement: Attention must be studied by measuring its effects. In your answer, give examples from at least two different experiments discussed in the chapter that illustrate this.

Question 64

Briefly describe an experiment in which an interaction might be observed. Name the independent variables and how they are manipulated, and the dependent variable and how it is measured. Draw a graph or create a data table that illustrates the predicted interaction.

Question 65

Discuss some of the potential problems in research on attention that are associated with the following: (1) selection of independent and control variables; (2) selection and measurement of dependent variables; (3) preventing confounds; (4) speed-accuracy tradeoffs.