Sensory, Attentional

and Perceptual Processes

Chapter: 5
CLASS XI
 Sensation

Input about the physical world provided by our

sensory receptors.

Sensation occurs when special receptors in the

sense organs- the eyes, ears, nose, skin and taste
buds- are activated, allowing various forms of
outside stimuli to register in the brain.
Sense Modalities
Our seven sense organs are highly specialized for dealing
with a particular kind of information. Hence each of them
is also known as a sense modality.

Q- State the functional limitation of sense organs.

Q- What do you understand by the term psychophysics.
 Absolute Threshold

The minimum value of a stimulus required to

activate a given sensory system is called
absolute threshold or absolute limen.
OR
The smallest amount of a stimulus that we
can detect 50 percent of the time.

It is not a fixed point, but it varies

considerably.
 Difference Threshold/Just Noticeable Difference

The just noticeable difference, also known as the difference threshold, is

the minimum level of stimulation that a person can detect 50% of the time.
It can be applied to all five senses. It is the minimum difference in light
needed for someone to notice. It is the minimum change in the radio's
volume for the listener to hear the difference. It is the minimum change in
weight of a duffel bag for the carrier to notice.
Sugar experiment given in the book.

Q- Give difference between absolute threshold and JND.

Attention
The process through which certain stimuli are selected from a group
of others is referred to as attention.

Types
Selective Attention
Sustained Attention
Divided Attention
Selective Attention
Selection of a limited number of stimuli or objects from a large number of stimuli.

Factors affecting selective attention

Internal Factors:
1) Motivational Factors:
includes individuals biological or social needs that drives the individual.
2) Cognitive Factors:
Includes a person’s interest, attitude and preparatory set.

External Factors:
1) Size of the stimulus: Large objects catch attention easily.
2) Intensity: Bright objects catch attention easily.
3) Motion: Moving objects catch attention easily.
Theories of Selective Attention

1) Filter Theory by Broadbent (1956)

2) Filter-attentuation Theory by Triesman
(1962)
3) Multimode Theory by Heinz and
Johnston (1972)
 Filter Theory/Bottleneck Theory
by Broadbent (1956)
According to this theory of
attention, attention is of limited
capacity.
We filter out most of the
information as we cannot attend
to all the information present in
the environment.
Information first goes to sensory
stores, passed forward to
selective filter, only attended
message is passed on for higher
level processing.
Stimuli passing the filter
becomes the focus of attention.
But this model failed to explain
Filter -attenuation Model, 1962 by Anne Treisman
If unattended message is not passing through the filter, then how do
we become alert when someone takes our name.?
We tend to hear meaningful information even when we are not paying
attention to it.
Selection therefore starts at the physical level and unattended
information is not completely blocked and filtered out. It is only
weakened or attenuated.
Attenuated message becomes the focus of attention when the
message has personally relevant information (eg name), or, when the
message is loud or observable.
Also follows the bottle-neck approach.
Successfully explains the cocktail party phenomenon.
 Sustained Attention

This form of attention, is concerned with concentration, it is the ability to

focus on one thing for a continuous period.
It is also known as vigilance.
During this time, people keep their focus on the task at hand and
continue to engage in a behavior until the task is complete or a certain
period of time has elapsed.
eg: Air traffic controllers, radar readers. Both require great deal of
vigilance.
Factors influencing Sustained Attention:

1. Sensory modality:
Performance is better when stimuli is auditory than visual.

2. Clarity of stimuli:
Intense and long lasting stimuli = better performance.

3. Temporal certainty:
When sound occurs at regular intervals of time, it gets easier to notice.

4. Spatial certainty:
When the object is kept at the fixed place, it is easier to notice.
 Divided Attention/Multi-tasking

Paying attention to two or more messages at the same time.

Multi-tasking.
More errors
Reduces quality of work
More driving errors while taking on the phone- apply breaks
late.

Box- 5.4: ADHD

 Perceptual Processes
The process by which we recognize, interpret or give meaning to the
information provided by our sense organs is called perception.