WHAT IS SELECTIVE ATTENTION?

Many researchers, scientists, psychologists and other professionals believe that as human beings, there are times when we can only process incoming information by focusing on one oral message or visual object at a time. This is due to something called serial bottlenecks, which is the point when all incoming information may no longer be processed at the same time because it interferes with the procession of an individual stimuli and/or message.

After reviewing several selection in attention theories, I chose to address Treisman’s Attenuation Theory. According to (Anderson. 2010), “this model hypothesized that certain messages would be weakened but not filtered out entirely on the basis of their physical properties” (p. 67). This is also a slight modification from Broadbent’s filter theory which proposed that all incoming information does have serial bottlenecks and therefore individual stimuli is than processed into working memory based on some physical characteristic. There are also pros and cons that can be associated with Treisman’s Attenuation Theory. One of each is as follows: 

PRO - This allows individuals the opportunity to process multiple stimuli or messages while being filtered through the unattended channel based on word importance of each individual stimuli. This process is also known as the threshold effect. Stimuli with a low threshold are more likely to be filtered into one’s conscious awareness while stimuli with a high threshold, is more likely to get filtered out by one’s conscious awareness. One example of this could be when you are at a cocktail party and a friend and stranger call out your name at the same time.

Since, the friend has a familiar voice you may be more likely to hear that individual’s voice (stimuli) over that of the stranger’s voice. Different words also have different chances of making it through the unattended channel, due to something called a threshold effect. This is defined as the minimum amount of activation that it takes to produce a conscious awareness of particular stimuli. One major benefit of this process is that it offers individuals an opportunity to be in a multi-informational setting while choosing to acknowledge any words that may be considered most important and/or more appealing.

CON - This particular theory is unable to scientifically explain how semantic analysis works, which has also caused much controversy within the overall scientific community. This is because semantic analysis is a determination of how language acquires meaning. This process focuses on and can officially identify a relation or relationships/ between certain words, symbols, signs and/or phrases that explain cognition and language. This is also extremely important because a scientific explanation for this process must be acquired to enhance a theory’s overall level of reliability and validity.

Even though, there may be a lack in explaining how semantic analysis truly works with this theory, I still support the idea that this is exactly how humans beings choose selection in attention. This is because I choose to pay attention in the exact same manner on a daily basis. When more than one person is talking to me, I naturally tend to focus on (filter in) those who say something a certain way or whether they are more familiar to me, even though I’m cognitively aware of all others who are talking in the room. 

This theory can also explain why so many people seem to exhibit “selective attention” in most or all social settings. One other positive thing about this theory is that future research could be conducted to further address the lack in explanation concerning how semantic analysis really works. If this can be determined, it would certainly increase the level of reliability and validity that is presently associated with this theory. 

Reference:

Anderson, R. J. (2010). Cognitive Psychology and Its Implications (7th Edition). Worth Publishers. New York, NY.