Attention and Perception in Cognitive Psychology

The video discusses a psychology course at Harvard where students recreated a famous 1970s experiment by R. Niser. The experiment involved counting basketball passes while unexpected events, like a woman with an umbrella or a person in a gorilla suit, occurred. The findings showed that people often miss obvious events when focused on a task. This has implications for everyday activities like driving and professional tasks such as security screening. The video highlights the importance of understanding attention limitations.

What was the main task participants had to perform in R. Niser's original experiment?

• Identify the players' names

• Count the number of ball passes

• Note the color of the basketball

• Record the time of the game

In the recreated experiment, what unexpected element was introduced to test attention?

• A man in a clown suit

• A woman with an umbrella

• A person in a gorilla suit

• A dog running across the court

What percentage of participants failed to notice the gorilla in the experiment?

• About 25%

• About 10%

• About 75%

• About 50%

What does the experiment suggest about our ability to multitask?

• Multitasking improves our attention

• We can handle multiple tasks with ease

• We often overestimate our multitasking abilities

• Multitasking has no effect on attention

How does talking on a cell phone while driving relate to the experiment's findings?

• It depletes attention and increases risk

• It has no impact on driving

• It helps in noticing unexpected events

• It improves driving skills

What is a common misconception about attention when performing tasks like driving?

• Multitasking enhances attention

• We are less attentive than we think

• We notice everything around us

• Attention is not required for driving

Which profession was mentioned as potentially affected by inattentional blindness?

• Artists

• Teachers

• Lifeguards

• Chefs

What did the TV news magazine do to explore the experiment's findings?

• Interviewed the original researchers

• Published a book on inattentional blindness

• Recreated the experiment in their studio

• Conducted a survey on attention

What was a surprising reaction from a participant in the TV recreation?

• They counted the passes accurately

• They identified the gorilla as a bear

• They denied seeing the gorilla

• They noticed all changes

What does the experiment imply about our perception in everyday life?

• Our perception is flawless

• We often miss unexpected events

• We can easily multitask without errors

• We are always aware of our surroundings