2.6 Summary of Section 2 The results of the visual attention experiments we have considered can be interpreted as follows. Attention can be directed selectively towards different areas of the visual field, without the need to re-focus. The inability to report much detail from brief, masked visual displays appears to be linked to the need to assemble the various information components. The visual information is captured in parallel, but assemb
2.5 Masking and attention Before I summarise the material in this section, and we move on to consider attentional processes with clearly-seen displays, it would be appropriate to consider the relevance of the masking studies to the issue of attention. We began the whole subject by enquiring about the fate of material which was, in principle, available for processing, but happened not to be at the focus of attention. Somehow we have moved into a different enquiry, concerning the fate of material that a participant was
2.4 Rapid serial visual presentation It has been known for a long time that backward masking can act in one of two ways: integration and interruption (Turvey, 1973). When the SOA between target and mask is very short, integration occurs; that is, the two items are perceived as one, with the result that the target is difficult to report, just as when one word is written over another. Of more interest is masking by interruption, which is the type we have been considering in the previous section. It occurs at longer S
2.2 Knowing about unseen information An obvious difference between hearing and seeing is that the former is extended in time, while the latter extends over space. So, for example, we can listen to a spoken sentence coming from one place, but it takes some time to hear it all. In contrast, a written sentence is spread over an area (of paper, say) but, as long as it is reasonably short, it can be seen almost instantly. Nevertheless, seeing does require some finite time to capture and analyse the information. This process can be ex
1.4 Eavesdropping on the unattended message It was not long before researchers devised more complex ways of testing Broadbent's theory of attention, and it soon became clear that it could not be entirely correct. Even in the absence of formal experiments, common experiences might lead one to question the theory. An oft-cited example is the cocktail party effect. Imagine you are attending a noisy party, but your auditory location system is working wonderfully, enabling you to focus upon one particular conversation. Suddenly, from
1.1 Introduction To cover some of the concept of attention (we have only a unit, and there are whole books on the subject) I shall follow an approximately historical sequence, showing how generations of psychologists have tackled the issues and gradually refined and developed their theories. You will discover that initially there seemed to them to be only one role for attention, but that gradually it has been implicated in an ever-widening range of mental processes. As we work through the subject, two basic i
References 2.7 Reflecting on explanations of ‘abnormal’ development: the case of dyslexia We can draw the following general conclusions about cognitive and biological explanations of abnormality from the material presented above. Both cognitive and biological accounts of dyslexia are offered as theories which explain the behavioural difficulties that are observed. While some theories may dominate accounts of a given condition (e.g. the phonological deficit hypothesis), and may result in influencing the nature of interventions, they are sti 2.3.4 Lateralisation It has long been suspected that unusual patterns of cerebral lateralisation (i.e. the ‘division of labour’ between left and right hemispheres of the brain) may have some connection with dyslexia. Early researchers noticed an apparent excess of left-handedness in children with specific reading difficulties (and their relatives). However, most dyslexic people are in fact right-handed, and most left-handed people are not dyslexic. Nonetheless, large-scale analyses of the research find 2.3.4 Symbolic data The fourth kind of data is essentially symbolic – symbolic creations of minds, such as the texts people have written, their art, what they have said (recorded and transcribed), the exact ways they use language and the meanings they have communicated. These symbolic data are the products of minds, but once created they can exist and be studied and analysed quite separately from the particular minds that created them. These kinds of data are used to provide evidence of meanings, and th 1.3 Psychology has social impact The relevance of psychology to everyday concerns, and the ease with which it can be popularised and used, mean that psychological knowledge – some of it dubious, some of it accurate – is continually absorbed into culture and often incorporated into the very language we use. Examples of psychological concepts that have entered popular discourse include the notion that we are predisposed, both through evolution and through the functioning of our brains and nervous systems, to behave in cert 8 Paired samples T-Tests This activity introduces the paired samples t-test. It is also known as the ‘within participants’ or ‘related’ t-test. It is used when your design is within p 6 Correlation This activity demonstrates how a simple correlation analysis can be carried out. Correlations tell us about the relationship between pairs of variables. For example:< 5 Obtaining descriptive statistics This activity demonstrates how a simple dataset can be used to produce some basic statistics. You will see how the data from a simple experiment can be described in a 2 How to start SPSS This activity shows you how to start the SPSS software, navigate a computer desktop to find a file called Trends chapter 14, and then open it. You will be requ 6 And action! Getting the cameras rolling is just the beginning – there are endless possibilities you can explore. As a visual medium, DV lends itself to the creative expression of ideas, feelings and information, but it is harder to define what constitutes creativity. It's easy to equate a creative medium with a lack of constraints – an ‘anything goes’ attitude. In BECTA's pilot study, however, teachers reported that placing clear constraints on pupils’ coursework generated the best Learning outcomes The learning outcomes for this unit are: Develop an appreciation of the impact digital video has on learning and teaching; Assess what hardware and software you need to deploy DV in your classroom; Become familiar with filming and editing techniques; Plan and deliver a project that uses DV as a teaching tool. References Introduction School governors need to be involved in the monitoring and evaluation of secondary schools. But what areas should you be monitoring and how can you ensure that monitoring is effective. This unit will help you assess these matters and also look at the kind of evidence you should be sourcing, and how that evidence should be evaluated. 4 Working with other stakeholders When considering the accountability of the governing body, we need to think about the context of the school and the community it serves. The DfES states quite clearly that the school and its governing body are accountable to anyone who has a ‘legitimate interest’. You might like to spend some time considering who these people are. In terms of providing both high-quality education and, consequently, an educated workforce, pupils, parents and the wider community are the ‘customersâ€
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