People cannot focus on all of the stimuli that surround them each day. A person’s tendency to screen out most of the information is called __.
A) subliminal retention
B) selective distortion
C) cognitive dissonance
D) selective attention
E) cognitive inertia
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is D) selective attention.
Selective attention refers to the cognitive process by which individuals focus on certain aspects of their environment while filtering out others. Every day, people are bombarded with a vast amount of stimuli—sounds, sights, smells, and information. However, the human brain is not capable of processing all of this information simultaneously due to limitations in cognitive resources. Instead, individuals selectively attend to stimuli that are most relevant, interesting, or important to them while ignoring or filtering out less important or irrelevant stimuli.
For example, in a crowded room, one might focus on a conversation with a friend, tuning out background noise or the chatter of other people. Similarly, while driving, a person might concentrate on the road and traffic signals while ignoring unrelated details, like billboards or pedestrians at a distance.
Selective attention is a crucial aspect of human perception and decision-making. It helps individuals manage the overwhelming amount of information around them, enabling them to focus on tasks, make decisions, and prioritize actions effectively. This phenomenon is influenced by factors such as personal interests, goals, emotions, and external cues. Additionally, selective attention plays a key role in learning, memory, and problem-solving.
This concept contrasts with other cognitive biases or phenomena like cognitive dissonance (the discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs) or subliminal retention (subconscious retention of information), which are not related to the filtering or focusing of attention on specific stimuli. In selective attention, individuals actively choose what to attend to, based on their current needs and context, making it a fundamental cognitive process for navigating daily life.