Attention and Cognitive Control: MCQ Test on Focus, Multitasking and Distractibility
Questions: 30
Questions
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1. What is selective attention?
- a) The ability to divide attention between multiple tasks
- b) The process of focusing on a specific stimulus while ignoring others
- c) The tendency to focus only on tasks of personal interest
- d) The automatic processing of information without awareness
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2. Which theory explains the ability to filter out irrelevant stimuli while focusing on a task?
- a) Broadbent’s Filter Theory
- b) Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory
- c) Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
- d) Skinner’s Behaviorist Theory
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3. What is the "bottleneck" theory of attention?
- a) Attention is a resource that can be divided equally
- b) Attention has a limited capacity and processes one task at a time
- c) Attention is always focused on the most relevant task
- d) Attention can process unlimited stimuli simultaneously
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4. Which cognitive mechanism allows individuals to concentrate in noisy environments?
- a) Sustained attention
- b) Divided attention
- c) Selective attention
- d) Automatic processing
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5. What is the main role of the prefrontal cortex in attention?
- a) Processing sensory stimuli
- b) Controlling focus and cognitive control
- c) Storing long-term memories
- d) Coordinating physical movements
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6. What is sustained attention?
- a) The ability to focus on a task for an extended period
- b) The ability to switch focus between tasks
- c) The ability to filter out distractions
- d) The tendency to focus on new stimuli
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7. What is the Stroop effect used to measure?
- a) Reaction times in divided attention tasks
- b) The impact of distractions on working memory
- c) The conflict between automatic and controlled processing
- d) The efficiency of multitasking abilities
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8. What is the primary challenge of multitasking?
- a) Dividing memory resources
- b) Processing tasks simultaneously
- c) Managing the limited capacity of attention
- d) Ignoring automatic processes
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9. Which of the following best describes "distractibility"?
- a) The inability to sustain attention on a task
- b) The tendency to focus on irrelevant stimuli
- c) The process of dividing attention across tasks
- d) The automatic processing of repetitive tasks
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10. The term "cognitive control" refers to:
- a) Automatic processing of repetitive tasks
- b) The ability to regulate thoughts and actions in pursuit of goals
- c) The tendency to focus only on tasks of personal interest
- d) The process of encoding sensory input
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11. What is the primary goal of cognitive control?
- a) To enhance multitasking capabilities
- b) To suppress automatic responses and prioritize goals
- c) To process stimuli without conscious effort
- d) To store information in long-term memory
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12. What is the key concept of Norman and Shallice’s supervisory attentional system?
- a) Dividing attention across multiple tasks
- b) Automatic processing dominates all cognitive tasks
- c) Controlled processes override automatic responses when needed
- d) All attention is allocated to long-term goals
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13. The "attentional blink" phenomenon occurs when:
- a) A stimulus is missed shortly after detecting another
- b) Attention shifts from one task to another seamlessly
- c) Attention is sustained for an extended period
- d) Distractions are filtered out effectively
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14. Which neurotransmitter is most closely associated with attention?
- a) Dopamine
- b) Serotonin
- c) Acetylcholine
- d) GABA
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15. What is the primary function of executive attention?
- a) To enhance sensory perception
- b) To manage and resolve conflicts between tasks or stimuli
- c) To store visual information
- d) To process auditory input
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16. Which of the following is an example of divided attention?
- a) Reading while listening to music
- b) Listening to a lecture without distractions
- c) Writing while ignoring background noise
- d) Memorizing a list of words
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17. The Yerkes-Dodson law explains the relationship between attention and:
- a) Task similarity
- b) Arousal and performance
- c) Sensory input
- d) Cognitive control
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18. What does "task switching" refer to in cognitive control?
- a) The process of multitasking effectively
- b) Shifting attention between tasks with minimal disruption
- c) Focusing on one task for extended periods
- d) Ignoring distractions entirely
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19. How does mindfulness training improve attention?
- a) By increasing distractibility
- b) By enhancing the ability to focus on the present moment
- c) By reducing the need for selective attention
- d) By eliminating the effects of multitasking
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20. What is the key challenge in controlling attentional focus?
- a) Managing automatic responses to irrelevant stimuli
- b) Avoiding the encoding of sensory information
- c) Sustaining attention indefinitely
- d) Eliminating controlled processes
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21. What is the primary role of working memory in attention?
- a) Filtering sensory input
- b) Holding and manipulating information for focused tasks
- c) Dividing attention equally across tasks
- d) Storing long-term memories
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22. Which term describes the inability to focus on a single task due to excessive external stimuli?
- a) Cognitive overload
- b) Task switching
- c) Sustained attention
- d) Endogenous control
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23. The dual-task paradigm is commonly used to study:
- a) Multitasking and divided attention
- b) The effects of cognitive control on memory
- c) The storage capacity of sensory memory
- d) The encoding of long-term memories
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24. What is the role of attention in goal-directed behavior?
- a) To enhance automatic responses
- b) To prioritize and focus on tasks aligned with goals
- c) To reduce task interference
- d) To process all sensory stimuli equally
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25. In attention studies, what is "multitasking"?
- a) Alternating between tasks rapidly
- b) Performing multiple tasks simultaneously
- c) Focusing on one task for a long time
- d) Ignoring all tasks except one
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26. What is the primary challenge of sustained attention during repetitive tasks?
- a) Managing distractions
- b) Preventing mental fatigue
- c) Increasing working memory capacity
- d) Enhancing sensory processing
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27. Which of the following tasks is an example of automatic processing?
- a) Solving a complex math problem
- b) Reading familiar words
- c) Writing a detailed report
- d) Analyzing data trends
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28. What role does the "central executive" play in working memory?
- a) Storing sensory information
- b) Coordinating attention and cognitive processes
- c) Encoding long-term memories
- d) Filtering irrelevant stimuli
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29. The "cocktail party effect" demonstrates the ability to:
- a) Divide attention between multiple tasks
- b) Focus on one conversation in a noisy environment
- c) Sustain attention over long periods
- d) Process multiple sensory inputs simultaneously
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30. What is the primary purpose of attention in sensory processing?
- a) To enhance multitasking abilities
- b) To prioritize and focus on relevant stimuli
- c) To automatically encode all sensory inputs
- d) To sustain focus indefinitely
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