selective attention test

Daniel Simons

10 Mar 201001:22

Summary

TLDRThe Selective Attention Test, based on research by Simons and Chabris (1999), asks viewers to count how many times players in white pass the basketball. While focusing on this task, many participants miss an unexpected event: a gorilla walking through the scene. This experiment highlights 'inattentional blindness,' demonstrating how our attention can cause us to overlook clearly visible stimuli when concentrating on something else. The test emphasizes the limitations of human perception and attention, providing a striking example of how our brains filter information based on focus.

Takeaways

😀 The test asks viewers to count how many times players wearing white pass the basketball.
😀 Viewers are instructed to focus on counting the passes made by players in white shirts.
😀 The correct answer to the number of passes is revealed to be 15.
😀 The test plays on selective attention by asking a specific task while another surprising event occurs.
😀 After the counting task, viewers are asked a surprising question: 'But did you see the gorilla?!'.
😀 A gorilla appears in the video, but many people fail to notice it due to their focused attention on the basketball passes.
😀 This video is part of research by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris from 1999.
😀 The test is designed to illustrate the concept of 'inattentional blindness', where people miss unexpected events while focusing on something else.
😀 The research and video are available for use in educational and training settings via Viscog Productions.
😀 The video is featured on the website www.theinvisiblegorilla.com, where viewers can learn more about the experiment.

Q & A

What is the primary task in the Selective Attention Test by Simons & Chabris (1999)?
-The primary task is to count how many times the players wearing white pass the basketball.
What is the correct answer to the number of passes in the test?
-The correct answer is 15 passes.
What is the main purpose of the video in relation to selective attention?
-The video demonstrates how selective attention works by showing how viewers can miss unexpected events, like the appearance of a gorilla, while focusing on a task.
What unexpected event occurs in the video that participants might miss?
-A person in a gorilla suit walks through the scene, but viewers are often too focused on counting the passes to notice it.
Who conducted the research presented in the video?
-The research was conducted by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris in 1999.
What is the significance of the gorilla in the video?
-The gorilla serves to illustrate the concept of 'inattentional blindness,' where people fail to notice something unexpected because their attention is focused on something else.
What is the source of the video used in the test?
-The video is from research by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris, and is available through Viscog Productions for educational purposes.
Where can people learn more about the concept shown in the video?
-People can learn more about the concept of selective attention and the 'invisible gorilla' at www.theinvisiblegorilla.com.
What type of training or educational contexts is the video suitable for?
-The video is suitable for use in talks, training, and teaching, particularly related to topics like attention, perception, and cognitive psychology.
What does the term 'inattentional blindness' refer to in the context of this video?
-Inattentional blindness refers to the phenomenon where individuals fail to notice an unexpected event or object in their environment because their attention is focused on another task.