PSY 265 Lecture 11: Psych 265 Lecture 11
Document Summary
Capacity is the sum total of our mental resources: we have finite resources, allocation determines our capacity for a task at any given time. Multimode theory relies on capacity and mental effort to explain how some messages get through: stage 1. Multiple messages can be processed easily: stage 3. Multiple messages can be processed only with great effort. Two tasks, conducted simultaneously: task 1. Condition 1: male speaker in one ear, female speaker in the other ear, different messages. Allows discrimination early processing stage, stage 1, physical characteristics. Condition 2: same speaker in both ears, different messages. Forces discrimination at a later stage of processing stage 3, semantic processing: task 2. Press keys to a random presentation of lights. Task allowing earlier discrimination, meaning less processing, will produce faster response to lights. Task forcing later discrimination, and thus more processing, will produce slower response to lights.
