Broadbent's Filter Model

Definition

Broadbent's Filter Model is a cognitive theory that explains how selective attention functions by proposing that information from various sources enters the sensory register and is filtered based on certain physical characteristics before being processed for meaning. This model highlights the idea that only one stream of information can be fully attended to at a time, which plays a crucial role in understanding how we focus on specific stimuli while ignoring others in our environment.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Broadbent proposed the filter model in 1958 to address how people can focus on one conversation in a noisy environment, known as the cocktail party effect.
2. The model suggests that sensory information first passes through a sensory buffer before it is filtered, allowing only certain information to move into short-term memory.
3. According to Broadbent, the filtering process occurs early in information processing, meaning that unattended information does not receive further cognitive analysis.
4. The model emphasizes the importance of physical characteristics like pitch or loudness in determining which auditory signals are selected for further processing.
5. Broadbent's Filter Model laid the groundwork for later theories of attention, including models that incorporate more complex processes, such as Treisman's Attenuation Model.

Review Questions

• How does Broadbent's Filter Model explain the phenomenon of selective attention during multitasking?
  • Broadbent's Filter Model explains selective attention by suggesting that individuals can only focus on one source of information at a time due to the filtering process. When multitasking, some stimuli are filtered out based on physical attributes, which allows a person to concentrate on a primary task while ignoring distractions. However, this can lead to reduced performance in secondary tasks since they may not receive full cognitive processing.
• Discuss how Broadbent's Filter Model addresses the challenges of divided attention and its implications for everyday tasks.
  • Broadbent's Filter Model addresses divided attention by indicating that when multiple stimuli are present, only one can be processed fully due to the filtering mechanism. This means that when trying to focus on several tasks at once, like listening to music while studying, important details from secondary tasks may be missed or poorly processed. The implications suggest that effective multitasking may be limited by cognitive resources and the model encourages prioritizing tasks for better performance.
• Evaluate how Broadbent's Filter Model has influenced modern research on attention and cognitive processes, including its strengths and limitations.
  • Broadbent's Filter Model has greatly influenced modern research on attention by providing a foundational understanding of how we process sensory information. Its strength lies in its clarity regarding the selective nature of attention and its focus on early filtering; however, it has limitations since it oversimplifies complex cognitive processes by suggesting a strict sequence of filtering without acknowledging later stages where some unattended information can still be processed. This has led researchers to propose more nuanced models, incorporating aspects like divided attention and the role of context in information processing.

Related terms

Selective Attention:

The process by which a person focuses on one specific task or stimulus while ignoring other potential distractions.

Divided Attention:

The ability to distribute attention among multiple tasks or stimuli at the same time, which often leads to decreased performance in all tasks.

Cognitive Load:

The total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory, which can affect how well we process information and perform tasks.