The document summarizes research on inattentional blindness, which is the inability to detect a new and unexpected object due to limited attention capacity. It discusses factors that influence inattentional blindness like mental workload and expectations. It also presents studies showing that more tactical instructions in sports and attending to music can respectively increase and decrease instances of inattentional blindness.

1. Let’s watch it again!
This time, focus your
attention only at the
right corner.
Did
you
notice
the The human brain is able to
star completely miss a fully-
In the visible, but unexpected object
right because of over activity in top-
corner? down processing.

2. LOOK
CLOSELY!
The human brain is able to
completely miss a fully-
visible, but unexpected object
because of over activity in top-
down processing.

3. 1. Change Blindness: the inability to detect a change in an object or a scene.
 The difference between the phenomena is that inattentional blindness is
the inability to detect a new and unexpected object.
Causes of Inattentional Blindness
1. Conspicuity: Is it attention-grabbing?
2. Mental Workload: A lot on your mind?
3. Expectation: What did you expect?
4. Capacity: Expert vs. Novice- how
much attention is required?
(Hannon & Richards, 2012)

4. 2. Selective Attention: responding selectively to certain sources of
information while ignoring other sources.
 Inattentional blindness also illustrates a critical aspect of visual processing.
Specifically, it reveals the role of selective attention in perception.
 Inattentional blindness represents a consequence of this critical process that
allows us to remain focused on important aspects of our world without distraction
from irrelevant objects and events.
(Hannon & Richards, 2012)

5. (Furley & Memmert, 2007)
(Beanland & Pammer, 2011)

6. Research shows that there is a relationship between
inattentional blindness and action-demanding team
sports.
o More tactical instructions can lead to a narrower
breadth of attention, which increases inattentional
blindness, whereas fewer tactical instructions widen
the breadth of attention in the area of team ball sports
and therefore decreases inattentional blindness.
(Furley & Memmert, 2007)

7. Research shows that attending to music decreases
inattentional blindness.
o Listening to music will decrease inattentional
blindness by reducing observers' frequency of task-
unrelated thoughts, this was due to the distracting
qualities of the audio task
o (Beanland & Pammer, 2011)

8. Beanland, V. & Pammer, K. (2011). Attending to music decreases
inattentional blindness. Consciousness and Cognition, 20(4), 1282-
1292. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2011.04.009
Furley, P. & Memmert, D., (2007). "I spy with my little eye"! breadth of
attention, inattentional blindness, and tactical decision making in
team sports. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 29(3), 365-
381. Retrieved from
http://apps.webofknowledge.com.proxy.ohiolink.edu:9099/full_re
cord.do?product=UA&search_mode=Refine&qid=2&SID=2BBp3EM
m72bDfdN32BF&page=1&doc=3
Hannon, E.M. & Richards, A. (2012). Distracted by distractors: Eye
movements in a dynamic inattentional blindness task . Social
Sciences Citation Index,21, 170-176. Retrieved from
http://xlib1.ohiolink.edu:8331/V/RH2UI1MD5IXUEPXU2SU7HDESC
QEJIME2
Mack, A. (2003). Inattentional blindness: looking without seeing.
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, 12(5), 180.
Retrieved from http://content.epnet.com/ContentServer.asp?T=P