BIROn - Birkbeck Institutional Research Online

    Does narrative drive dynamic attention to a prolonged stimulus?

    Hinde, S.J. and Smith, Tim J. and Gilchrist, I.D. (2018) Does narrative drive dynamic attention to a prolonged stimulus? Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications 3 (1), p. 45. ISSN 2365-7464.

    [img]
    Preview
    Text
    25669.pdf - Published Version of Record
    Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

    Download (1MB) | Preview

    Abstract

    Attention in the "real world" fluctuates over time, but these fluctuations are hard to examine using a timed trial-based experimental paradigm. Here we use film to study attention. To achieve short-term engagement, filmmakers make use of low-level cinematic techniques such as color, movement and sound design to influence attention. To engage audiences over prolonged periods of time, narrative structure is used. In this experiment, participants performed a secondary auditory choice reaction time (RT) task to measure attention while watching a film. In order to explore the role of narrative on attention, we manipulated the order that film segments were presented. The influence of narrative was then compared to the contribution of low-level features (extracted using a computer-based saliency model) in a multiple regression analysis predicting choice RT. The regression model successfully predicted 28% of the variance in choice RT: 13% was due to low-level saliency, and 8% due to the narrative. This study shows the importance of narrative in determining attention and the value of studying attention with a prolonged stimulus such as film.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Keyword(s) / Subject(s): Attention, Attentional load, Dual-task, Dynamic attention, Film, Prolonged attention, Sustained attention, Temporal attention
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Psychological Sciences
    SWORD Depositor: Mr Joe Tenant
    Depositing User: Mr Joe Tenant
    Date Deposited: 22 Jan 2019 13:30
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 17:47
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/25669

    Statistics

    Activity Overview
    6 month trend
    292Downloads
    6 month trend
    414Hits

    Additional statistics are available via IRStats2.

    Archive Staff Only (login required)

    Edit/View Item Edit/View Item