If you were working on something at your computer and a gorilla floated across your computer screen, would you notice it?
You would like to think yes, however, research shows that people often miss such events when engaged in a difficult task. This is a phenomenon known as inattentional blindness (IB). In a new study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston, researchers have found that even expert searchers, operating in their domain of expertise, are vulnerable to inattentional blindness. This study published this week Psychological Science.
“When engaged in a demanding task, attention can act like a set of blinders, making it possible for stimuli to pass, undetected, right in front of our eyes,” explained Trafton Drew, PhD, post-doctoral researcher at BWH and lead author on this study. “We found that even experts are vulnerable to this phenomenon.”
The researchers asked 24 radiologists to perform a familiar lung nodule detection task. They examined five scans; each scan contained an average of 10 nodules. A gorilla, 48 times larger than the average nodule, was inserted in the last scan. The researchers found that 83 percent of radiologists did not report seeing the gorilla. With the help of Melissa Le-Hoa Vo, post-doctoral researcher at BWH, the researchers tracked the eye-movements of the radiologists and found that that the majority of those who missed the gorilla looked directly at it.
“The radiologists missed the gorillas not because they could not see them, but because the way their brains had framed what they were doing. They were looking for cancer nodules, not gorillas,” explained Jeremy Wolfe, senior psychologist and director of the Visual Attention Laboratory at BWH. “This study helps illustrate that what we become focused on becomes the center of our world, and it shapes what we can and cannot see.”
The Latest Bing News on:
Inattentional blindness
- Commentary: I don't wear earbuds in public. Here’s why you may want to unplug yours tooon July 24, 2024 at 1:49 am
These days, it is quite common to see people wearing earbuds in public. On trains, it's not unusual to see more than half the passengers using them.
- July is the month most pets get lost. Here's what to do if yours goes missing.on July 8, 2024 at 4:28 pm
"There's been studies done on what's called inattentional blindness, where people just don't notice white pieces of paper on the side of the road," Albrecht-Thiessen explained. "But when you have ...
- July is the month most pets get lost. Here's what to do if yours goes missing.on July 8, 2024 at 3:59 pm
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- From fireworks and outdoor parties to vacations and house sitters, July is the month for a spike in having lost pets. The app Nextdoor says July is the biggest month for lost ...
- Can Keratoconus Cause Blindness?on July 4, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Keratoconus doesn’t cause total blindness on its own, but severe cases can result in significant visual impairment. Corrective lenses, surgical management, and corneal transplants can help.
- Your Guide to ADHD and Inattentional Blindnesson July 2, 2024 at 4:59 pm
some researchers have wondered about the association between the condition and inattentional blindness. In a 2015 study, researchers found that college students with ADHD performed better than ...
- Giffgaff "Inattentional blindness" by Splendid Communicationson June 29, 2024 at 8:15 am
To receive full access to Campaign's content including: Unrestricted access to all The Information and The Knowledge content Access to Campaign's in-depth features and coveted reports including ...
- Do you have 'eyebrow blindness'? The internet seems to think so.on June 26, 2024 at 9:09 am
Each era brought a distinctive style, influencing how brows were shaped and perceived. Eyebrow blindness doesn’t mean that you can’t see how your brows actually look on your face, but that you ...
- The role of social meaning in inattentional blindess: When the gorillas in our midst do not go unseenon June 19, 2024 at 9:25 pm
This “inattentional blindness” is a persistent, well-documented limitation of the human visual system. The current research examines whether social meaning reduces this visual bias by imbuing ...
- Mobile bills warning over little-known increase that's going completely unnoticedon June 12, 2024 at 3:50 am
According to giffgaff three quarters (74 percent) of UK adults now experience inattentional blindness, a phenomenon that prevents people from seeing things right in front of their eyes due to ...
- Three in four (74%) UK adults experience 'Inattentional Blindness' and could be losing money as a resulton June 6, 2024 at 7:57 am
The research revealed that more than one in two (52%) UK drivers have experienced inattentional blindness. A quarter of drivers (22%) have arrived at a destination with no memory of how they even ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Inattentional blindness
[google_news title=”” keyword=”inattentional blindness” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
The Latest Bing News on:
Attention focus
- Live: Nifty ends off day's low but banks sulk; ITC, Bajaj Finance in focus | Closing Bellon July 24, 2024 at 3:08 am
Nifty ends around 24,400 as budget blues weigh on stocks. Broader markets show strength; Midcap index up 1%. NSE advance-decline ratio almost 3:1. Banks among top laggards; Pharma, realty among ...
- South African rand extends losses, focus on local inflation dataon July 23, 2024 at 11:00 pm
The South African rand extended losses in early trade on Wednesday, as investors turned their attention to local inflation figures which may give clues on the country's future interest rate path.
- Gladstone safety complaints lead to action, get attention of police chiefon July 23, 2024 at 6:51 pm
GLADSTONE, Mo. (KCTV) - Concerns about traffic speeding through one area of the city grabbed the attention of the Gladstone Police Department.
- Govt urged to focus on border authorities' ops, assets, appointmentson July 23, 2024 at 3:00 pm
The government should pay attention to the operations, assets, and appointments involving enforcement agencies at the Malaysia-Thailand maritime border in Kelantan, said Enforcement Agency Integrity ...
- DWP must focus on work not welfare, says ministeron July 23, 2024 at 9:00 am
The Department for Work and Pensions will shift its focus from welfare to work under a Labour government, the department's new minister has said. In a speech in Barnsley, Liz Kendall said more ...
- Sticky attention in autism: Scientists make unexpected discovery when analyzing eye-tracking dataon July 23, 2024 at 3:00 am
A new study published in the journal Autism Research sheds light on the attentional patterns of young autistic children and their relationship with sensory experiences. The researchers found notable ...
- Test Your Focus: Can You Spend 10 Minutes With One Painting?on July 20, 2024 at 1:27 pm
In a modest attempt to sharpen your focus, we’d like you to consider looking at a single painting for 10 minutes, uninterrupted. Our exercise is based on an assignment that Jennifer Roberts, an art ...
- How Do You Focus Like an Olympian? We Asked Psychologists Who've Worked With Themon July 17, 2024 at 10:02 pm
From a quick phone hack to keeping the bigger picture in mind, you too can zoom in and stay present with Olympic-level focus.
- Netflix's efforts to grow ad tier in focus as subscriber growth slowson July 17, 2024 at 7:27 am
July 17 (Reuters) - Netflix (NFLX.O), opens new tab likely added the fewest number of subscribers in five quarters during April-June as sharp gains following a crackdown on password sharing ebbed and ...
- FARRAND: The shootings focus our attention on what’s importanton July 17, 2024 at 5:18 am
You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the other possibilities.” — Winston Churchill, British prime minister Hello Downriver, We don’t ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Attention focus
[google_news title=”” keyword=”attention focus” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
