Day 61: Entrained Attention

Today, I participated in a study at school for my cognitive psychology professor.  By participating in the study, I get 10 extra credit points.  The study involved me sitting at a computer terminal.

 There were several trials.  Basically, the first set of trials involved you looking at a specific spot on the computer, then a letter would flash, and then there would be a green or red dot.  If the dot was green, you click the left mouse button.  If the dot is red, you click the right mouse button.

For the second trial, it was the control trial.  You did the same thing, except instead of letters, there would be a flash of light around the fixation spot.

For the third trial, there would be 3 flashes of light, and then you respond when you see the green or red dot.

Result:  I wanted to give up during the first trial.  It was difficult to keep staring at the fixation spot, which was in the middle of the computer screen and did not move.  Plus the flashing of the letters, one of which was L, confused me.  It was difficult not to press the left mouse button when I saw L.  But I pushed through it and finished the whole thing.  I pushed the wrong mouse button maybe 5 times, and each time I did, I said "Damnit!" out loud, which was kind of embarrassing since there were some other people in the room.  And I wasn't too pleased with my reaction times during the whole trial sessions.  But I finished it, and I'm glad that I did.