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| Reviewed: |
May 01, 2012 by Psychology |
| Overview: |
The Effects of Attention on Visual Awareness is a 54-second You Tube video that allows the viewer to experience ‘inattentional blindness’ (i.e., being effectively blind to clearly visible events because attention is focused on one thing). Hosted by Mindgate Media, the video is accompanied by learning objectives, discussion questions, and a reference for a recommended textbook. The video can be incorporated in a lecture, assignment, or discussion on visual perception. It is particularly suitable for undergraduate psychology students. NOTE: While the video is easily accessible, complete access to the accompanying materials requires that the user register (cost-free) with Mindgate Media. |
| Learning Goals: |
• Students will understand ‘inattentional blindness’ (where we fail to perceive events to which we are not attending). |
| Target Student Population: |
This material is suitable for anyone but is particularly applicable to undergraduate students studying human visual perception. |
| Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: |
Students should have an introductory knowledge of basic psychological principles. |
| Type of Material: |
Presentation (video). [A written transcript of the video is provided.] |
| Recommended Uses: |
• The video could be incorporated in a face-to-face (F2F) lecture or as part of a distance learning course. It would serve to augment existing course material and could serve as a foundation for discourse. |
| Technical Requirements: |
• Internet browser required. [Tested successfully in Mozilla Firefox 11.0 and Safari.]
• A media player plug-in is required for viewing the video. |
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| Strengths: |
• The video provides a clear and complete demonstration of a well-known visual attention phenomenon.
• The video is supported by learning objectives and discussion questions (though full access to these materials requires registration with the website). |
| Concerns: |
• The term ‘inattentional blindness’ does not appear in the material, yet it is a crucial search term to find further information on this phenomenon.
• The material refers the user to a large social psychology textbook rather than to the classic text on inattentional blindness (Mack & Rock, 1998) or to a recent journal article on this subject. |
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Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool |
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| Strengths: |
• The video will successfully provide every (non-visually impaired) user with a striking experience of a well-known visual attention phenomenon (inattentional blindness).
• This resource facilitates learning in that it is a video which actually demonstrates a concept. This distinctive demonstration can be revisited by the learner/faculty.
• A transcript for the video accommodates learners. The platform reaches out to multiple learning styles (i.e., visual/audio learners). |
| Concerns: |
• The video is not easy to write assignments for, but it is not really designed for that use. It would be most effective as an augmentation of a lecture or other course materials. |
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Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty |
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| Strengths: |
• This is an engaging, interactive and amusing video demonstration of a well-known visual attention phenomenon.
• Video rewind is incorporated so that the presenter does not have to stop and rewind.
• The site (and video) are easy to navigate. |
| Concerns: |
• As noted throughout this review, registration is required for users who wish to access the materials that are associated with the video. Although registration is not associated with a cost, registration and login require additional steps. |
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| Other Issues and Comments: |
• The video is a great resource to incorporate in a lecture or online course on visual perception.
• The website also includes a link where instructors can exchange teaching ideas, an asset for those who login to review further information within the site. |
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