Glossary Action slips Performing unintended actions, particularly during automatic processes cell content cell content Automatic processing Processing that does not require any focused attention Bottom-up processing Pattern recognition based on features of the stimulus Closed loop Slow processing involving conscious and deliberate attention for learning and switching tasks Configuration Arrangement of features with respect to each other Controlled processing Processing that requires focused attention Dichotic listening task Method for investigating focused attention involving listening to two messages simultaneously Divided attention Attending to more than one stimulus simultaneously Feature detection model Pattern recognition based breaking down the stimulus into its component features Feature detectors Cells in the visual cortex that respond to lines or edges Focused attention Ability to selectively attend to some information stimuli whilst ignoring the rest Galvanic skin response Changes in skin resistance in response to changes in arousal Identikit Drawings of facial features combined to construct a face Open loop Fast processing involving no attentional control for well practised tasks Parallel processing Ability to process more than one stimulus simultaneously Pattern recognition Making sense of and identifying perceived objects Perception Process of making sensory inputs meaningful Schemata Memory sets for whole processes, things and events Serial processing Focusing attention on one stimulus at a time Shadowing Repetition of a message during a dichotic listening task Split-span procedure Method for investigating focused attention involving listening to different information in each ear and writing it down Stroop effect Demonstration of how automatic processes can interfere with tasks requiring controlled processing Template matching hypothesis Incoming stimuli are compared with templates in the long term memory Threshold level of intensity According to Triesman, this is reached if an attenuated channel is selected for attention Top-down processing Expectations and knowledge of a particular context influence the perception of patterns