Broadbent's Rigid Filter Model

How do we process the information? On what does it depend that we select one stimulus and not others? How can we attend to only one stimulus among many?

From basic psychology, many authors have focused on the processes of attention, proposing theoretical models of it. Today we are going to meet one of them, Broadbent's rigid filter model.

To do this, let's start by looking at what the attention filter models are, to which this one by Donlad Broadbent belongs.

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Attention filter models

Attention filter models focus on the concept of filtering. This consists of choose a fragment of the sensory flow and give it access to the central channel of processing, while the rest is lost (selective attention).

There are two types of filter models, which are as follows.

Precategory filter models

Broadbent's rigid filter model belongs to this type. In these models the selection of information is early, that is, the attentional mechanism operates in the initial phases of processing.

The process consists of a sensory recording (carried out in parallel, and where the physical characteristics of the stimulus are analyzed), the appearance of the filter (which selects the information it attends) and finally the appearance of a single central channel where the stimulus becomes semantically processed (in Serie).

In these models, only properly attended information is processed at the semantic level.

Post-Category Filter Models

Here the selection of the information is late, that is, the attentional mechanism operates later than in the previous.

In these models, there is a sensory store that includes an analyzer system (processing of physical and semantic characteristics in parallel and automatically / passively). Subsequently, the filter appears, which collects all the signals and selects them.

The next item is short term memory or central attention mechanism, which actively and consciously analyzes the message (it is a controlled process, which consumes attentional resources).

In these models, unlike the previous ones, all the information is processed at a physical and semantic level.

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Broadbent's Rigid Filter Model

It is a precategorial filter model, where the filter goes before semantic analysis. That is, the stimuli appear first, which will be stored in the sensory warehouse. Then the filter would act, which would select the information.

This would be stored in short-term memory (a channel of limited capacity), and finally some information would pass to long-term memory (between these two elements, the responses of the subject would appear to the stimulation).

Here, something similar to the "law of all or nothing" would apply, that is, information passes or does not pass (one message is processed at a time).

Broadbent Rigid Model Features

Processing would be done in parallel at the peripheral level.

Sensory memory temporarily retains information. The filter it raises is rigid and selective, since it chooses a fragment of the sensory flow and gives it access to the central channel, while the rest of the non-relevant information is lost (this occurs to avoid central channel overload caused by sensory channels multiple).

At the central level, a categorical or semantic analysis of the information is carried out, that is, sequential processing occurs and the channel is of limited capacity.

Broadbent Filter Features

It is a rigid filter, an “all or nothing” device. The selection of the information is made based on the physical characteristics of the stimuli without taking into account the meaning of the messages. The semantic processing will be done later.

On the other hand, the probability that a message is selected or not will depend on the properties of the stimuli (spatial location, intensity, speed of presentation, sensory modality ...) and the state of the organism.

The filter you can only focus on one channel or message at a time, and its transition is two seconds.

Deutsch and Deutsch's early selection model

It is important to distinguish between the Broadbent rigid filter model and the Deutsch and Deutsch early selection model. The latter, unlike Broadbent's rigid (precategorial) model, is a post-category filter model.

In this case, we ask ourselves the following: how is it possible to select an input among several without analyzing all of them? So that it can be decided which of the stimuli is relevant some degree of analysis is necessary.

In addition, in this case there are data from semantic analysis prior to selection, which the analyzer deals with.

Once the stimuli have been received, are kept in the sensory warehouse. Subsequently, an analyzer acts prior to the filter, and the latter will transfer the information to short-term memory (MCP).

Finally, from the MCP it is transferred to the long term memory (and, as in Broadbent's model, responses will appear between these two memories, on transfer from one to the other).

In other words, the most important difference with respect to Broadbent's rigid filter model is that in Deutsch and Deutsche's there is an analyzer that acts prior to the filter.

Bibliographic references:

• García, J. (1997) Psychology of attention. Synthesis. Madrid.
• Munar, E., Rosselló, J. and Sánchez-Cabaco, A. (1999). Attention and perception. Alliance. Madrid.