Final answer:
Early-selection and late-selection models in psychology are theories that attempt to determine when, during the process of perception, information is filtered and reduced—either soon after sensory input is received or after it has undergone some higher-level processing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early-selection and late-selection models pertain to theories in psychology that seek to understand how attentional processes operate. The question is about the point at which information is filtered in the process of perception. Early-selection models propose that the filtering of information occurs soon after the sensory input is received, meaning that only a small amount of the sensory information is actually processed to a higher level. On the other hand, late-selection models suggest that the filtering occurs after the information has been processed to some extent at a higher cognitive level, which means more information is initially considered before the selection occurs.
The idea these models try to address is similar to selection effects found in various situations, such as planet detection in astronomy where certain types of planets are more likely to be discovered due to the limitations of observation techniques, or in real-life scenarios such as choosing a partner within a limited environment like a college campus.