Final answer:
The statement is false. Selective attention refers to focusing on a particular stimulus while ignoring others and happens early in the perceptual process, not after the information is organized and interpreted. The correct option is B.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that selective attention occurs after incoming information is organized and interpreted is false. Selective attention actually refers to the process of focusing on a particular object in the environment for a certain period of time, while other stimuli are ignored. Attention is a mechanism that governs what information gets through to our perceptual awareness.
It involves both bottom-up processing, where sensory input guides attention, and top-down processing, which involves higher-level cognitive processes such as expectations and experiences shaping what we pay attention to. Our attention can be influenced by various factors such as our emotions, memories, and cognitive priorities at any moment.
For example, in the selective attention test developed by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris, participants might focus so intently on counting passes in a basketball game that they miss other unexpected events in the video. This demonstrates how selective attention can make us oblivious to stimuli outside our focus area.
Hence, selective attention actually occurs early in the perceptual process, as it determines what information will be processed in greater detail and what will be ignored.