Final answer:
The average person's attention is often focused and selective, typically noticing novel or extraordinary events while missing unexpected elements not within the current focus. Option 1 is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The claim regarding the average person's attention states that peoples' attention is typically captured by novel or extraordinary events and that they tend to overlook things that they are not actively focusing on. This phenomenon, known as inattentional blindness, was demonstrated in the study by Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris, where participants failed to notice a person in a gorilla costume while counting basketball passes.
Our attention is indeed selective, and when engaged in an attention-demanding task, we often ignore other stimuli that are not related to that task. This principle can be seen in everyday life, such as not hearing what song is playing at a party when engaged in conversation, or noticing the sudden sound of breaking dishes at a noisy restaurant despite being focused on a meal and conversation. The experiments highlighted indicate that the average person's attention is often focused and can easily miss out on unexpected elements if those elements do not align with the current focus of attention.