Final answer:
Category labels on "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" activate top-down processing, where contestants use prior knowledge and expectations to recognize and interpret stimuli efficiently.
Step-by-step explanation:
On the television shows "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!", contestants are given category labels before each new puzzle or question to activate top-down processing. This psychological concept involves using previous experiences and expectations to comprehend and recognize stimuli. As opposed to bottom-up processing, which is driven by sensory information from the environment, top-down processing is driven by cognitive processes such as knowledge and expectancy.
For example, when given a category in "Jeopardy!", a contestant may recall previous knowledge about that category which helps to interpret and filter the incoming questions in a more efficient way. Similarly, on "Wheel of Fortune", knowing the category can help the contestant bring to mind certain words or phrases that are often associated with that category, thus guiding their guesses.
Therefore, these game shows utilize top-down processing to hone contestants' focus and improve their chances of successfully solving puzzles or answering questions based on their stored knowledge and expectations.