Question

According to the module, which of the following explains the effect of practice?

a) before we practice something, we must use our controlled attention to complete it; once we practice, it becomes more automatic.
b) when we practice, we become better able to attend to the relevant stimuli of tasks that require automatic attention.
c) when we practice, we switch from a filter model to a spotlight model of attention.
d) we can use more controlled attention once we become good at a task through practice.

Answer 1

The effect of practice is that tasks initially requiring controlled attention become more automatic through repetition. As we practice, our brains develop shortcuts, making performance of tasks less effortful.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the module, the effect of practice can be explained as follows: before we practice something, we must use our controlled attention to complete it; once we practice, it becomes more automatic. This concept suggests that initially, when learning a new task, one must focus consciously and apply significant effort, but with sufficient practice, the task requires less conscious attention and becomes more of an automatic process.

For instance, learning to drive involves an initial period in which the learner must devote substantial attention and cognitive resources to understanding and performing the various actions required for driving. As the driving skills are practiced and repeated, they become automated, allowing a driver to execute them with minimal conscious thought or effort.

In essence, practice allows our brain to develop heuristics or shortcuts that make the performance of tasks more efficient and less mentally taxing over time. This is an important aspect of learning and memory retention, as repeated rehearsal moves information from short-term to long-term memory, where it becomes more deeply encoded and easier to access with less conscious effort.