Final answer:
Gibson's theories of attention suggest that attention is influenced by the physical characteristics of stimuli in the environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Gibson's theories of attention are most consistent with option b) Attention is influenced by the physical characteristics of stimuli in the environment. According to Gibson, attention is not solely a top-down process driven by expectations and prior knowledge (option a), nor is it a purely cognitive process independent of sensory input (option c). Additionally, Gibson's theories suggest that attention is not a fixed trait and can change over time, making option d incorrect.
According to Gibson, attention is influenced by the physical characteristics of stimuli in the environment. This means that attention is driven by the sensory input from the environment, rather than solely by cognitive processes or prior knowledge. For example, if you see a bright, flashing light in your peripheral vision, you are likely to direct your attention towards it, even if you were not expecting it or have no prior knowledge about it.
Gibson's theories align with the idea that attention is a combination of both bottom-up and top-down processes. Bottom-up processes involve sensory information from the environment driving attention, while top-down processes involve expectations and prior knowledge influencing attention. So, option b best represents Gibson's theories on attention.