According to capacity theories of attention, performance limitations in divided attention tasks arise because:

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Question restatement: According to capacity theories of attention, performance limitations in divided attention tasks arise because:

Option analysis:
- Provided answer: 'There is a limit on the amount of neural structure we can activate to process stimuli.' This phrasing ties capacity limits to a fixed amount of neural structure that can be activated. In capacity theories of attention, the core idea is that there is a limited pool of cognitive resources or processing capacity that must be shared among tasks. The wording here emphasizes neural activation capacity, which is a plausible biological interpretation, but capacity theories typically frame the limitation in terms of available mental resources rather than a rigid, fixed amount of neural hardware being activated. So while the statement captures the essence of a limited-resource view, it may overstate a concrete neural activation boundary and underemphasize the flexible, context-dependent nature of resource allocation that capacity theories describe.

- If we consider alternative interpretations or potential distractors (even though none are provided here), a statement claiming unlimited capacity, or one suggesting division of attention has no cost, would conflict with capacity theories. Any option that attributes divided attention costs to factors like task difficulty, resource sharing, or central bottlenecks would align more closely with standard formulations of capacity theories.

- Important nuance: capacity theories often stress a shared, general-purpose resource pool that is consumed across tasks and modulated by factors like arousal, strategic prioritization, and practice. They do not usually pinpoint a single fixed neural substrate as the sole limiter; rather, they describe a system-level constraint on processing capacity. Therefore, the specific claim about 'the amount of neural structure we can activate' can be seen as a simplified or partially accurate rendering, but it may miss the broader theoretical emphasis on resource allocation dynamics and the variability of capacity across tasks and states.

- Given there are no other answer options to compare against, we cannot evaluate why other statements would be incorrect, but we can highlight common misconceptions: (1) Treating capacity as unlimited ignores the core premise of limited resources; (2) Attributing limits solely to peripheral bottlenecks (e.g., sensory channels) rather than a central pool misses the central idea of shared resources; (3) Assuming capacity scales with stimulus intensity or automaticity without considering strategic allocation overlooks how attention is managed by top-down control.

In summary, the statement aligns with the general notion of a limited-resource framework in capacity theories, but it risks over-specified neurobiological phrasing and may not fully capture the flexible, resource-sharing character of the theory across tasks and states.

PSYC20007_2025_SM2 Week 6: Attention: Structure, Capacity and Control

According to capacity theories of attention, performance limitations in divided attention tasks arise because:

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