HPS203/773 - Cognition in Gorillas and Inattentional Blindness Report

This report investigates cognition and inattentional blindness, using a modified version of the classic gorilla video experiment. The study involved 602 participants, students enrolled in HPS203 and HPS773 at Deakin University during Trimester 1, 2019, who were asked questions about their observations of the video. Participants were categorized into familiar and unfamiliar groups based on prior exposure to the video. The results, analyzed using chi-square tests, revealed a significant association between familiarity and the detection of changes in the video, including the gorilla, color change, and a player leaving the game. The report discusses the implications of these findings in relation to inattentional blindness, memory, and cognitive perception, highlighting the importance of attention in visual processing and the potential for errors in perception. The findings support the concept of inattentional blindness, where individuals may fail to notice unexpected events when their attention is focused elsewhere.