Distraction has low impact on tasks with high perceptual load

Based on the Perceptual load theory, we have a limited capacity on our attention. If there's a complex information that we need to perceive, that may consume all of our attention, therefore us not notice distraction (we can't notice it, e.g. Inattentional blindess).

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References

Goldstein, Cognitive Psychology (p. 97).

According to the perceptual load theory (see Figure 4.12), the largest compatibility effect will be present for the condition in which participants "notice" the flanker the most (please be reminded that the aim was to ignore them). [...]

Backlinks

• Distraction has high impact on tasks with high cognitive load
  • This is the opposite to what happen when we have high perceptual load. Distraction has low impact on tasks with high perceptual load.
• Example relationship of perceptual load and distraction in software engineering
  • Given the intensity of the task, when there was a distraction, I wasn't as well distracted as when I had a lot of things in my working memory. Distraction has low impact on tasks with high perceptual load
• Comparing side-by-side circumvents our cognitive limits
  • Rather than using your working memory, put them side by side instead. This may increase your Perceptual load. This is great, because Distraction has low impact on tasks with high perceptual load.