Suppose one evening you watch a beautiful sunset and take a photograph of it. Later, when you look at the picture, the sunset appears much smaller in the scene than you remember it. What theory of attention explains this discrepancy?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The "zoom lens of attention" theory explains this discrepancy. It suggests that our attention can zoom in and out to focus on different aspects of our environment, much like a camera lens. When you were watching the sunset, your attention likely zoomed in on it, making it appear larger and more significant. However, the camera captures a fixed, unzoomed view, resulting in the sunset appearing smaller in the photograph than in your memory.

Suppose One Evening You Watch a Beautiful Sunset and Take