In the Simmons and Chabris inattentional blindness study, what percentage noticed the gorilla?

In the Simmons and Chabris inattentional blindness study, what percentage noticed the gorilla?

• A. 54%
• B. 25%
• C. 75%
• D. 95%

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is inattentional blindness—the way focused attention on a demanding task can cause us to miss clearly visible but unexpected events. In the Simmons and Chabris gorilla study, participants watched a video of people passing a ball and were asked to count the passes. A gorilla appeared on screen, yet many people didn’t notice it because their attention was occupied with the counting task. About 46% of participants noticed the gorilla, while around 54% did not. This illustrates how selective attention limits conscious awareness: even salient events can go unnoticed when attention is tightly focused elsewhere.

The main idea being tested is inattentional blindness—the way focused attention on a demanding task can cause us to miss clearly visible but unexpected events.

In the Simmons and Chabris gorilla study, participants watched a video of people passing a ball and were asked to count the passes. A gorilla appeared on screen, yet many people didn’t notice it because their attention was occupied with the counting task. About 46% of participants noticed the gorilla, while around 54% did not. This illustrates how selective attention limits conscious awareness: even salient events can go unnoticed when attention is tightly focused elsewhere.