Which term describes focusing on a single feature during trauma?

Which term describes focusing on a single feature during trauma?

• A. Neighborhood Canvass
• B. Perceptual Narrowing
• C. PTSD Risk
• D. Photo Lineups

Answer: (B)

When a person experiences a traumatic event, heightened arousal makes attention narrow to the most salient cue in the environment. This focused attention is called perceptual narrowing, and it helps you act quickly but often at the expense of noticing or remembering other details. The other terms describe different concepts—neighborhood canvass is an investigative method, PTSD risk refers to the likelihood of developing trauma-related symptoms, and photo lineups are a procedure for identification—not the cognitive focus during the event. Perceptual narrowing best captures the idea of concentrating on a single feature under stress.

When a person experiences a traumatic event, heightened arousal makes attention narrow to the most salient cue in the environment. This focused attention is called perceptual narrowing, and it helps you act quickly but often at the expense of noticing or remembering other details. The other terms describe different concepts—neighborhood canvass is an investigative method, PTSD risk refers to the likelihood of developing trauma-related symptoms, and photo lineups are a procedure for identification—not the cognitive focus during the event. Perceptual narrowing best captures the idea of concentrating on a single feature under stress.