Parallel processing (psychology)

In psychology, parallel processing is the ability of the brain to simultaneously process incoming stimuli of differing quality.^[1] Parallel processing is associated with the visual system in that the brain divides what it sees into four components: color, motion, shape, and depth. These are individually analyzed and then compared to stored memories, which helps the brain identify what you are viewing.^[2] The brain then combines all of these into the field of view that is then seen and comprehended.^[3] This is a continual and seamless operation. For example, if one is standing between two different groups of people who are simultaneously carrying on two different conversations, one may be able to pick up only some information of both conversations at the same time.^[4] Parallel processing has been linked, by some experimental psychologists, to the stroop effect (resulting from the stroop test where there is a mismatch between the name of a color and the color that the word is written in).^[5] In the stroop effect, an inability to attend to all stimuli is seen through people's selective attention.^[6]