Which term refers to the inability to censor immaterial external stimuli?

Which term refers to the inability to censor immaterial external stimuli?

• A. Distractibility
• B. Mood descriptors
• C. Lability
• D. Psychotic features

Answer: (A)

Attention control and filtering out irrelevant information are being tested here. When someone cannot censor immaterial external stimuli, they are easily pulled away from the task by distractions, which is known as distractibility. This reflects a difficulty sustaining or selectively maintaining attention in the presence of competing irrelevant cues. The other terms describe different aspects: mood descriptors pertain to how mood is described, lability refers to rapid mood changes, and psychotic features involve perceptual disturbances like hallucinations or false beliefs. None of these specifically capture the failure to ignore irrelevant external stimuli the way distractibility does.

Attention control and filtering out irrelevant information are being tested here. When someone cannot censor immaterial external stimuli, they are easily pulled away from the task by distractions, which is known as distractibility. This reflects a difficulty sustaining or selectively maintaining attention in the presence of competing irrelevant cues.

The other terms describe different aspects: mood descriptors pertain to how mood is described, lability refers to rapid mood changes, and psychotic features involve perceptual disturbances like hallucinations or false beliefs. None of these specifically capture the failure to ignore irrelevant external stimuli the way distractibility does.