Psych Ch. 5 Terms-- Perception

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Perception
What are the three basic processes involved?

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Processes by which we select, organize, and interpret sensations: basic processes are selection, organization and interpretation

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Selection

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Process of perception that attends to some sensory stimuli while ignoring others; it involves feature detectors and selective attention

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Organization

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Process of perception that assembles information into patterns that help us understand the world; done in terms of distance, motion, form, and constancy

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Interpretation

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Process of perception that is how the brain explains sensations; uses perceptual sets, bottom-up processing, top-down processing

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Feature detectors

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specialized neurons that respond only to certain sensory information

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Selective attention

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filtering out any unimportant sensory messages

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Parallel processing

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Role of attention in which different groups of cells are specialized for different types of sensation analysis (motion, color, shape, size, etc.) so that rapid searching can occur; the different analyses may inform others because they all work together to "negotiate" a solution that satisfies all of them (mutual influence)-- analyze pattern's features and large scale configuration; allows greater speed because work simultaneously

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Divided attention

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type of attention that allows performance of more than one activity at a time; attention is a limited resource so it can be difficult because of the brain's ability to process things automatically-- affects speed

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binocular disparity

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difference between the two eye's views that provides important information about distance relationships in the world; can induce depth perception

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distance cues

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features of stimulus sensation that might indicate how far an object is from the observer or how far it is from other objects in the world; if they depend on just what one eye sees by itself then they are monocular

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monocular cues

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cues that depend on what one eye sees by itself

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interposition

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monocular depth cue that we can use in judging distance because view of one object is blocked by some other object (farther away objects are blocked by opaque or other object in optical view)

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linear perspective

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monocular cue for distance that can be portrayed on a flat surface, exploiting the fact that objects appear smaller if viewed from a distance and parallel lines seems to converge as they recede into depth

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relative size

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a monocular depth cue in which far-off objects produce a smaller retinal image than nearby objects of the same size

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texture gradients

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a distance cue based on changes in surface texture that depend on how far away the observer is; show pattern of continuous change that can reveal spatial layout of relevant surfaces (cobblestones, sand)

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What is the importance of organization?

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The catalogue of features present in a form is not just determined by the form itself but is perceived on how we interpret that form. Allows flexibility in feature checklist and also "standardized view."It leads to perception with analysis and ability to perceive objects even with missing parts. Features are "in the eye of the beholder."

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Gestalt Psychology

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a school of psychology that believed organization is the essential feature of all mental activity and insisted that form is not perceived by summing features and individual components but depends on the organization of the entire pattern-- coherent pattern is different than the sum of its parts; experience the whole without the parts (like top-down processing)

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perceptual constancy

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constant attributes of a distal object (like shape and size) that we are able to perceive despite varieties of the proximal stimulus; perceive object as a whole even if part of it changes (even if some of the stimuli change)

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What are constancy of size, shape, brightness, and position?

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types of perceptual constancy

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size constancy

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perceiving sizes correctly despite changes in viewing distance

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shape constancy

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perceiving shapes correctly despite changes in the viewing angle

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brightness constancy

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perceiving brightness accurately despite changes in illumination

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position constancy

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perceiving position of objects as having unchanging position despite changes in proximal stimulus produced by our own movements

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feature nets

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Hierarchical model of perceptual processing that involves a network of detectors with feature detectors at the bottom level; detectors for simpler elements trigger detectors for the more complex elements, which trigger detectors for overall object/shape/figure

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perceptual set

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Type of interpretation that includes readiness to perceive in a particular manner, based on expectations; automatic system of processing (learned over time based on environment); allows interpretation and top-down processing

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top-down processing

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type of interpretation that involves progression from the whole to the elements and emphasizes perceiver's expectations, memories, and other cognitive factors; top=mental set; enables us to see the whole and create perceptual sets without analyzing all individual elements

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bottom-up processing

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type of interpretation involving progression from the individual elements to the whole that emphasizes characteristics and individual elements of the stimulus; bottom=stimulus and top= brain reaction and mental set