Visual Organization and Interpretation

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on visual organization and interpretation, encompassing terms related to perception, depth cues, and constancies.

Gestalt

An organized whole; the integration of pieces of information into meaningful wholes.

Figure Ground

The organization of the visual field into objects (the figures) that stand out from their surroundings (the ground).

Grouping

The perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups.

Proximity

The grouping of nearby figures together.

Continuity

The tendency to perceive smooth, continuous patterns rather than discontinuous ones.

Closure

The tendency to fill gaps to create a complete, whole object.

Depth Perception

The ability to see objects in three dimensions and to judge distance.

Brightness Constancy

The perception of an object having a constant brightness even while illumination varies.

Relative Luminance

The amount of light an object reflects relative to its surroundings.

Shape Constancy

Perceiving familiar objects as having constant shape, even though our retinal images of them change.

Size Constancy

Perceiving objects as having a constant size, even while our distance from them varies.

Perceptual Adaptation

The ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or inverted visual field.

Visual Cliff

A laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals.

Binocular Cues

Depth cues such as retinal disparity that depend on the use of two eyes.

Retinal Disparity

A binocular cue for perceiving depth; the brain computes distance by comparing images from the two retinas.

Monocular Cues

Depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone.

Stroboscopic Movement

The perception of continuous movement in a rapid series of slightly varying images.

Phi Phenomenon

An illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession.

Perceptual Constancy

Perceiving objects as unchanging in shape, size, brightness, and color, even if changing illumination and retinal images change.

Color Constancy

Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object.

Name the theories of Color

Trichromatic theory, and opponent processing

Trichromatic

theory explains color vision through three types of cone photoreceptors sensitive to different wavelengths of light: red, green, and blue.

Opponent-processing

theory that suggests color perception is controlled by opposing teams of receptors: red vs. green, blue vs. yellow, and black vs. white.

Name the theories of Motion

Phi phenomenon and Stroboscopic motion

Phi Phenomenon

the perceptual illusion of motion that occurs when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in succession, creating the perception of movement.

Stroboscopic motion

the perception of motion resulting from a series of still images played in rapid succession, giving the illusion of movement.

How fast do the still images need to be moving to display motion?

Typically, at least 24 frames per second are needed to create the illusion of smooth motion in film and video.

Name the theories of Form

figure-ground relationship and Gestalt grouping

Figure-ground

organization of visual field into objects (the figures) that stand out from their surroundings (the floor)

What are the factors of Gestalt grouping?

Proximity, similarity, continuity, closure, and connectedness.

What are the theories of Depth?

Binocular and Monocular cues

What are the factors of Binocular cues?

Retinal disparity and convergence

Retinal Disparity

The subtle difference in images received by each eye, which helps the brain perceive depth.

Convergence

The inward movement of both eyes toward each other as an object nears

What are the factors of monocular cues?

Interposition, linear perspective, relative motion, relative size, relative height, relative clarity, light and shadow

Interposition

Objects that are blocked(accluded) are perceived closer

Linear Perspective

Sharper angles are greater perceived distance from parallel lines that meet up

Relative motion

Objects closer to the observer move faster across the field of view than those further away.

Relative size

Objects that are larger in size are perceived to be closer than smaller objects.

Relative height

Objects that are positioned higher in the visual field are perceived to be farther away than those lower in the field.

Light and shadow

The brighter an object is, the closer it appears to be

Relative Clarity

Objects that are clearer and more defined are perceived to be closer