Week 5 Lecture and Module Videos - Perception

Flashcards about perception from a video lecture.

Perception

The process which selects, organizes, and interprets sensations into meaningful information.

Computational Approach to Perception

Outlines that our perception is a result of the nervous system activity that modifies and processes raw sensations into the reality that we experience.

Constructivist Approach to Perception

Puts forward that we construct our reality by putting together raw bits of sensory information, but that our expectations of reality influence these perceptions.

Ecological Approach to Perception

Argues that the environment is the thing that holds many clues that allow us to perceive our surroundings.

Figure Ground Discrimination

One of our most basic processes used in the process of organizing perceptual information.

Rule of Proximity

As humans, we tend to group objects together which are close to one another.

Rule of Closure

People tend to perceive incomplete figures as complete.

Similarity

We tend to group similar elements together.

Continuity

The brain organizes stimuli into continuous lines or patterns rather than separate elements.

Common Region

Stimuli that lie within a common boundary will be perceived as together.

Connectedness

Objects that share a common boundary will be grouped together.

Synchrony

Objects that change together will be grouped together.

Motion Parallax

Objects moving at a constant speed across a particular frame will appear to move a greater amount if they are closer to an observer or a camera than if they would if they were at a greater distance.

Looming

Objects that enlarge quickly so that they fill up more space on the retina are perceived as moving toward the viewer instead of just growing in size.

Stroboscopic Illusion

An illusion in which as humans we perceive continual movement from still images that are flashed in a rapid succession.

Perceptual Constancy

Our perception of objects remains pretty stable despite changes in the stimulation of our sensory receptors.

Size Constancy

Objects do not appear to change in size when viewed from different distances.

Shape Constancy

The perceived shape of an object remains the same even when seen at different angles.

Bottom Up Processing

We use basic feature analysis. It starts with the raw sensory data that comes in from the environment, and then that feeds up to the brain to then be made sense of.

Top Down Processing

Beginning with a particular observer's expectations and prior knowledge about the world. Relies on schemas, so rules about the world, and perceptual sets, which means that it's impacts by both context and motivation.

Pareidolia

Our perception of an image which comes from an ambiguous stimuli.

Feature Analysis

We recognize objects by assembling their features together to determine what an object is.

Object Superiority Effect

Patterns are more likely to be detected in three-dimensional objects rather than random patterns of lines.

Word Superiority Effect

Words are easier to detect than non words when we look at strings of random letters.

Attention

Selects specific information for further processing, allocates mental energy for that processing, and regulates the flow of resources needed to perform a task or coordinate several tasks at once.

Overt Orienting

Looking directly at someone when talking to them; directing your attention.

Covert Orienting

Listening to another conversation while seeming to listen to someone else or something else.

Voluntary or Goal Directed Attentional Control

Using top down processing.

Involuntary Attentional Control

Using bottom up processing.

Change Blindness

Our attentional resources are limited. Quick changes we are often unaware of.

Inattentional Blindness

When we direct our attention to one particular thing, we exclude other aspects of the environment.

Stroop Task

A task where you're required to read the color of the ink, not the word on the page.

Perceptual Set

The psychological factors that determine how you perceive your environment.

Figure Ground Relationship

How we organize and simplify whatever scene we're looking at into the main objects or figures and the surroundings or ground that they stand out against.

Rule of Proximity

We like to group nearby figures together.

Closure

We want to fill in gaps to create whole objects.

Depth Perception

What helps us estimate an object's distance and full shape

Binocular Cues

Require the use of both eyes.

Monocular Cues

Require only one eye.

Retinal Disparity

The closer the object, the greater the difference between the two images.

Relative Size

Allows you to determine that your crush is not supporting a tiny newborn chihuahua on their shoulder, but rather there's a full grown chihuahua behind them in the back of the room.

Linear Perspective

Parallel lines appear to meet as they move into the distance.

Texture Gradient

As your eye follows the ridges into the distance, they become less detailed.

Interposition

When one object blocks our view of something else, we perceive it like this oaf here, as being closer, and in this case, especially annoying.

Perceptual Constancy

What allows us to continue to recognize an object regardless of its distance, viewing angle, motion, or illumination, even as it might appear to change color, size, shape, and brightness depending on the conditions.