Visual Perception

Depth Cue

a source of information from the environment (external cue) or from within the body (internal cue) that aids perception of how far away objects are and therefore depth perception

What is a Binocular Depth Cue?

The use of both eyes working together to provide information about depth.

What information do Binocular Depth Cues provide to the brain?

Information about depth and distance.

What are the two binocular depth cues

convergence and retinal disparity

Convergence

involving the inward turning of the eyes to focus on a nearby object, used to perceive depth.

Retinal Disparity

Retinal disparity is the slight difference between the images on each retina, which the brain uses to perceive depth.

Monocular Depth Cue

the use of only one eye to provide information to the brain about depth and distance

Accomodation

the automatic focusing of the lens in the eye to adjust shape in response to changes in the distance of view from an object

What are the monocular pictorial depth cues?

Linear perspective, Interposition, Texture gradients, Relative size, Height in the visual field,

What type of factor are binocular and monocular depth cues?

biological factors

Gestalt Principles

ways in which we organise the features of a visual stimulus by grouping them to perceive a whole, complete form.

What is the Figure Ground principle in Gestalt psychology?

It involves organizing visual information by perceptually dividing a visual scene into a 'figure' and 'ground'.

What does the 'figure' represent in the Figure Ground principle?

'Figure' represents the object that stands out in a visual scene.

What does the 'ground' represent in the Figure Ground principle?

'Ground' represents the surroundings or background of the visual scene.

What is closure in perception?

The perceptual tendency to mentally 'close up' gaps in a visual image.

What do we perceive when using closure?

Incomplete objects as complete.

What does similarity in visual perception refer to?

The tendency to perceive parts of a visual stimulus that have similar features as belonging together.

What features can contribute to the perception of similarity in visual stimuli?

Size, shape, texture, and colour.

What is the term for the tendency to perceive parts of a visual image as belonging together when they are positioned close together?

Proximity

What does the principle of proximity relate to in visual perception?

The grouping of visual elements that are close together

What is linear perspective?

the apparent convergence of parallel lines creating the illusion of distance

What is interposition

when one object partially blocks another object, and is perceived as being in front of, and therefore closer than the object it covers

What is texture gradient

The surface features of an object as being farther away and the less detailed, the more distant the object becomes

How are smaller retinal images perceived in terms of distance in relative size?

Smaller retinal images are perceived as being further away.

How are larger retinal images perceived in terms of distance in relative size?

Larger retinal images are perceived as being closer.

What is height in the visual field?

objects close to the horizon appear further away than objects located below or above the horizon

What type of factor is the gestalt principles?

Psychological factors

Perceptual set

a temporary readiness to perceive something in accordance with expectations of what it is

Context

The setting, situation or environment in which an event occurs. To allow quick interpretation of what we are looking at.

What is motivation?

Processes which activate and sustain purposeful or goal directed behaviour.

What factors can influence motivation?

Psychological factors, biological factors, or social factors.

What is past experience?

Personal experiences throughout an individual's life.

What types of learning are included in past experience?

Everything that is learned intentionally and unintentionally through experience.

What is a crucial aspect of top-down processing?

Past experience.

Memory

the process of storing and retrieving this perceived information for use when needed.

What type of factor is context, motivation, past experience and memory?

Psychological factors

Social factors

involve influences from the external social environment in which we interact with others

What does culture refer to?

The learned shared experiences, values, and environmental influences of a group.

How does culture affect individuals?

It shapes how individuals interpret and perceive visual information.

Sustained attention

maintenance of attention on a specific stimuli or task for a coninous period of time without being distracted

Divided attention

the ability to distribute our attention so that two or more activities may be performed simultaneously

Selective attention

choosing and attending to specific stimulus whilst at the same time excluding other stimuli