Senses & Perception IV (Processing, Depth, & Organization)

Top-Down Processing

Information processing guided by expectations, experience, and higher‑level cognition.

Bottom-Up Processing

Data‑driven processing that begins with sensory receptors and builds up to perception.

Gestalt Psychology

Perspective emphasizing that perception is organized as wholes greater than the sum of their parts.

Perceptual Set

Mental predisposition to perceive stimuli in a particular way based on expectations or experience.

Exception

A stimulus that deviates from expectations and forces a shift in perception.

Context

Surrounding conditions that influence how a stimulus is interpreted.

Culture

Shared beliefs and experiences that shape perceptual tendencies.

Emotions

Feelings or mood states that influence how stimuli are interpreted.

Binocular Cue

Depth cue requiring both eyes (e.g., retinal disparity).

Monocular Cue

Depth cue available to either eye alone (e.g., interposition).

Form Relationship

Organization of elements into shapes or structures using Gestalt principles.

Figure-Ground Relationship

Perceptual separation of objects (figure) from their background (ground).

Depth Perception

Ability to perceive three‑dimensional space and judge distance.

Proximity

Grouping principle where nearby objects are perceived together.

Closure

Grouping principle where gaps are filled to create whole objects.

Continuity

Grouping principle where smooth, continuous patterns are perceived over abrupt ones.

Similarity

Grouping principle where similar items are perceived as belonging together.

Retinal Disparity

Binocular cue where the brain compares images from each eye to judge depth.

Inattentional Blindness

Failure to notice visible objects when attention is focused elsewhere.

Convergence

Binocular cue where inward turning of the eyes signals object distance.

Interposition

Monocular cue where blocked objects are perceived as farther away.

Texture Gradient

Monocular cue where coarse texture appears close and fine texture appears distant.

Relative Size

Monocular cue where smaller retinal images are perceived as farther away.

Relative Clarity

Monocular cue where hazy objects appear farther than clear ones.

Standard Stimulus

Baseline stimulus used for comparison in experiments.