Gestalt Psychology Exam 3

What does Gestalt Psychology say about perception?

- The whole (perception) is more than the sum of its parts (sensation)

- Reversible figures and perceptual sets demonstrate that the same visual stimulus can result in very different perceptions.

What are the Gestalt principles of form perception?

We tend to see things as a whole.

1. Figure Ground

2. Proximity

3. Similarity

4. Continuity

5. Closure

6. Simplicity

What is figure-ground?

wee see things on a background, so a perceived object comes forward

What is proximity?

we organize via their physical closeness in space

What is similarity?

we group things that have commonalities

What is continuity?

we continue on a line of vision and find the smoothest continuation

what is closure?

we supply mentally the missing elements of a picture

what is simplicity?

we see the organize elements in the easiest way possible

What does perception do beyond simply representing the physical world?

Our minds create a model that mimics the physical world quite well, but it is not a perfect representation

- perception is a constructive process and depends on context (both internal and external).

How does the brain perceive depth and distance?

Rods and cones cannot capture depth as it only collects a two-dimensional image; your brain builds a 3D visual world in your head.

What are binocular and monocular cues for depth perception?

* Binocular cues: retinal disparity (two different images from

both sides); convergence/divergence (eyes change

position from seeing something close or far).

* Monocular cues: motion parallax (object speed tells us

whether they are close or far); accommodation (change in

thickness of the lens when something is near or far);

pictorial depth cues.

What are optical illusions?

Discrepancy between visual appearance and physical reality; famous OIs: Müller-Lyer, Ponzo, Poggendorf, Upside-Down T, Zollner, Ames Room; cultural differences: perception as a constructive process influenced by experience.

What is the stimulus for hearing and what are its properties?

Sound waves (vibrations of molecules traveling in the air); amplitude (loudness), wavelength (pitch), purity (timbre); wavelength described in terms of frequency (cycles per second, Hz); frequency increase = pitch increase.

What are the three divisions of the ear and what do they do?

* External ear (Pinna): collects sound

* Middle ear (ossicles: hammer, anvil, stirrup): tiny bones

move as sound waves hit them

* Inner ear (cochlea): a fluid-filled, coiled tunnel; contains

the hair cells (auditory receptors) lined up on the basilar

membrane

What is the auditory pathway?

SOUND WAVES vibrate the bones of the MIDDLE ear → stirrup hits against the OVAL window of the COCHLEA → sets the FLUID inside in motion → HAIR CELLS are stimulated with the movement of the BASILAR membrane → physical stimulation converted into neural impulses → sent through the thalamus to the contralateral auditory cortex (temporal lobes).