AP Psych Perception

Perception

The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events.

Figure-ground Relationship

Our ability to perceive any object (the figure) as distinct from its surroundings (the ground).

Visual Capture

The tendency for vision to dominate the other senses when conflicting information is being received.

Gestalt Organizational Principles

The tendency to integrate individual pieces of information into a meaningful whole by following specific grouping rules.

Proximity

A Gestalt rule where we group nearby objects as belonging together.

Similarity

A Gestalt rule where figures similar to each other (such as in shape or color) are grouped together.

Continuity

A Gestalt rule where we perceive smooth, continuous patterns rather than discontinuous ones.

Connectedness

A Gestalt rule where uniform and linked spots, lines, or areas are perceived as single units.

Closure

A Gestalt rule where we fill in gaps to create complete, whole objects.

Visual Cliff

A laboratory device used for testing depth perception in infants.

Binocular Cues

Depth cues that depend on the use of both eyes.

Retinal Disparity

A binocular cue where the brain computes distance by comparing slightly different images from both retinas; greater disparity means a closer object.

Convergence

A binocular cue based on the extent to which the eyes move inward when looking at an object; greater convergence indicates proximity.

Monocular Cues

Distance cues that require the use of only one eye.

Relative Size

A monocular cue where the object casting the smaller retinal image is perceived as farther away.

Interposition (Overlap)

A monocular cue where an object that partially blocks another is perceived as being closer.

Relative Clarity

A monocular cue where hazy objects are perceived as farther away than clear, distinct objects.

Texture Gradient

A monocular cue where a change from coarse, distinct texture to fine, indistinct texture signals increasing distance.

Relative Height

A monocular cue where objects higher in the visual field are perceived as being further away.

Linear Perspective

A monocular cue where parallel lines appear to converge in the distance.

Light & Shadow

A monocular cue where dimmer objects appear further away because nearby objects reflect more light.

Relative Motion (Motion Parallax)

A monocular cue where, while moving, stable objects closer than a fixation point appear to move backward, while those further away appear to move with you.

Phi Phenomenon

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

Stroboscopic Movement

The brain’s perception of continuous movement when shown a rapid series of slightly varying images.

Perceptual Constancies

Perceiving objects as unchanging in lightness, color, shape, and size even as retinal images change.

Shape Constancy

Perceiving the form of familiar objects as constant even when retinal images change.

Size Constancy

Perceiving familiar objects as a constant size regardless of their changing distance.

Lightness Constancy

Perceiving an object as having constant lightness even when its illumination varies.

Perceptual Adaptation

In vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field.

Perceptual Set

A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another based on expectations or beliefs.

Context Effects

The phenomenon where a stimulus triggers different perceptions depending on the surrounding environment or culture.

Human Factors Psychology

A branch of psychology exploring how people and machines interact and how environments can be adapted to human behaviors.