Unit 2: Intro to Perceptual Processes

Adaptive potential of an organism is intrinsically linked to _____

its ability to learn, examine, and react to stimuliDes

Describe briefly the perceptual process

External stimuli and their capture follow physical and chemical laws that allow light, auditory, taste, kinesthetic, and olfactory signals to be broken down into responses that our body interprets

______ processes must be developed that allow us to separate what is relevant from what is not

selective attention

Describe the flow of interpretation of movement

perception of environment → decision making → technical realization of motor act

Motor learning is related to the cyclical performance of phases, in which perception is the gateway. Describe those phases:

• perception of what must be done

• capture the most important elements of exercise to be carried out

• 1st development of motor behavior

• execution

• analysis of results

• preparation for the next attempt

What are the 2 necessary components of visual perception?

light and the “perceiving subject”

What is light made up of?

physical energy made up of photons

What are photons?

wave-like energy packets that manifest as a periodic/sinusodial wave

What are the properties of waves?

1. length of wave (distance between waves)

2. spatial frequency (# complete waves)

3. phase (startinh point/location)

What is so special about human eye movements regarding perception?

If a person moves their eyes, perception of relevant objects is not modified - there is a continuation of sharpness, clarity, and vividness of stimuli

What is the fovea?

Central area of the retina, clearest part of the CNS, only observable part

What are saccadic eye movements?

very fast (ballistic) movements that allow the eyes to jump through details of the scene without losing sharpness (saccadic suppression)

What is convergence?

Two eyes converge when stimulus approaches

What are the 3 stages of visual perception?

1. Early vision

2. Perceptual constancy

3. Recognition

Describe the early vision stage

• Establish properties of perceived stimuli at primary levels

• Colors, mvmt, arrangement in space, distance/depth

• Ability to define contours, which, in turn, depends on the competence to respond to different levels of light intensity (brightness)

Describe the perceptual constancy stage of visual perception

Image continually changing; essential to maintain constancy, organize visual scene so it can later be interpreted

Describe the recognition stage of visual perception

• Person becomes aware of the identity of what surrounds them and gives it meaning

• Classification of what is perceived into a previously stored category

• Note: people extract different info from the stimuli and they perceive and interpret it differently

Perception of distance is made from a _____

2D image of a 3D scene

How do we overcome the limitation of distance perception being 2 dimensional?

We use distance cues - distance between us and the perceived object (absolute distance), distance between objects (relative distance)

What does the perception of size imply? Provide an example

Accommodation to perceived object based on movement and understanding that the object remains the same

(ex: if we perceive a ball that is approaching, we perceive the change in relative size, but perceive it as the same ball)

What is constancy of size related to?

The joint consideration of the size of the object and its image on the retina (when we perceive an object approaching, its retinal size increases and vice versa)

Does light impact color?

Yes

How does the perception of movement occur?

• We have specific neurons that activate when objects move in our visual space

• Precise even in conditions where we must continually move our head/eyes

Describe the importance of the recognition stage

• Perceived object must be compared with the information previously stored in memory

• Emphasis that what is being represented does not have to be identical, but rather have common characteristics that allow it to be recognized

What is an example of perceived objects being common to memory, not identical?

Visualization - visualized objects are not identical to the ones experienced, nor to future events, but have characteristics that are experienced similarly

Describe auditory perception

• Helps us to direct attention to relevant stimuli and understand relevant information about the environment

• Physical energy (eaves) → chemical energy that can be processed by auditory system

Describe sound waves

• Characterized by their amplitude, frequency, and phase

• Produced by changes in air pressure that modify characteristics of waves

What are changes in volume produced by?

Changes in magnitude of pressure changes

What are changes in tone produced by?

Changes in frequency of pressure changes

How do we localize sound?

Arrival at different times in each ear and at different intensities

What are the 3 basic forms of information processing through touch?

Tactile, kinesthetic, and haptic

What is tactile perception?

information received through skin

What is kinesthetic perception?

Info received through muscles and tendons

What is haptic perception?

info received through skin, muscles, and tendons

What is the role of haptic perception in sports?

Person receives continuous info on spatiotemporal location (with help of vestibular system for balance)

What is the importance of the hand in haptic perception?

Helps with exploratory movements that allow us to perceive objects