1.9 - Perception

Gesalt psychology

We perceive whole objects or figures (gestalts) rather than just a collection of parts

Figure-ground relationships

Ability to distinguish an object (figure) from its surroundings (ground)

Similarity

The brain values and groups items that are the same

Continuity

Our brains prefer continuity so it fills in gaps to create it

Visual cliff

Babies are fearful of crossing visual cliff after they begin to crawl

Retinal disparity

Each eye combines slightly different images to form overall perception/vision

Convergence

Eyes move inward toward each other to focus on a close object

Relative height

Objects that are farther away are shorter, objects that are closer appear taller

Relative size

Objects closer to us appear larger, while objects further away appear smaller

Relative clarity/texture gradient

Objects that are clearer and more detailed are perceived as closer, while objects that are hazier or less clear seem farther away

Interposition

One object overlaps another, leading us to perceive the overlapping object as closer

Linear perspective

Parallel lines appear to converge as they recede into the distance

Phi phenomenon

Optical illusion where people perceive continuous motion or a moving shadow between two or more stationary objects that blink or appear in quick alternation

Perceptual constancy: color/lightness

Ability to perceive colors of objects as stable under varying lighting conditions

Perceptual constancy: size

Object remains the same size, even when its distance from us changes, causing the image on our retina to grow or shrink

Perceptual constancy: shape

Our ability to perceive an object as having the same shape, even when our angle of view or the distance from which we see the object changes

Perceptual set

Tendency to perceive or notice some aspects of the available sensory data and ignore others

Perceptual adaptation

Ability to adjust when we are constantly exposed to altered sensory information

Monocular depth cues

Visual indicators of distance and space that can be perceived using just one eye

Apparent movement

Perception of motion when there isn't any actual movement