AP Psychology Unit 2.0

Top-Down Processing

Whole idea (prior expectation) —> smaller parts (painting with faces)

Bottom-Up Processing

Smaller Parts (sensory info) —> whole idea (dog of bunch of dots)

Schemas

Preexisting mental concept of how something should look (like a restaurant)

Preceptual Set

Tendenecy to see something as apart of a group — speeds up signal processing

Gestalt Psychology

Whole is greater than the sum of its part

Constancies

Recognize that objects do not physically change despite changes in sensory input

• Size, Shape, Brightness

Apparent Movement

Objects can appear moving when they aren’t

Change Blindness

Fail to notice a change in the scene

Cocktail Party Effect

Notice your name across the room when its spoken, when you weren’t previously paying attention.