AP Psych: Unit 1B - Motion Perception/Perceptual Constancy/Perceptual Interpretation

motion parallax

a monocular depth cue; when we move, objects in our vision that appear to move faster than others are perceived as further away

stroboscopic movement

an illusion of movement created when still images are displayed in rapid succession as in motion pictures

phi phenomenon

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

autokinetic effect

an illusion of movement created when the eye tries to fixate on a stationary point of light in a dark room, caused by very slight movements of the eye

perceptual constancy

perceiving objects as unchanging even as the physical energy reaching our eyes is changing

color constancy

perceiving familiar objects as having a consistent hue, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths of light waves reflected by the object

brightness constancy

perceiving objects as having a consistent lightness, even if changing illumination alters the amplitude of light waves reflected by the object

shape constancy

perceiving objects as having unchanging form, even when the image they cast on our retinas morphs due to angle of view

size constancy

perceiving objects as having unchanging dimensions, even when the image they cast on our retinas grows or shrinks due to distance

critical period

a specific time in development when certain skills or abilities are most easily learned

perceptual adaptation

the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field