perception

Top-down processing

A perception analysis that emphasizes our expectations, memories, and other cognitive factors over individual characteristics.

Bottom-up processing

A sensation analysis that emphasizes characteristics of stimuli rather than our concepts and expectations.

Schema

A set of mental tendencies and assumptions that affect our top-down processing and sensory perception.

Gestalt psychology

The belief that the brain forms a perceptual whole that is more than the sum of its sensory parts.

Closure

The tendency of humans to fill in gaps to create a complete, whole object.

Figure and ground

In Gestalt psychology, 'Figure' is the part of a pattern that stands out, and 'Ground' is the background or part that does not stand out.

Proximity

The tendency to group nearby objects together.

Similarity

The tendency to group similar objects together based on our perception.

Selective attention

The focusing of our conscious awareness on a particular stimulus.

Cocktail party effect

The ability to identify one voice out of many competing voices.

Inattentional blindness

The failure to see visible objects because our attention is focused elsewhere.

Change blindness

The failure to notice changes in the environment around us.

Binocular depth cues

Depth cues that depend on the use of two eyes.

Retinal disparity

The difference in images from the two eyes, allowing for depth perception.

Convergence

The inward turning of the eyes as an object gets closer.

Monocular depth cues

Depth cues that are available to each eye separately.

Relative clarity

Objects that are clearer and more detailed are perceived as closer.

Relative size

If two objects are similar in size, the one that casts a smaller retinal image appears further away.

Texture gradient

Monocular cue that indicates objects further away appear to have a smoother texture.

Linear perspective

The parallel lines that appear to converge in the distance, with sharper angles indicating greater perceived distance.

Interposition

The perception that objects blocking other objects are closer.

Apparent movement

The perception that stable objects may appear to move when we move.