AP Psych U3 - PERCEPTUAL PROCESSES AND OTHER SENSES

Perceptual Set

Perceiving one thing and not another based on expectations or prior experiences (type of top-down processing)

Selective Attention

Focusing on particular stimulus while filtering out unneeded background stimuli

Inattentional Blindness/Change Blindness

Inability to notice change (because of focus on something else)

Gestalt

An meaningful, organized whole (top-down process)

Figure-Ground Relationship

Organizing objects that stand out from background

Gestalt Grouping Principles

Proximity, similarity, continuity, closure, connectedness

Proximity

Grouping nearby figures together

Continuity

Perceiving continuous patterns

Closure

Fill in the gaps in visual info

Connectedness

Objects seen as a unit when connected together

Similarity

Grouping things that are similar

Depth Perception

Seeing objects in 3D, allows us to gauge distance

Visual Cliff

Crawling infants/newborns can perceive depth

Binocular Cues

Relies on two eyes

Retinal Disparity

Different eyes see different images, where the closer the object, the larger the difference

Convergence

Brain uses eyes converging inwards to determine distance

Monocular Cues

Distance cues available to either eye

Relative Height

Higher objects = more distant

Relative size

Smaller image = more distant

Interposition

Closer object blocks distant object

Linear Perspective

Parallel lines converge with distance

Phi Phenomenon

optical illusion where the perception of continuous motion is created by showing stationary objects in rapid succession

Perceptual Constancy

objects are perceived as unchanging despite changes in retinal image

Color Constancy

familiar objects have consistent color despite changes in lighting

Perceptual Adaptation

ability to adjust to an artificially displaced visual field (prism glasses)

Audition

Hearing

Frequency

number of complete wavelengths in a given time; determines pitch

Pitch

High or low tone

Intensity

Loudness determined by amplitude

Middle Ear

Amplifies vibrations

Cochlea

Fluid-filled membrane that transmits neural impulses

Inner Ear

Transduction

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Caused by damage to cochlea’s receptor cells (hair cells); cochlear implant

Conduction hearing Loss

Damage to middle ear, no amplification; hearing aid

Hemholtz Place theory

Different pitches = different places in cochlea

Frequency theory

Pitch sensed by basilar membrane in cochlea vibrating at same rate as the sound (neurons use volley principle)

Gate-control theory

Spinal cord has a gate that either blocks or allows pain signals; gate closed = no pain

Sensory interaction

one sense influences another

Kinesthetic Sense

body’s ability to sense position without looking (awareness); contributes to vestibular sense

Vestibular Sense

body’s balance/spatial orientation