Perceptual Processes

Bottom- up processes

"data-driven" mental processing, in which an individual forms conclusions based on the stimuli encountered through experience

Top-down processing

a progression from the whole to the elements

Visual perception

the ability to detect light and interpret it

Monocular depth cues

stimuli that enable us to judge depth using only one eye

Relative size

smaller image is more distant

Texture gradient

the tendency for textured surfaces to appear to become smaller and finer as distance from the viewer increases

Interposition

if one object partially blocks our view of another, we perceive it as closer

Linear perspective

parallel lines appear to converge with distance

Vanishing point

a point in space, usually located on the horizon, where parallel edges of an object appear to converge

.Aerial perspective

the technique of representing more distant objects as fainter and more blue

.Relative clarity

a monocular cue for perceiving depth; hazy objects are farther away than sharp, clear objects

Motion parallax

the perception of motion of objects in which close objects appear to move more quickly than objects that are farther away

Eleanor Gibson and Richard Walk

• researched innate depth perception in infants using a visual cliff

Visual cliff

process to tell if a baby has a sense of depth

Binocular depth cues

stimuli that enable us to judge depth using both eyes

Retinal disparity

the differences between the images stimulating each eye

Retinal convergence

depth cue that results from the fact that your eyes must turn inward slightly to focus on near objects

Binocular disparity

the difference in images between the two eyes, which is greater for objects that are close and smaller for distant objects

Gestalt approach

emphasized that perception is more than the sum of its parts and studied how sensations are assembled into meaningful perceptual experiences

Proximity

closeness

Similarity

the tendency to perceive things that look similar to each other as being part of the same group

Symmetry

having the same shape, size, and position on both sides of a dividing line

Continuity

the tendency to perceive things as simply as possible with a continuous pattern rather than with a complex, broken-up pattern

Closure

we fill in gaps to create a complete, whole object

Law of Pragnanz

says that perceptual organization will always be as regular, simple, and symmetric as possible

Feature detector approach

attempts to link the perception of form to the functioning of neurons in the brain

Constancy

the tendency to perceive certain objects in the same way regardless of changing angle, distance, or lighting

Motion detection

perception of motion, either through the perception of its changing position, or through how we move our heads to follow the stimuli

Apparent motion

the illusory impression of smooth motion resulting from the rapid alternation of objects that appear in different locations in rapid succession

Phi phenomenon

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

Stroboscopic effect

images in a series of still pictures presented at a certain speed will appear to be moving

Autokinetic effect

the illusory movement of a still spot of light in a dark room