Perception and Attention Concepts

Selective Attention

  • Process of focusing on a particular object in the environment for a certain period.

Top Down Processing

  • Interpretation of sensory information based on prior knowledge and expectations.

Closure

  • Perception of incomplete figures as complete forms.

Similarity

  • Grouping elements that are similar in appearance.

Figure Ground

  • Differentiating between the main object (figure) and the background (ground).

Binocular Cues

  • Depth cues that require both eyes.

Convergence

  • Eye muscles work harder as objects come closer.

Perceptual Adaptation

  • Ability to adjust to changes in sensory input.

Linear Perspective

  • Parallel lines appear to converge in the distance.

Relative Size

  • Perception of size based on contextual clues.

Perception

  • Process of organizing and interpreting sensory information.

Cocktail Party Effect

  • Ability to focus on a single conversation amidst multiple stimuli.

Bottom Up Processing

  • Processing sensory information beginning with the stimulus.

Figure and Ground

  • Similar to Figure Ground, emphasizing how we distinguish objects from their backgrounds.

Inattentional Blindness

  • Failure to notice a stimulus when focused on another task.

Laws of Grouping

  • Principles (e.g., proximity, similarity) guiding how we organize visual elements.

Monocular Cues

  • Depth cues available from one eye.

Depth Perception

  • Ability to perceive 3D space and distance.

Perceptual Constancies

  • Recognition that objects remain constant despite changes in sensory input.

Interposition

  • Overlapping objects; obscured objects are perceived as farther away.

Apparent Movement

  • Perception of movement where none exists, e.g., stroboscopic movement.

Thinking, Problem Solving, Judgments, and Decision-Making

  • Cognitive functions involving reasoning and decision choices.

Schema

  • Mental frameworks that help organize and interpret information.

Gestalt Principles

  • Theories that describe how we perceive overall structures rather than individual elements.

Proximity

  • Elements close to each other are grouped together.

Change Blindness

  • Inability to notice changes in visual stimuli.

Perceptual Set

  • Mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another.

Retinal Disparity

  • Difference in views between two eyes providing depth information.

Phi Phenomenon

  • Illusion of movement created when stationary objects are shown in rapid succession.

Size Constancy

  • Perception that objects maintain a constant size regardless of distance.

Color Constancy

  • Perception that colors remain stable under varying illumination.

Relative Clarity

  • Clearer objects are perceived as closer than hazy ones.