Cognitive 1.30

COGLab 1 Overview

COGLab 1 is the first major homework assignment for the class.
Deadline for COGLab assignments is 10 PM on the due date to encourage completion at a reasonable hour.
Focus on understanding cognitive processes to apply knowledge to everyday life.

Emphasis on understanding and relating cognitive concepts to personal experiences.
Exam formats include multiple choice and essay prompts designed to evaluate deeper understanding rather than rote memorization.
Avoid unnecessary details such as researcher names unless absolutely correct; misinformation leads to point deductions.

Perceptual experiences are influenced by both external stimuli and internal knowledge.
Prior knowledge and representations shape how we interpret new situations (top-down processing).
Importance of top-down processing for efficient navigation in life.

Introduced in the 1860s-1880s, posits that perceptual information is often incomplete.
The mind makes quick inferences based on partial information, exemplified through visual perception.

Structuralism: Focuses on analyzing individual components of perception (like shapes and colors) as if they are the "trees" in a forest.
- Example: Breaking down the image of Betty White into individual elements.
Gestalt Psychology: Emphasizes organizing perceptions into meaningful patterns rather than focusing on individual elements.
- Key ideas revolve around laws of perceptual organization (Gestalt principles).
- Example: Recognizing groups of dots as whole shapes through principles like the law of continuation and the law of good form.

Gestalt principles help explain how we perceive organized patterns rather than chaotic inputs.
Law of Continuation: Perception follows a smooth path rather than abrupt changes.
Law of Good Form: The mind prefers simplicity and familiar shapes over complex arrangements.
Examples of perceptual organization observed in logos and everyday visual experiences.

Refers to the phenomenon where individuals better perceive vertical and horizontal lines than oblique angles.
This preference can be traced back to evolutionary advantages in visual processing.
Studies show that exposure to vertical vs. horizontal environments shapes visual perception capabilities.

Light affects how we perceive shapes and objects in our environment.
The perception of shadows and depth is influenced by the assumed position of the light source (light from above heuristic).
Example: A rough area appearing different based on shadow and light orientation.

Training and experience can change brain responsiveness to various stimuli.
Example of a study involving training to recognize "griebles" leading to changes in the fusiform face area of the brain.
Experience shapes perceptual abilities at both a long-term and short-term level.

Students will take a visually chaotic picture on campus to apply the theories discussed in class.
Encourage collaboration and discussion with classmates to enhance understanding of perceptual theories in action.