(7824) AP Psychology Unit 2 Review [Everything You NEED to Know]
Introduction to Cognition
Overview of cognition as a key unit in AP Psychology.
Importance of active note-taking for learning.
Mention of study guide and answer key for review.
Perception vs. Sensation
Definition of Perception: Interpreting the information from the five senses.
Definition of Sensation: The raw data received from sensory receptors.
Key difference: Sensation detects stimuli, while perception interprets them.
Types of Processing
Top-Down Processing
Utilizes prior knowledge and experiences.
Effective for familiar or simple stimuli.
Example: Proofreading paper can lead to overlooked mistakes (proofreader illusion).
Influence of previous experiences can skew perceptions (e.g., interpreting an ambiguous image differently).
Bottom-Up Processing
Used for complex, unfamiliar stimuli.
Constructs perception from incoming information, taking longer.
Example: Identifying patterns in new environments or experiences.
The Role of Schemas
Definition of Schemas: Mental frameworks shaped by past experiences that guide perception.
Example: Anticipating events at a familiar family birthday party based on schema.
Schemas vs. Perceptual Sets
Perceptual Set: Mental shortcuts for quick interpretation influenced by expectations or emotions.
Example: Mood impacts perception (focus on positive or negative stimuli).
Both schemas and perceptual sets can lead to biased or inaccurate interpretations.
Influence on Perception
Perception shaped by internal (emotions, expectations, culture) and external factors (environment).
Example: Individuals in different professions focus on different stimuli (numbers vs. words).
Factors like upbringing and environment impact perceptual sets (e.g., urban vs. rural).
Optical Illusions
Explanation of the Müller-Lyer illusion to illustrate differing perceptions influenced by perceptual sets.
Attention and Perception
Selective Attention: Focusing on one stimulus and filtering out others.
Example: Cocktail party effect – filtering noise to focus on a conversation.
Inattentional Blindness: Failing to notice stimuli while focusing elsewhere.
Change Blindness: Failing to observe changes in the environment due to divided attention.
Apparent Movement
Definition of Apparent Movement: Perceiving motion in static objects due to visual cues.
Examples:
Stroboscopic Motion: Quick succession of images creating the illusion of movement.
Phi Phenomenon: Perception of movement from sequential light displays.
Induced Movement: Motion perception caused by surrounding moving objects.
Autokinetic Effect: Stationary light appearing to move in dark environments.
Gestalt Psychology Principles
Explains how humans organize perception into meaningful patterns.
Key Gestalt Principles:
Figure and Ground: Differentiating objects from their backgrounds.
Continuation: Eyes naturally follow continuous lines or paths.
Closure: Filling in missing parts of incomplete objects to recognize them.
Similarity: Grouping similar objects or patterns as cohesive units.
Anomaly: Noticing objects that differ from others, making them focal points.
Cognitive Biases
Overview of cognitive biases and their impact on decision-making.
Examples of common cognitive biases:
Confirmation Bias: Favoring information that confirms existing beliefs.
Anchoring Bias: Relying too heavily on the first piece of information encountered.
Hindsight Bias: Believing an event was predictable after it has already happened.
Memory and Cognition
Role of memory in cognitive processes.
Types of memory: Short-term, long-term, working memory.
The process of encoding, storage, and retrieval of information.
Problem-Solving and Decision-Making
Techniques for effective problem-solving (e.g., algorithms, heuristics).
Importance of critical thinking in decision-making processes.
Conclusion
The integration of perception, attention, memory, and cognitive biases in understanding cognition as a whole in the realm of psychology.
Difference between Change blindness and Inattentional blindness
change blindness requires memory because it involves comparing 2 displays
innattentional blindness doesn’t require memory because it is failing to notice something about a single display
Difference between Memory Consolidation and Encoding
Encoding requires conscious effort
Memory consolidation is when we sleep and is a biological process on the cellular or neurological level
Difference between memory reconsolidation and retrieval
Memory reconsolidation is resurfacing a memory but allowing for change
Retrieval is just accessing the original memory, no allowing for change