8B - Perception Flashcards
how are perceptions formed
perceptions are experienced from our external world and are constructed based on inputs from our senses.
what is sensation
the process of receiving and detecting raw sensory stimuli via sensory organs and sending this info to the brain
how is sensory info sent to the brain
sensory data is received > converted into a neural impulse > sent to area of the brain responsible for processing the specific sensory info
what is perception
the process of selecting, organising, and interpreting sensory info after sensation is complete
what are the stages of perception
- selection
- organisation
- interpretation
what is selection
the process of attending to certain sensory stimuli, or features of certain stimuli, and excluding others
what is conscious selection
actively choosing to block out disturbing stimuli to concentrate on one stimulus
what is unconscious selection
only attending to the features of a stimulus that are the most prominent
what is organisation
the process of regrouping selected features of sensory stimuli in order for them to be cohesively arranged. this allows the recognition of patterns or categories during interpretation.
what is an example of organisation
interpreting the lines and shapes of a smiley face collectively so that it can be interpreted as a whole.
what is interpretation
the process assigning meaning to sensory info in order to understand it. this can be based off our memory, current mood, concentration levels, expectations and beliefs
what are the 3 stages of sensation and perception
sensation:
- reception (sensory info is received)
- transduction (info converted into neural impulse
- transmission (sent to brain for perception)
perception:
- selection
- organisation
- interpretation
what is gustatory perception
the process of becoming consciously aware of flavour
where are gustatory receptors located
they are located within our tastebuds, which are dispersed all around the mouth. some areas are more sensitive to certain flavours
how does gustatory sensation occur
- whilst chewing, saliva breaks down food into tastants (sensory stimuli received in chemical molecules that can be tasted)
- tastants are first received by our gustatory receptors and converted into a neural impulse
- the impulse is sent to the brain, where info about the type and intensity of the flavour makes its way to the primary gustatory cortex. (a sensory area in the parietal lobe responsible for receiving and processing tastes)
what are the 5 basic flavours
- sweet (cherries)
- salty (popcorn)
- sour (lemon)
- bitter (coffee)
- umami (soy sauce)
what is visual perception
the process of becoming consciously aware of visual stimuli due to interactions between the visual sensory system, and the individual’s internal and external environments.
what is the visual sensory system
the network involved in the sensation and perception of visual stimuli, including the eyes, brain, and the neural pathways connecting them.
how does visual sensation occur
- sensory stimuli is received by the visual sensory receptors in the external stimuli of light, which comes in electromagnetic energy
- light travels through the eye and is projected onto the retina, where receptors for light info are located
- the light energy is converted into a neural message and sent to the brain
- visual info is received in the PVC of the occipital lobe, ready for perception
what are the 2 types of perceptual processing
bottom-up and top-down processing
what is bottom-up processing
perception is determined by incoming sensory info moving from specific stimuli info to general knowledge.
- typically used with unfamiliar or highly complex stimuli and is processed in real time, and moves UP to the brain for perception
what is top-down processing
perception driven by prior knowledge and expectations, moving from general knowledge to specific stimuli info
- typically used when perceiving relatively familiar or less complex stimuli, as our existing schemas store incoming sensory stimuli that are perceived as fitting within a category.
examples of bottom-up and top-down processing
bottom-up:
stubbing your toe, where the sensation of pain is sent via receptors to the brain to make you say ‘ouch!’
top-down:
past experiences of stubbing your toe makes you understand to avoid corners in the future, perceiving them as a hazard.
