8C - Visual perception

Question 1

Visual sensation definition

Answer 1

the process of the eye receiving and responding to light from the environment
- captured light information (electromagnetic energy) from the environment by the eye

Question 2

Visual perception definition

Answer 2

the process of becoming consciously aware of visual stimuli as a result of the interactions between the visual sensory system, and the individual’s internal and external environments
- meaningfully interpreting visual stimuli

Question 3

Process of visual perception - Selection

Answer 3

• Visual selection process is performed by feature detectors, which are specialised cells along the neural pathway connecting to, and found within, the primary visual cortex
• These cells select and filter out visual signals according to certain perceptually important features
• e.g. some feature detectors respond only to certain colours, shapes, lines and edges

Question 4

Process of visual perception - Organisation

Answer 4

• Once selected, the visual signals are regrouped and organised to reflect an image of reality
• There are certain guiding principles that help us to group these fragmented signals together again, including our visual perception principles (including Gestalt principles)

Question 5

Process of visual perception - Interpretation

Answer 5

• Primary visual cortex works with other brain areas to interpret and make sense of the visual stimuli
• Our interpretation of images is influenced by many things, such as past experiences, motives and beliefs, and what is called our perceptual set

Question 6

Biological factors that influence visual perception:

Answer 6

• Eye
• Optic nerve
• Primary visual cortex

Question 7

Role of the eye

Answer 7

The organ responsible for receiving light to allow vision
- sense organ for vision

Question 8

Retina definition

Answer 8

receives and absorbs light, and also processes images

Question 9

Photoreceptor definition

Answer 9

a cell within the retina that respond to light

Question 10

The two types of photoreceptors are:

Answer 10

1. Rods
2. Cones

Question 11

Specific role or rods

Answer 11

photoreceptors that allow someone to see in low levels of light

Question 12

Specific role of cones

Answer 12

photoreceptors that allow someone to see colour and fine details in well-lit conditions

Question 13

Optic nerve definition

Answer 13

the highway of neurons that connects the retina to the primary visual cortex

Question 14

Primary visual cortex definition

Answer 14

the part of the occipital lobe of the brain that receives information from the eyes

Question 15

Biological abnormalities

Answer 15

1. Colour blindness
2. Myopia

Question 16

Colour blindness definition

Answer 16

a reduced ability to distinguish between certain colours.

Question 17

There are three main types of colour blindness:

Answer 17

1. red-green colour blindness
2. blue-yellow colour blindness
3. complete colour blindness

Question 18

Red-green colour blindness

Answer 18

where people struggle to tell the difference between the colours red and green

Question 19

Blue-yellow colour blindness

Answer 19

where people struggle to tell the difference between the colours blue and green, and yellow and red

Question 20

Complete colour blindness (also known as monochromacy)

Answer 20

where people struggle to differentiate between colours at all, and often struggle to see clearly

Question 21

Myopia definition

Answer 21

short-sightedness due to the focal point of one or both eyes being located in front of, instead of on, the retina

Question 22

Psychological factors that influence visual perception:

Answer 22

1. Gestalt principles
2. Visual constancies

Question 23

Gestalt principles definition

Answer 23

The ways in which we organise sensations into perceptions by grouping individual parts of visual stimuli into whole, complete forms, usually in the simplest possible ways

Question 24

What are 4 Gestalt principles?

Answer 24

1. Figure-ground Organisation
2. Closure
3. Similarity
4. Proximity

Question 25

Figure-ground

Answer 25

allows us to organise a visual scene by differentiating the stimulus (figure) away from the background (ground) on which it appears

Question 26

Closure

Answer 26

we tend to mentally fill in gaps in a visual stimulus and perceive it as a meaningful whole, a complete form

Question 27

Similarity

Answer 27

the tendency to mentally group objects with similar qualities together as belonging to a whole.
- features such a size, shape, orientation, texture and colour are all commonly grouped together

Question 28

Proximity

Answer 28

the tendency to mentally group objects that are positioned closely together

Question 29

Visual constancies definitions

Answer 29

principles that help maintain the perception of the world as stable, despite changes cast onto the retinal image

Question 30

Types of visual constancies:

Answer 30

1. Size
2. Shape
3. Brightness (isn’t related to depth)

Question 31

Size constancy definition

Answer 31

the tendency to perceive the size of objects as being stable, despite changes to the size of the object on the retinal image

Question 32

Shape constancy definition

Answer 32

the tendency to perceive the shape of the objects as being stable, despite changes to the shape of an object as cast on the retina

Question 33

Brightness constancy definition

Answer 33

the tendency to perceive an object’s lightness as being stable, despite the amount of light reflected from it

Question 34

Perceptual set definition

Answer 34

the predisposition to perceive an object in a way that is consistent with our expectations
- the tendency to see in accordance with what were expecting to see

Question 35

Psychological factors that influence perceptual set

Answer 35

1. Past experience
2. Context
3. Motivation
4. Emotional state
5. Society and culture

Question 36

Past experience

Answer 36

the readiness to perceive stimuli in a way that is consistent with what we have previously encountered

Question 37

Context

Answer 37

we are more likely to perceive a stimulus in a manner that is consistent with the environment in which it appears

Question 38

Motivation

Answer 38

our motivation affects our perceptual set when our desires create an expectation of what we will perceive
- we are more likely to perceive a stimulus in a way that is consistent with our desire

Question 39

Emotional state

Answer 39

our emotional tone can also influence our perceptual set
- we have a tendency to interpret/perceive stimuli that is consistent with our emotional state

Question 40

Social factors that influence visual perception

Answer 40

1. Cultural background
2. Society

Question 41

Cultural background

Answer 41

Our cultural background can also influence our perceptual set, predisposing us to perceive visual stimuli in certain ways specific to our cultural context

Question 42

Holistic perception definition

Answer 42

attention is focused on the broad scene and be aware of relationships and changes

Question 43

Analytic perception definition

Answer 43

attention is focused on specific objects in the scene and the details of that object, regardless of the context in which the object was presented