Chapter 10 - Distortions of Perception

Question 1

Visual illusion

Answer 1

an illusion created by a misinterpretation (distortion or mistake) of the reality of a visual stimulus

Question 2

Müller-Lyer illusion

Answer 2

the misinterpretation of two lines of equal length, each with different-shaped ends

Question 3

Convergence

Answer 3

a biological depth cue that involves the brain interpreting tension changes in the muscles around the eyes

Question 4

Culture

Answer 4

the many characteristics of a group of people, including their attitudes, behaviours, customs and values, that are transmitted from one generation to the next

Question 5

Carpentered-world hypothesis

Answer 5

the theory that the two figures in the Müller-Lyer illusion represent three-dimensional objects viewed in our environment, for example, a Western rectangular house

Question 6

Size constancy

Answer 6

the ability to perceive an object’s actual size, despite changes in our retinal images of the object

Question 7

Retinal image

Answer 7

the image of an object formed on the retina of the eye

Question 8

Apparent distance theory

Answer 8

the theory that, if two objects cast the same-sized retinal image, but one is perceived to be further away, our brain interprets the more distant object as being larger

Question 9

Ames room

Answer 9

a specially constructed, trapezoid-shaped room, designed to create the visual illusion that it is rectangular, for an observer viewing the room through a peephole

Question 10

Binocular depth cues

Answer 10

depth cues that require both eyes to send information to the brain to perceive depth

Question 11

Monocular depth cues

Answer 11

depth cues that only require one eye to send information to the brain to perceive depth

Question 12

Perceptual constancy

Answer 12

the mind’s ability to perceive a visual stimulus as remaining constant even though the visual information sent to the brain about the object shows changes in shape, size, brightness and orientation

Question 13

Shape constancy

Answer 13

the ability to perceive an object’s actual shape, despite changes in the retinal image of the object

Question 14

Spinning dancer illusion

Answer 14

an illusion in which a dancer can be perceived as spinning clockwise or anticlockwise, and the same viewer can alternate between perceiving a clockwise or anticlockwise spin

Question 15

Bistable perception

Answer 15

the ability to spontaneously switch between different interpretations of the same ambiguous visual stimulus

Question 16

Agnosia

Answer 16

a brain disorder that interferes with one’s ability to recognise or identify objects, people or sounds using one or more of the senses, despite the affected sensory system being otherwise fully functioning

Question 17

Apperceptive visual agnosia

Answer 17

an inability to recognise familiar visual stimuli due to problems with processing perceptions

Question 18

Associative visual agnosia

Answer 18

an inability to recognise familiar visual stimuli, despite having no problems with processing perceptions

Question 19

Prosopagnosia

Answer 19

a type of visual agnosia involving an inability to recognise the faces of familiar people. Can be apperceptive or associative.

Question 20

Perceptual distortions

Answer 20

when an individual’s perceptual interpretation of a stimulus varies from how it is commonly perceived

Question 21

Synaesthesia

Answer 21

a rare condition in which certain sensations are perceived using another system

Question 22

Grapheme–colour synaesthesia

Answer 22

the association of written letters and numbers with colours

Question 23

Lexical–gustatory synaesthesia

Answer 23

the association of certain words with sensations of taste

Question 24

Spatial neglect

Answer 24

a condition involving an inability to attend to sensory stimuli on one side of the body

Question 25

Hemispheric specialisation

Answer 25

when one cerebral hemisphere has a specialised function that is not possessed, or is controlled to a lesser extent, by the other

Question 26

Broca’s area

Answer 26

an area of the frontal lobe that is responsible for clear and fluent speech