Chapter 3

Question 1

Sensation

Answer 1

Absorbing raw energy (e.g., light waves, sound waves) through our sensory organs

Question 2

Transduction

Answer 2

Conversion of the raw sensory energy to neural signals

Question 3

Attention

Answer 3

Concentration of mental energy to process incoming information

Question 4

Perception

Answer 4

Recognizing, selecting, organizing, and interpreting these signals

Question 5

Steps for receiving information from a stimuli

Answer 5

1. Sensory receptor transduces energy into a neural response
2. Sensory nerve transmits the coded activity to the central nervous system
3. Thalamus processes and relays the neural response
4. Relayed to specialized areas of the cortex

Question 6

Feature Matching Theories

Answer 6

Recognize objects on the basis of a small number of characteristics (features)

Question 7

feature detectors

Answer 7

Brain cells that respond to specific features such as lines and angles

Question 8

Hubel & Wiesel Cells

Answer 8

Simple cells detect bars or edges of particular orientation in particular location

Complex cells detect bars or edges of particular orientation, motion, direction

Question 9

Simple features

Answer 9

seem to “pop out”

Fast processing

Question 10

Serial search

Answer 10

If feature doesn’t pop out, must rely on serial search

Question 11

Hierarchical processing

Answer 11

In tiers; see the fur, the ears, the claws, 4 legs - assume it is a cat. Like bottom-up processing.

Question 12

Bottom-Up Processing

Answer 12

Presented stimulus -> Features detected -> Features combined -> Patterns recognized

Taking the puzzle from the outside world and piecing it together. Perception may start with the senses. Incoming raw data. Energy registering on receptors

Question 13

Top-Down Processing

Answer 13

Perception may start with the brain

Person’s knowledge, experience, expectations

Question 14

What are the 4 concepts of Object Perception?

Answer 14

Helmholtz’s unconscious inference
Regularities Approach
Bayesian Inference
Gestalt laws

Question 15

Helmholtz’s unconscious inference

Answer 15

We perceive the object that would most likely cause the pattern of stimulation.

Termed the likelihood principle

Perceptions are the result of unconscious assumptions we make about the environment
We use our knowledge to inform our perceptions
Top-down processes help us interpret the signal

Question 16

Regularities in the Environment

Answer 16

Perception is influenced by our knowledge of regularities in the environment. Kitchen counter example.

Question 17

Bayesian Inference

Answer 17

Based on:
Prior probability: initial belief regarding probability of an outcome
Likelihood of the outcome: extent to which available evidence is consistent with the outcome

Question 18

Gestalt Psychology

Answer 18

Whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Question 19

Gestalt Psychology: Law of Prägnanz

Answer 19

Individuals organize their experience in as simple, concise, symmetrical, and complete manner as possible

Question 20

Gibson: Perception and Action

Answer 20

Action facilitates Perception (Gibson)

Movement helps us perceive objects in the environment more accurately

Question 21

Neurons and the Environment

Answer 21

Neurons becomes tuned to respond best to what we commonly experience. Kitten experiment with horizontal and vertical lines.

Question 22

What Stream

Answer 22

Ventral
Identifying an object
A.K.A. Perception Pathway

Question 23

Where/How Stream

Answer 23

Dorsal
Identifying the object’s location
A.K.A. Action Pathway