Chapter 7- Sensation And Perception Flashcards
Sensation
The process by which our sense organs and receptors detect and respond to sensory information that stimulates them
Perception
The process by which we give meaning to sensory information.
What do sensory receptors do?
Receive and process sensory information
Reception
Process of detecting and responding to incoming sensory information
Receptive field
The area of space in which a receptor can respond to a stimulus
Transduction
The process by which the receptors change the energy of the detected sensory information into a form which can travel along neural pathways as action potentials.
Transmission
The process of sending sensory information to the relevant areas of the brain for interpretation to occur
Interpretation
Incoming sensory information is given meaning so that it can be understood
Function of the cornea
Protects the eye and helps to focus light rays onto the retina
Function of the pupil
Controls the amount of light that enters the eye
Function of the iris
Expands and contracts to control size of pupil
Function of lens
Adjusts its shape according to the distance of the object being viewed in order to focus light onto the retina
Function of retina
Receives and absorbs light and processes images
Process of optic nerve
Transmits visual information from the retina to the primary visual cortex
What is the function of the rod photoreceptors?
Respond to low levels of light and assist in night vision
Function of cone photoreceptors
Respond to high levels of light, detect colour and fine details and assist sight in well lit conditions
Gestalt principles
The ways in which we organise the features of a visual scene by grouping them to perceive a whole, complete form
Figure-ground organisation
When an image can be divided by a contour where the main aspect of the image stands out from its surroundings
Closure
The tendency to mentally fill in or ignore gaps in an image to perceive it as completed
Similarity
The tendency to visually group images according to similar features
Proximity
The tendency to perceive parts of a visual image which are positioned close together as belonging together in a group
When does camouflage occur?
When the figure and ground cannot be easily separated
Depth perception
The ability to accurately estimate the distance of objects and therefore perceive the world in three dimensions
Depth cues
Sources of information from the environment or from within the body that help to perceive how far away objects are from ourselves
Binocular depth cues
Require the use of both eyes.
Convergence
Retinal disparity
Convergence
Brain detects greater tension in the eye muscles when the image is closer
Retinal disparity
Where difference between the location of the images on both retinas provide information about how far the object is from the viewer
Monocular depth cues
Require the use of only one eye
Accommodation
Pictorial cues
Accommodation
Where the lens automatically bulges to perceive close images and elongate to perceive images that are far away
Pictorial cues
A visual perception depth cue that can be represented pictorially on a two dimensional surface
Linear perspective Interposition Texture gradient Relative size Height in the visual field
Linear perspective
Apparent convergence of parallel lines as they recede into the distance
Interposition
When an object partially covers another so that the covered object looks further away
Texture gradient
Gradual reduction in fine detail as it recedes into the distance
Relative size
The tendency to perceive the object that produces the largest image on the retina as closer and vice versa
Height in the visual field
Objects located closer to the horizon are perceived as being more distant
Perceptual Constancies
The tendency to perceive an object as remaining stable despite any changes that may occur to the images cast on the retina
Size constancy
Recognising that an object is the same size although the image is different
Shape constancy
Depending on what angle the object is viewed at, it can appear to change its shape although it hasn’t really
Brightness constancy
Perceiving objects as remaining the same colour although the variance of light makes it appear like a different colour
Perceptual set
The predisposition to perceive something in accordance with what we expect it to be
Context
The setting or environment in which a perception is made that takes into account the relevance of the object to the setting
Motivation
Internal processes which activate behaviour that we direct towards achieving a particular goal
Emotional state
Different emotions can set us to perceive information in a particular way which is consistent with the emotion being experienced
Past experience
Personal experiences throughout our lives that can predispose us to perceive information in a particular way
Culture
Experience within a specific culture can influence perception
