Lesson 5: Perceiving objects and scenes

Question 1

inverse projection problem

Answer 1

Task of determining the object responsible for a particular image on the retina is called the inverse projection problem, because it involves starting with the retinal image and extending rays out from the eye.

Question 2

viewpoint invariance

Answer 2

Ability to recognize an object seen from different
viewpoints

Question 3

Perceptual organization

Answer 3

process by which elements in the environment become perceptually grouped to create our perception of objects.

Question 4

Grouping

Answer 4

process by which visual events are “put together” into units or objects.

Question 5

Segregation

Answer 5

the process of separating one area or object from another.

Question 6

Structuralism

Answer 6

distinguished between sensations—elementary processes that
occur in response to stimulation of the senses—and perceptions, more complex conscious experiences such as our awareness of objects

Question 7

apparent movement

Answer 7

movement is perceived, nothing is actually moving.

Question 8

principle of good continuation

Answer 8

Points that, when connected, result in straight or
smoothly curving lines are seen as belonging together, and the lines tend to be seen in such a way as to follow the smoothest path

Question 9

principle of pragnanz/ principle of good figure/ principle of simplicity

Answer 9

Every stimulus pattern is seen in such a way that the resulting structure is as simple as possible

Question 10

principle of similarity

Answer 10

Similar things appear to be grouped together.

Question 11

principle of proximity

Answer 11

Things that are near each other appear to be grouped
together

Question 12

principle of common fate

Answer 12

things that are moving in the same direction appear to be grouped together

Question 13

principle of common region

Answer 13

Elements that are within the same region of space appear to be grouped together

Question 14

principle of uniform connectedness

Answer 14

a connected region of the same visual properties, such as lightness, color, texture, or motion, is perceived as a single unit

Question 15

figure–ground segregation

Answer 15

When we see a separate object, it is usually seen as a figure that stands out from its background, which is called the ground

Question 16

reversible figure–ground

Answer 16

perceived alternately either as two dark blue faces looking at each other, in front of a gray background, or as a gray vase on a dark blue background

Question 17

global image features

Answer 17

perceived rapidly and are associated with specific types of scenes.
- degree of naturalness
- degree of openness
- degree of roughness
- degree of expansion
- color

Question 18

binocular rivalry

Answer 18

observer perceives either the left-eye image or the right-eye image, but not both at the same time

Question 19

Neural mind reading

Answer 19

using a neural response, usually brain activation measured by fMRI, to determine what a person is perceiving or thinking

Question 20

structural encoding

Answer 20

based on the relationship between voxel activation and structural characteristics of a scene, such as lines, contrasts, shapes, and textures.

Question 21

semantic encoding

Answer 21

based on the relationship between voxel activation and the meaning or category of a scene

Question 22

Are faces special?

Answer 22

special both because of the role they play in our environment and because of the widespread activity they trigger in the brain