Perception - Cross Cultural Studies of Perceptual Developement

Question 1

Why are cross cultural studies helpful in understanding whether perception is learned or innate?

Answer 1

If innate, should be present in all cultures, if learned it may not be present.

Question 2

What may cultural influences be due to?

Answer 2

Biological factors e.g. genetics or diet.

Ecological factors e.g. local environment, cultural histories, education.

Question 3

What two studies are associated with cross cultural studies of perception?

Answer 3

Turnbull (1961)

Hudson (1960, 1962)

Question 4

What did Turnbull (1961) find?

Answer 4

Bambuti Pygmies who lived in dense forest hadn’t developed size constancy as no experience of looking at far away objects.

Question 5

Does Turnbull (1961) suggest size constancy is innate or learned?

Answer 5

Learned, as if it was innate they would already be able to perceive size constancy.

Question 6

What happened in Hudson (1960, 1962)?

Answer 6

Analysed responses to questions about pictures. Asked what objects were in picture. Then asked ‘What is the man doing?’ and ‘What animal was closest to the man?’

Question 7

What did Hudson (1960, 1962) find?

Answer 7

Non-Western people had difficulty seeing depth. Saw image in 2D rather than 3D.

Question 8

Does Hudson (1960, 1962) suggest depth perception is innate or learned?

Answer 8

Learned, as if it were innate non-Westerns and Westerns would both be able to see depth perception.

Question 9

What are two evaluative points of Hudson’s (1960, 1962) study?

Answer 9

Questions are ambiguous. Assume they will be interpreted in same way by different cultures.
Picture only contains 2 depth cues. If others were added non-Westerners may be more likely to interpret the image in 3D.

Question 10

What happened in a variation of Hudson’s (1960, 1962) study?

Answer 10

Artist put texture gradient cues into picture, like pebbles on road and grass on open ground.

Question 11

What did the variation of Hudson’s (1960, 1962) study find?

Answer 11

Zambian children gave 64% 3D perception compared to 50% in original study.
3D perception rose to 76% when colour and haze was added.

Question 12

What does the variation of Hudson’s (1960, 9162) study suggest about perception being innate?

Answer 12

Suggests cues like texture gradient may be innate, whereas others like relative height and size must be learned.

Question 13

What are two studies associated with the Evaluation of Hudson’s study?

Answer 13

Segall et al (1963, 1966)

Deregowski

Question 14

What happened in Segall et al (1963, 1966)?

Answer 14

Showed straight line illusion to 2,000 adults and children from 13 non-European groups and 3 European groups.

Question 15

What did Segall et al (1963, 1966) find?

Answer 15

European groups more susceptible to Muller-Lyer illusion than non-European groups.

Question 16

What do the results of Segall et al (1963, 1966) show about whether perception is innate or learned?

Answer 16

Suggests perception is learned as some groups were fooled by the illusion and some weren’t. If perception was innate all groups would have been fooled by the illusion.

Question 17

What did Deregowski find?

Answer 17

2D perceivers prefer split-drawings, ones that depict essential characteristics of an object. Split drawings preferred by African children and adults to perspective drawings.

Question 18

What are three relevant IDAs of cross cultural studies of perceptual development?

Answer 18

Culturally Biased
Socially Sensitive
Nature v Nurture

Question 19

Why is this research culturally biased?

Answer 19

• May misinterpret results in manner which makes own culture look better.
• May conduct studies in ways that disadvantage other cultures.
• May move incorrect assumptions about cultures.

Question 20

Why is this research socially sensitive?

Answer 20

Differences can be used to fuel racism and discrimination. Genetic and biological differences are even more dangerous as it formalises differences and can lead to discrimination and exclusion.

Question 21

Why is this part of the Nature v Nurture debate?

Answer 21

Many of the studies suggest that some cues to perception are learned which supports the Nurture side. However some also suggest other cues are innate which supports the Nature side. Therefore this research is interactionist.