Sensation and Perception Flashcards
type of constancy: your book looks the same regardless of the angle at which you look at it
shape constancy
type of constancy: your bright yellow shirt looks the same inside and outside
brightness constancy
type of constancy: your feet are the same size regardless if one foot is one the floor
and one foot is placed on a step stool
size constancy
type of constancy: a banana is yellow regardless of if you eat it in the kitchen or the basement
color constancy
the ability to successfully drive a car depends on this constancy
space constancy
changes in shape of the lens of the
eye that serves to focus on objects
of varying distances
accommodation
simultaneous turning inward of
two eyes as they focus on nearby
objects
convergence
difference between images received by each retina
retinal disparity
pictorial cue: when you open the door to your room, you see a shadow
light / shadow
pictorial cue: one object partially blocks the view of the other (ex: you may notice this in a family photo with the children in the front)
overlap
pictorial cue: convergence of parallel lines in the environment (ex: you may notice this looking at a train track in the distance)
linear perspective
pictorial cue: to depict objects of the same size at different distances, make the
distant object smaller
relative size
pictorial cue: changes in texture imply depth
texture gradient
group like things together
similarity
groups things together that are
near one another
proximity
fill in missing details of what is viewed
closure
perceive something inaccurately; perceptual cues are tricked
illusion
organized whole, shape, or form
gestalt
the point when something becomes noticeable to our senses
absolute threshold
the amount of change needed for us to recognize that a change has a occurred
difference threshold
when we detect what we want to focus on and minimize distractions
signal detection
the process of becoming less sensitive to unchanging stimulus/conditions
sensory adaptation
the minimum amount of difference that can be detected between two stimuli
just noticeable difference
the process of sensing our environment through touch, taste, sight, sound and smell; getting information from the environment
sensation
the process by which the mind selects, organizes and interprets sensations
perception
the ability to see things differently without having to reinterpret the object’s properties
perceptual constancy
becoming used to the smell in a locker room would be an example of
sensory adaptation
focusing on your best friend playing piano at a recital would be an example of
signal detection theory
people must choose what to pay attention to in any given setting; when the details they’ve decided aren’t important change, they don’t notice (Door Study)
change blindness
teaches us depth perception is partially innate and partially learned; babies 6 - 14 months old were encouraged to go to their mothers over what appeared to be a cliff; majority (81%) refused to go
Visual Cliff Experiment
