Unit 2 Topic 8: perception

Question 1

name the two types of stimuli. Explain each one

Answer 1

internal stimuli: which are information or sensations that originate from within the body.
These can include feeling hungry or tired,

External stimuli: are information or sensations that originate from outside the body.
These can include conversations you are having with others

Question 2

Three Main types of attention:

Answer 2

sustained
divided
selective

Question 3

sustained attention

Answer 3

Sustained attention refers to focusing on one stimulus or task across a prolonged, continuous
period of time.

eg: watching a video from start to finish

Question 4

Sustained attention stages

Answer 4

focus, maintain, and release.

Question 5

How long can we sustain attention for?

Answer 5

Long periods of time have shown to be ineffective when sustaining attention. fatigue is a common. sustained attention is difficult in the easy intellectual situations and boring situations

Question 6

Divided attention

Answer 6

splitting
attention across two or
more stimuli at one time

Question 7

Multitasking

Answer 7

the act of
working on multiple tasks
at one time

Question 8

selective attention

Answer 8

Selective attention involves exclusively focusing attention on a specific stimulus or task
while ignoring all other stimuli or tasks.

Question 9

perception

Answer 9

the process
of selecting, organizing,
and interpreting sensory
information

Question 10

Sensation

Answer 10

the process of
receiving and detecting
raw sensory stimuli via
sensory organs and
sending this information
to the brain

Question 11

Sensory stimuli

Answer 11

the raw
pieces of information
that are detected by the
five senses

Question 12

Visual perception

Answer 12

the process of becoming
consciously aware of
visual stimuli as a result of
the interactions between
the visual sensory system,
and the individual’s
internal and external
environments

Question 13

Stages of sensation

Answer 13

reception: the process of detecting incoming information
transduction changes information into an electrochemical message
transmission sending information via the optic nerve.

Question 14

Bottom-up processing

Answer 14

Bottom-up processing occurs as our sensory receptors receive new sensory information and do not require prior knowledge or experiences.

Question 15

Top-Down processing

Answer 15

This type of processing is typically used when what is being perceived is relatively familiar and less complex.

Question 16

Pupil

Answer 16

An opening in the iris that helps to control the amount of light entering the eye

Question 17

Lens

Answer 17

Role in focusing light onto the retina

Question 18

Retina

Answer 18

Processes images
The back layer consists of photoreceptors

Question 19

Photoreceptors

Answer 19

Photoreceptors change light from electromagnetic waves into chemical impulses the brain can process

Question 20

gestalt principles

Answer 20

Figure-ground: dividing a visual scene into a ‘figure’, which stands out from the ‘ground’, which is its surroundings
Closure: the perceptual tendency to ‘close up’, fill in, or ignore gaps in sensory input and perceive objects as complete.
Similarity: the tendency to perceive that stimuli or parts of a stimulus that have similar features – such as size, shape, texture or colour – belong together in a unit, group, or ‘whole
Proximity (or nearness): the tendency to perceive parts of visual stimulus that are positioned close together as belonging together in a group.

Question 21

Depth Cues

Answer 21

Depth cues are signals provided by the environment (external cues) or from within our body (internal cues) which help us to perceive how far away objects are

Question 22

Pictorial depth Cues

Answer 22

Pictorial depth cues are named as such because they are often manipulated by artists when painting or drawing a picture.

Question 23

Types of depth cues

Answer 23

binocular
monocular

Question 24

pictorial depth cue. types

Answer 24

Linear perspective is the apparent convergence of parallel lines as they recede into the distance
interposition: When one object partially obscures another, the partially obscured object will be perceived as further away than the object which obscures it (and vice versa)
Texture gradient refers to the gradual diminishing of detail that occurs in ‘surfaces’
Relative size refers to the tendency to visually perceive the object that produces the largest image on the retina as being closer
Height in the visual field refers to the location of objects in our visual field whereby objects which are located closer to the horizon

Question 25

Perceptual set

Answer 25

Perceptual Set is the predisposition, or readiness, to perceive something in accordance with what we expect it to be

Question 26

Influences on perceptual set

Answer 26

Motivation - Refers to the processes within us which activate behaviour that we direct towards achieving a particular goal. e.g umpiring decisions

Context - the setting or environment we are in influences how we perceive something. eg. fast moving light in different settings

Emotional State - our mood can influence our perception e.g shadows on the walls when scared

Past experience - our experiences influence our perception e.g police background viewing incidents

Question 27

Perceptual distortion

Answer 27

involves an inconsistency between perceptual experience and physical reality.

Question 28

Visual illusion

Answer 28

is consistent misinterpretation of real sensory information