Unit 7

Question 1

The Perceptual process

Answer 1

• The distal stimulus
• Proximal stimulus
• Receptor processes
• Neural processing
• Behavioral response

Question 2

The Perceptual process: Distal stimulus

Answer 2

A stimulus in the environment produces an effect on our senses

Question 3

The Perceptual process: The proximal stimulus

Answer 3

the light reflected from the distal stimulus passes through the cornea and lens of the eye and it is projected into the retina which contains visual receptors.
The final perception is based on the activity the proximal stimulus produces on visual receptors.

Question 4

The Perceptual process: Receptor processes

Answer 4

Sensory receptors convert the proximal stimulus into electrical energy.
Visual receptors in the retina contain a light-sensitive visual pigment (Transduction) that transforms light energy into electrical energ

Question 5

The Perceptual process: Neural processing

Answer 5

• Visual info is transmitted down the optic nerve and sent to the occipital lobe
  -Auditory info is transmitted along the auditory nerves and sent to the temporal lobe

Question 6

The Perceptual process: Behvioral responses

Answer 6

Neural signals are translated into conscious experience.
1. We perceive the stimulus
2. We recognize it (category)
3. Action

Question 7

Top-down processing

Answer 7

previously acquired knowledge and experiences help construct perceptio

Question 8

Top-down processing: Helmholtz

Answer 8

• Knowledge of physical and semantic regularities help us unconsciously infer what is happening.
• The image projected into the retina could be a result of many different possible configurations of objects.

Question 9

Top-down processing: Helmholtz - Likelihood principle

Answer 9

what we perceive reflects the object that is most likely to have caused the retinal image. Perception is the result of automatic assumptions based on precious experiences.

Question 10

Bottom-up Processing: Gibson’s Theory of Direct Perception

Answer 10

• Activation that occurs in sensory receptors is all we need
• What we perceive is a direct reflection of the stimulus

Question 11

Ecological Approach

Answer 11

They studied perception in situations in which people move and interact with the environment. The major goal was yo understand how movement creates perceptual info that guides movement and helps perceive the environment

Question 12

Optic flow

Answer 12

Movement creates perceptual info. Optic flow is more rapid near the moving subject. When there is no flow at the destination toward which the subject is moving we call it focus of expansion.

Question 13

Bottom-up VS top-down

Answer 13

• Bottom-up: information detected at sensory receptors is already in a complete form
• Top-down: prior knowledge interacts with info created by a stimulus

Question 14

Goldstein

Answer 14

Perception starts with the image on the receptors and then the observer’s knowledge comes into play.