Sensory Perception

Question 1

Visual Cues

Answer 1

Sensory cues received by the eye in the form of light and processed by the visual system during visual perception. Important for perception of depth

Question 2

Binocular Cues

Answer 2

Visual cues that involve the use of both eyes

Question 3

Retinal Disparity

Answer 3

Our eyes are 2.5 inches apart (binocular)

Question 4

Convergence

Answer 4

For things far away, our eyes relax. For things closer, our eyes contract (binocular)

Question 5

Monocular Cues

Answer 5

Cues that involve a single eye

Question 6

Relative Height

Answer 6

Things that are higher are perceived as farther away (monocular)

Question 7

Motion Parallax

Answer 7

Things farther away move slower (monocular)

Question 8

Interposition

Answer 8

Something that is covered by another thing is perceived as farther away than the latter (monocular)

Question 9

Relative size

Answer 9

Two comparable things of the same size – a smaller one is perceived as more distant

Question 10

Shading and Contour

Answer 10

Light and darkness can help us perceive depth

Question 11

Constancy

Answer 11

Perception of an object doesn’t change even if it looks different on our retina

Question 12

Size constancy

Answer 12

Size of objects are consistent even though the sizes on the retina vary greatly with distance

Question 13

Shape constancy

Answer 13

We perceive the shapes of objects the same even if viewing conditions (angles, etc.) change considerably

Question 14

Color constancy

Answer 14

We perceive the color of an object the same even under different illuminants

Question 15

Sensory Adaptation of Hearing

Answer 15

The inner ear muscle contracts in loud noises to reduct vibrations and control volume

Question 16

Sensory Adaptation of Touch

Answer 16

Temperature sensors are desensitized

Question 17

Sensory Adaptation of Smell

Answer 17

Desensitization to molecules

Question 18

Sensory Adaptation of Sight

Answer 18

Down regulation through contraction of pupils and desensitization of rods and conse
Up regulation through dilation of pupils

Question 19

Weber’s Law

Answer 19

The change in intensity of a sensation divided by the value of the original intensity is a constant
Delta I = I k

Question 20

Just noticeable difference

Answer 20

The smallest difference in intensity that can be detected 50% of the time (Weber’s Law)

Question 21

Absolute Threshold (definition + factors)

Answer 21

Minimum intensity needed to detect a stimulus at least 50% of the time
Factors: Expectations, Experiences, Motivation, Alertness

Question 22

Subliminal Stimuli

Answer 22

Stimuli that are under the Absolute Threshold

Question 23

Vestibular System

Answer 23

Balance and spatial orientation – focus in the inner ear

Question 24

Semicircular Canals

Answer 24

In the inner ear, filled with endolymph. Shift makes us detect head movement and intensity of rotation
Posterior, lateral, and anterior

Question 25

Otolithic Organs

Answer 25

Part of the vestibular system. Detect linear acceleration and head positioning
Ca crystals attached to hair cells. Movement pulls on these cells which fire neurons

Question 26

Signal Detection Theory

Answer 26

Discerning between important stimuli and noise; can be broken down into four scenarios
Hit: stimulus present and there is a response.
Miss: stimulus present and there is no response
False alarm: stimulus not present and there is a response
Correct rejection: stimulus not present and there is no response

Question 27

Strategies of Signal Detection

Answer 27

Three strategies

1. Liberal: Respond to every stimulus
2. Conservative: Do not respond unless you’re 100% sure
3. Ideal: respond when 50% sure

Question 28

Bottom-up Processing

Answer 28

Stimulus influences perception; processing sensory information as it comes in

Question 29

Top-down Processing

Answer 29

Background knowledge influences perception (driven by cognition)

Question 30

Gestalt Principles (definition + principles)

Answer 30

Rules that explain how we perceive visual elements

1. Similarity: similar items are grouped together
2. Proximity: items close to each other are grouped together
3. Continuity: lines are perceived as following a smooth continuous path
4. Closure: objects close together are perceived as being a whole
5. Pragnanz: Reality is reduced to the simplest form possible
6. Symmetry: We perceive objects as symmetrical around a midpoint

Question 31

Law of Common Fate

Answer 31

If some objects are doing one thing (ex. moving in one direction) and some other objects are doing another thing (ex. moving in the other direction), we perceive them as two distinct sets of objects

Question 32

Law of Past Experience

Answer 32

Visual stimuli are categorized based off of common experience (ex. the letters L and I are not subject to the Law of Similarity)