Visual Fields

Learning Objectives. Carry out a typical piece of laboratory research in psychology. Use a within subjects design (Repeated measures ) factors and comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the design Distinguish independent and dependent variables Understand the threshold measurement

Learning Outcomes 2 Understand the importance of randomisation of materials Summarise results into a table Write up a report including a Title, Abstract, (Results)

This Weeks Write-up TitleAbstract Appendix including Results (table) Use of Turnitin as check against plagiarism and collusion

Experimental issues to consider Within subjects design (the same participant participates in every condition)

Experimental issues to consider Within subjects design (the same participant participates in every condition) –Advantages: fewer subjects and less variability in subjects –Disadvantages: learning, order, sequence effects. Controlling for order effects – Counterbalancing (varying the order in which the participants experience the conditions) –Randomize trials within a block

What will happen: Get into pairs Experiment will involve determining a recognition threshold Some notes on Fechner to follow Participants leave the room while instructions are explained to experimenters

Gustav Theodor Fechner German experimental psychologist.

Gustav Theodor Fechner (April 19, 1801 – November 28, 1887) Born at Gross-S ä rchen, near Muskau, in Lower Lusatia. Educated at Sorau and Dresden and at the University of Leipzig. In 1834 he was appointed professor of physics, but in 1839 contracted an eye disorder while studying the phenomena of colour and vision, and, after much suffering, resigned. Subsequently recovering, he turned to the study of the mind and its relations with the body.

Fechner Elemente der Psychophysik 1860 Bodily facts and conscious facts are different sides of one reality. Tried to discover an exact mathematical relation between them. Weber's & Fechner's law "In order that the intensity of a sensation may increase in arithmetical progression, the stimulus must increase in geometrical progression."

Threshold measurement Thresholds interesting since are measuring the relationship between a psychological property, sensation, and changes in physical objects the research field of thresholds is known as psychophysics

Threshold (limen) measurement Different techniques were used to measure thresholds. In today's experiment we will try to determine a threshold, so that the participant is working near to their limits of performance. The method used will start below the threshold and then increase presentation time until the stimulus is recognised.

lateralisation Google psychunn then active practicals, then hemispheric lateralisation program

Pause to run research Do research. Think about research participation Think about enhancement week

Before and after break Submit results, No. of 1 & 2 accurately reported no. words left and no. words right exposure duration whether participants left or right handed Participants age and gender

3 theories Reading habits

3 theories Guessing

3 theories *Functional differences between brain hemispheres (favoured explanation) See also results of sectioning corpus callosum. Work of Sperry, Gazziniga

Brain lateralisation Brain is a ‘ Paired organ ’ Corpus callosum Different functions for each hemisphere? Left Visual Field Right Visual Field Left HemisphereRight Hemisphere