Perception Making Sense of the World

Perception za process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events zOften produces errors in perceiving the world

Perceptual Illusions zPerceptual errors usually ~harmless ySometimes deadly

Perception zSelective Attention focus of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

Perceptual Organization zVisual Capture ytendency for vision to dominate the other senses zGestalt- an organized whole ytendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes

Testing Selective Attention

Perceptual Organization zGrouping ythe perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups zGrouping Principles yproximity- group nearby figures together ysimilarity- group figures that are similar ycontinuity- perceive continuous patterns yconnectedness- spots, lines and areas are seen as unit when connected

PerceptualOrganization- Grouping Principles

Perceptual Organization zFigure and Ground yorganization of visual field into objects (figures) that stand out from surroundings (ground)

Perceptual Organization- Depth Perception zDepth Perception yability to see objects in three dimensions zBinocular cues yretinal disparity ximages from the two eyes differ xcloser the object, the larger the disparity yconvergence xneuromuscular cue xtwo eyes move inward for near objects

Perceptual Organization- Depth Perception zMonocular Cues yrelative size xsmaller image is more distant

Relative Size

Perceptual Organization- Depth Perception zMonocular Cues yinterposition xcloser object blocks distant object

Perceptual Organization- Depth Perception

zMonocular Cues ylinear perspective xparallel lines converge with distance

Linear perspective zWhich horizontal line seems longer? yConverging lines ~distance yHorz lines same retinal S yTop perceived farther away

Perceptual Organization zLinear Perspective & Monsters

Perceptual Constancy zPerceptual Constancy yperceiving objects as unchanging despite changes in retinal image xShape xSize yExperience xvideovideo

Size Constancy zWhat’s happening here? yExperience tells him it is a large ship far away yReally it is a small ship close

Perceptual Interpretation zPerceptual Adaptation y(vision) ability to adjust to an artificially displaced visual field xUpside-Down Vision Video zPerceptual Set ya mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another

Perceptual Set zMental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another zAffects our perceptions of the world yErrors yIndividual differences in perception

Perceptual Set zWhat do you see here?

Perceptual Set- Schemas Flying Saucers or Clouds?

Perceptual Set zWhat do you see?

Perceptual Set zWhat do you see?

Perceptual Set Demo zIf your last name starts with the letter ‘a’ - ‘n’ close your eyes zOthers look at the screen

Perceptual Set Demo zWoman zEyes zFace

Perceptual Set Demo zRest of you close your eyes now zOthers look at the screen

Perceptual Set Demo zPerformance zMusic zSaxophone

Perceptual Set Demo zEveryone look at the screen yIMMEDIATELY write down what you see first...

What do you see?

Creation of Perceptual Set zFirst group saw: yWoman yEyes yFace zSecond group saw yPerformance yMusic ySaxophone

Perceptual Set- Schemas zWhat you see in the center is influenced byperceptual set yFace or saxophone

Perceptual Set zExperience/context impacts percep sets yIndividual differences yMomentary fluctuations zNo objective reality yWe all perceive the world differently at different times

Perception & Context

Group Activity II: ESP zIn groups of 4-5 and using the text: yDefine ESP and describe at least 2 types yDescribe the kind of research that examines ESP ySummarize the state of the scientific evidence for ESP zPLEASE TURN THIS IN AFTER CLASS!

ESP zExtrasensory Perception yControversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input xTelepathy xClairvoyance xPrecognition zParapsychology yThe study of paranormal phenomena xESP xPsychokinesis

ESP zNo scientifically reliable and valid evidence for ESP has yet been found yDoes NOT mean ESP does not exist yNo evidence yet zSkeptical, critical attitude of science yCurious yExplorers

Perception Summary zIllusions & Organization zDepth perception zPerceptual constancy zPerceptual Set zESP