9C - Perceptual distortions

Question 1

Both ____________ and ________ _________ can be caused by atypical neurological functioning

Answer 1

Both synaesthesia and spatial neglect can be caused by atypical neurological functioning

Question 2

Factors of perceptual distortions

Answer 2

• Distortions of taste and visual perception

Question 3

Distortions of taste and visual perception

Answer 3

• Perceptual distortions can occur in healthy individuals, such as with synaesthesia
• Perceptual distortions can also occur as the result of damage to the brain, which is typically the cause of spatial neglect
• Perceptions are distorted when they differ from the typical interpretation of a stimulus

Question 4

Synaesthesia definition

Answer 4

a perceptual phenomenon characterised by the experience of unusual perceptions in one sensory system after another sensory system has been activated
- a phenomenon that involves cross-talk of sensory experience

Question 5

Process of synaesthesia

Answer 5

• When the neurological pathways for one perceptual modality are activated, they automatically activate the pathways involved in processing another perceptual modality

Question 6

Different combinations of synaesthetic experience include:

Answer 6

• Chromethisa
• Grapheme-colour
• Auditory-tactile
• Lexical-gustatory

Question 7

Combinations of synaesthesia - Chromethisa

Answer 7

the perception of sounds can trigger the perception of colours

Question 8

Combinations of synaesthesia -Grapheme-colour

Answer 8

the perception of letter/numbers can trigger the perception of colours

Question 9

Combinations of synaesthesia - Auditory-tactile

Answer 9

the perception of sounds trigger the perceptions of touch

Question 10

Combinations of synaesthesia -Lexical-gustatory

Answer 10

the perception of words triggers the perception of taste

Question 11

Why does synaesthesia occur?

Answer 11

• The cause of synaesthesia is neurological
• The brains of synaesthesia experience increased communication between brain regions responsible for processing perceptual information (the different sensory modalities)
• Can be iInherited through genes
• Can be developed through drug experiences or brain damage

Question 12

Spatial neglect definition

Answer 12

an inability to perceive or report sensory information located within one side of space

Question 13

Process of spatial neglect

Answer 13

• The most common cause of spatial neglect is the experience of stroke (causing damage to the brain) or some sort of brain damage
• The neglect is experienced on the contralateral (opposite) side to the brain damage
• Is most likely to occur if the stroke affects the right hemisphere of the brain which has a role in attentional processes

Question 14

Common signs of spatial neglect

Answer 14

• Only shaving/applying makeup to the left side of the face
• Only eating from the left side of a plate
• No imagination of the left side of space

Question 15

Treatment for spatial neglect

Answer 15

• The most common form of treatment involves using techniques to draw the individuals attention to the neglected side
• For visual neglect, a patient may be asked to look through prism glasses that make you turn left to see an image clearly