perception

Question 1

transmission

Answer 1

sensory information sent to the relevant area of the brain (as a neural impulse) via the thalamus

Question 2

interpretation

Answer 2

Sensory information is given meaning. The use of existing knowledge such as memory to make sense of sensory input.

Question 3

attention spans

Answer 3

Attention is a limited resource. Sustaining attention for too long can lead to fatigue

Question 4

When can divided attention be competently performed?

Answer 4

when tasks are:
1. sufficiently similar
2. not complex
3. well known
4. and therefore do not demand considerable mental effort

Question 5

controlled processes

Answer 5

used to perform a task with conscious, alert awareness (hard to divide attention, usually shifting attention from one task to another)

Question 6

automatic processes

Answer 6

used to perform a task with little conscious awareness and mental effort and minimal attention

Question 7

factors that influence whether we attend (selective attention)

Answer 7

PCN
1. Stimuli is personally important to us (e.g cocktail party phenomenon)
2. Changes in stimulation e.g light/ movement
3. Novel stimuli (odd/ out of place)

Question 8

bottom up processing (buzz words)

Answer 8

data driven, no previous knowledge

Question 9

top down processing (buzz words)

Answer 9

familiar, clear, past experience

Question 10

number of rods vs cones

Answer 10

Rods: 120mill
Cones: 6mill

Question 11

convergence

Answer 11

The brain detects and interprets depth and distance from changes in tension in the eye muscle, when the two eyes turn inward to focus on close objects (greater tension = closer, less tension = further)

Question 12

accommodation

Answer 12

Automatic focusing mechanism of lens, the lens of the eye either bulges or flattens to accommodate close or distant objects on the retina. The brain monitors ciliary muscles

Question 13

interposition

Answer 13

overlapping objects, front object appears closer than object behind

Question 14

reversibility

Answer 14

when the figure and ground are ambiguous, our perception is dependent on which aspect of the visual scene we label as the figure

Question 15

camouflage

Answer 15

occurs when the figure and ground are not easily separated but instead blend together

Question 16

What are the 5 factors affecting perceptual set?

Answer 16

1. Context
2. motivation
3. emotional state
4. past experience
5. culture

Question 17

context

Answer 17

refers to the setting or environment in which a perception is made. (taking into account the setting and aspects of it which we feel is relevant)

Question 18

motivation

Answer 18

internal processes which activate behaviour that we direct towards achieving a goal

Question 19

emotional state

Answer 19

different emotions ‘set’ us to perceive information in a way which is consistent with the emotion

Question 20

past experience

Answer 20

our personal experience throughout lives (unique combinations lead to many individual differences in perception)

Question 21

Culture

Answer 21

the way of life of a particular community or group that sets it apart from others (experience -> influence the way we process + interpret visual info)