Perception

Question 1

What is sensation?

Answer 1

The physical process of collecting data from the environment via the 5 senses

Question 2

Define perception?

Answer 2

The cognitive process of interpreting data

Question 3

What are illusions?

Answer 3

The effect of misinterpreting data

Question 4

What are geometric illusions?

Answer 4

When an image displayed appears distorted

Question 5

What are ambiguous figures?

Answer 5

When an image is seen in multiple ways

Question 6

What are fictions?

Answer 6

Seeing something that is not actually there

Question 7

What are the three types of illusions?

Answer 7

1. Geometric illusions
2. Ambiguous figures
3. Fictions

Question 8

What do visual constancies allow us to see?

Answer 8

They allow us to see things as the same even though they’re constantly changing

Question 9

What are the two types of visual constancies?

Answer 9

1. Shape constancy

2. colour constancy

Question 10

What is shape constancy and give an example

Answer 10

The ability to see a constant shape even if it is constantly changing e.g. we know an open door is rectangular in shape even though from where we view it, it is distorted due to perception

Question 11

What is colour constancy and give an example?

Answer 11

The ability to see the same colour even if it is constantly changing e.g. colour of our bedding changes depending on light but we still perceive it to stay the same

Question 12

What is depth perception?

Answer 12

The ability of our brain to add a 3rd dimension/depth to everything we see

Question 13

Define depth cues and name them?

Answer 13

Things that allow us to add this 3rd dimension

1. Linear perspective
2. Height in plane
3. Relative size
4. Super imposition
5. Texture gradient

Question 14

What is linear perspective?

Answer 14

When parallel lines converge at a distant point

Question 15

What is height in plane?

Answer 15

If an image is higher to the eye, it is seen as further away than objects that are lower

Question 16

What is relative size?

Answer 16

Objects that seem smaller than other objects are perceived to be further away

Question 17

What is super imposition?

Answer 17

If an object is being blocked by something, we assume that the object doing the blocking, is closer

Question 18

What is texture gradient?

Answer 18

When we can see the detailed texture of objects that are close, but objects are less detailed further away

Question 19

What is the core theory of perception?

Answer 19

The constructivists theory

Question 20

What does the constructivist theory state?

Answer 20

1. Perception is based on past experiences
2. Uses idea of top down processing and perceptual set
3. perceptual set is demonstrated by expectations and motivations

Question 21

What is top down processing?

Answer 21

The idea that perception is based on what we expect to see

Question 22

What is perceptual set?

Answer 22

Being pre-disposed to perceive things in one way

Question 23

Give an example of ‘expectations’ (in perceptual set)

Answer 23

We can read jumpled up sentences correctly due to what words we expect to see in the sentence

Question 24

Give an example of ‘motivations’ (in perceptual set)

Answer 24

When we feel hungry whilst watching tv, and the names of food attract our attention as our hunger is motivating us to perceive food

Question 25

What are criticisms of the core theory? (constructivists theory)

Answer 25

1. If perception is based on personal experiences, why do we perceive things in the same way 2. If perception requires experience, how do we explain a new born babies ability to perceive the world 3. The ideas of illusions goes against the constructivists theory e.g if we use our experiences to build perception, why do we fall for the same illusions time and time again?

Question 26

What is the alternative theory of perception?

Answer 26

Nativists theory

Question 27

What does the nativists theory state?

Answer 27

- supports the role of nature - uses the idea of bottom-up processing - The role of the mind is only to analyse info once it has been perceived - explains how we perceive so quickly and why we see things in the same way (because we all evolved in the same way)

Question 28

What is bottom-up processing?

Answer 28

The idea that perception is immediate/direct and not based on experiences, expectations and misinterpretations

Question 29

Outline the core study?

Answer 29

Haber and Levin (2001)

Question 30

What was the aim of the study?

Answer 30

To investigate whether perception follows top-down or bottom-up processing

Question 31

Who were the participants of the study?

Answer 31

9 male students from the US (all previously tested for good eyesight)

Question 32

What was the method of the study?

Answer 32

- controlled experiment | - repeated measures

Question 33

What was the procedure of the study?

Answer 33

1. participants were taken to a large field that had been divided into 4 areas: arrival area, 15 fixed size objects area, 15 varying sized objects area, geometric shapes area 2. participants were taken through arrival area to the middle of the field and they had to estimate the distance from the centre to each object in each area (noted them down)

Question 34

What were the results of the study?

Answer 34

1. Distance of fixed size objects were most accurate 2. distance of varying sized objects were not so accurate 3. Distance of geometric shapes were least accurate

Question 35

What are limitations of the study?

Answer 35

1. small sample size, not representative 2. Demand characteristics may be present as it was a self report (unreliable) 3. lack of ecological validity as estimating distances of objects is unrealistic in daily life

Question 36

Outline the main application of research into attachment?

Answer 36

Advertising

Question 37

What is subliminal advertising?

Answer 37

A brief message directed to us without us being aware and they can make us do things e.g. buy things as our unconscious minds have heard it or seen it

Question 38

Where does info coming from the left side of the brain go to?

Answer 38

To the right side of the brain and vice versa

Question 39

What is the right side of the brain responsible for and what does this mean advertisers should do?

Answer 39

The right side is responsible for creativity so advertisers should display creative content on the left side of the screen/advertisement

Question 40

What is the left side of the brain responsible for and what does this mean advertiser should do?

Answer 40

The left side is responsible for logical thinking/ language area so advertisers should display this kind of information on the right side of the screen/advertisement

Question 41

What is the effect of context to perception (in advertsement)

Answer 41

Perception of an object can be altered by context e.g. an expensive product may seem more suitable to wealthier people