PSYC 3350 Cog Exam I Content Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is the difference between bottom up and top-down processing?
Bottom up processing starts with sensory input while top-down processing relies on prior knowledge and expectations.
Bottom up processing is data-driven, whereas top-down processing is concept-driven.
What are automatic processes?
Processes that occur without conscious control or attention.
Examples include reading familiar words or driving on an empty road.
What are controlled processes?
Processes that require conscious thought and attention.
Examples include solving a math problem or learning a new skill.
What do Gestalt principles in psychology focus on?
How we segregate the world into figures & the backgoung against which they appear. (pgs 5 & 26-27)
attempted to explain how we make sense of complex figures such as faces
They suggested that we “add” something to what we perceive, so that the perception of a whole object will be something more than just the sum of its component parts.
What does behaviorism emphasize?
The study of observable behavior and the effects of conditioning.
Key concepts include S-R (Stimulus-Response), classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and reinforcement.
What do early famous case studies like Gage and HM tell us about cognition?
They provide insight into brain function and the relationship between brain damage and cognitive abilities.
Gage’s case highlighted the role of the frontal lobe, while HM’s case showed the importance of the hippocampus in memory.
What is the difference between sensation and perception?
Sensation is the process of receiving stimuli, while perception is the interpretation of those stimuli.
Sensation involves the initial detection, and perception involves the understanding of that information.
What are the dorsal and ventral streams in the brain?
Dorsal stream is responsible for ‘where’ information, and ventral stream is responsible for ‘what’ information.
This distinction helps in understanding spatial awareness and object recognition.
What is Gibson’s Ecological Theory of Perception?
Perception should be considered in terms of how it allows us to interact with the world we live in (Pg 24)
Gibson wanted to know what perception was for instead of how it operates
What are feature extraction theories?
Theories that explain how visual information is processed to identify objects. (Pgs 27-31)
This includes Marr’s computational theory, Recognition by Components (RBC), and template matching.
What is constructivist theory in relation to perception?
Based on the notion that it is necessary for us to “construct” our perception of what we see from incomplete sensory information. (Pg 40)
Pg 40
This contrasts with more direct theories of perception.
What is sensory conspicuity?
How easily an object can be detected by the senses (Pg 38)
refers to the intrinsic properties of an object (shape, color, brightnes
What is attentional conspicuity?
influenced by aspects of the individual (previous experience, expectations, etc.) (Pg 38)
Uses bottom up processing
What is the McGurk effect?
Visual clues improve the auditory stimulus. (Pg 51)
Remember the film where “da” sounded like “ga” & “ba” incongruent stimul
It occurs when the auditory component of one sound is paired with the visual component of another sound.
What is the function of attention?
To selectively focus on certain stimuli while ignoring others.
Attention acts as a filter for sensory information.
How is attention considered a limited resource?
It can only focus on a certain amount of information at one time.
This limitation can lead to divided attention and reduced performance.
How do eye movements help guide attention?
They direct visual focus to areas of interest, facilitating information processing.
Saccades and fixations are key components of eye movement.
What is the difference between exogenous and endogenous attention?
Exogenous attention is externally driven by stimuli, while endogenous attention is internally driven by goals and expectations.
Exogenous attention is often automatic, while endogenous requires cognitive effort.
What are the models of attention?
Early selection model, late selection model, and attenuator model.
These models explain how attention filters information at different stages of processing.
What is feature integration theory?
A theory that describes how attention helps in recognizing objects by binding features together.
It posits that without attention, features are processed separately.
What are visual processing disorders?
Conditions that affect the ability to interpret visual information, including blindsight, spatial neglect, and anopia.
These disorders can result from brain damage or neurological conditions.
What is the difference between form agnosia and integrative agnosia?
Form agnosia is the inability to recognize objects, while integrative agnosia is difficulty in integrating visual information to recognize objects.
Both conditions highlight different aspects of visual processing.
What are disorders of face processing?
Conditions that impair the ability to recognize faces, including prosopagnosia and autism.
Prosopagnosia is specifically the inability to recognize familiar faces.
