UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD AROUND USPS200 Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Kaplan University

Brian Kelley, M.A., LPC

BASIC ISSUES IN PERCEPTION

Sensation The physiological processes that underlie

information intake

Perception The processes involved in the organization and

interpretation of sensations

BASIC ISSUES IN PERCEPTION Bottom-Up Processing

Influences of information inherent in a stimulus on perception “data-driven” processing

Top-Down Processing Influences of knowledge and expectation on

perception “conceptually-driven” processing

Constructed or Direct? Constructive View

Perceptions are “built” (i.e., constructed) Mix of stimulus info, expectations, knowledge

Direct View Perceptions are based on uninterpreted information Taken directly from environment

BASIC TASKS OF VISUAL PERCEPTION Gestalt psychologists proposed principles of

visual organization: Similarity

Proximity

Good continuation/Continuity

Closure

Common fate

Common region

Synchrony

BASIC TASKS OF VISUAL PERCEPTION

Gestalt psychologists proposed principles of organization: Similarity

similar regions are perceived as belonging to the same object

Proximity objects close together are grouped together

Good continuation/Continuity edges or contours with same orientation,

group together Closure

fill in missing elements Common fate

elements that move together are seen as parts of single moving object

Common Region belong to a common designated area

Synchrony group elements that occur at the same time

X

BASIC TASKS OF VISUAL PERCEPTION

Figure-ground The tendency to segregate scenes into figures

against a background Regions designated as figure tend to be:

Smaller Symmetrical Meaningful Lower in the scene

BASIC TASKS OF VISUAL PERCEPTION

Figure-ground The tendency to segregate scenes into figures

against a background Regions designated as figure tend to be:

Smaller Symmetrical Meaningful Lower in the scene

BASIC TASKS OF VISUAL PERCEPTION

Global Precedence We tend to notice wholes before parts Notice the “forest” before the “trees”

MULTI-SENSORY INTERACTION AND INTEGRATION

Synesthesia Input from one sensory modality is experienced

in another Strong synesthesia

Example: experiencing a smell as “pointy”

Weak synesthesia Linguistic in nature Example: Labeling colors as “cool” or “warm”

PERCEPTUAL PROCESSING AND ATTENTION - VISUAL

Visual attention is limited

Two models of visual attention: Spatial Attention

Paying attention to regions of space Attention as a “spotlight”

Object-Based Attention Paying attention to selected objects

PERCEPTUAL PROCESSING AND ATTENTION - VISUAL

Attentional Capture A stimulus involuntarily captures visual attention Implicit: Changes some aspect of behavior Explicit: Leads to a conscious attention switch

Inattentional blindness Failure to notice obvious change in visual scene Sometimes termed “change blindness” Simon and Chabris (1999)

Subjects watched and attended to a video Over ½ failed to notice bizarre event

PERCEPTUAL PROCESSING AND ATTENTION - AUDITORY

Auditory attention is limited

Some conceive of attention as a gateway We must select what receives attention Studied with dichotic listening and speech

shadowing How do we attend?

PERCEPTUAL PROCESSING AND ATTENTION - AUDITORY

Early Selection Unattended information filtered after sensory analysis

Can’t account for detection and identification of unattended channel info “cocktail party phenomenon”

PERCEPTUAL PROCESSING AND ATTENTION - AUDITORY

Attenuation TheoryUnattended information

“turned down”Salient info noticed

Late SelectionAll information

proceeds to a late stage of analysis

Selection made at response stage

REFERENCES

Robinson-Riegler, B., Robinson-Riegler, G. (2008). Cognitive Psychology: Applying the Science of the Mind – 2nd Ed. Boston: Pearson – Allyn & Bacon.