I. Perceptual Organization

Overview•Introduction (Gestalt)

•A. Form Perception•B. Depth Perception•C. Motion Perception•D. Perceptual Constancy

Introduction

_____________ “form” or “whole” • Field of psychology that emphasizes our

tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes

A. Form Perception

• _____________________: organization of the visual field into objects (the figures) that stand out from their surroundings (the ground).

A reversible figure-ground illustration

A. Form Perception

• _______________– the perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups.

– Proximity

– Similarity

– Continuity

– Connectedness

– Closure

We bring order & form to basic perceptionsWe bring order & form to basic perceptions

B. Depth Perception• Depth perception: ability to see objects in three

dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional

B. Depth PerceptionBinocular Cues

• How do we see depth?–We respond to cues

• Binocular cues or Monocular Cues –Retinal disparity

B. Depth PerceptionMononocular Cues

• Monocular cues1. Relative height

2. Relative size

3. Interposition

4. Linear perspective

5. Relative motion

6. Light and shadow

Page 155- Read the caption & be able to explain in your own words.

C. Motion Perception

• Stroboscopic movement- a rapid series of slightly varying images perceived as movement – Film

• Phi phenomenon- an illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession. Example

D. Perceptual Constancy

• Perceptual Constancy: perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent shapes, size, lightness, and color) even as illumination and retinal images change– Shape Constancy– Size Constancy– Lightness Constancy– Color Constancy

Perceptual ConstancyShape and Size Constancies

• Shape constancy

Perceptual ConstancyShape and Size Constancies

• Size constancy- we perceive object as having a constant size even when our distance from them varies – This interplay between perceived size and

perceived distance helps explain several well-known illusions

• Moon illusion

Perceptual ConstancyLightness Constancy

• Lightness constancy (aka Brightness constancy)

–We perceive constant lightness even when illumination varies

–Relative luminance

• Relative to objects

around it

Perceptual ConstancyColor Constancy

• Color constancy: perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object.– Surrounding

context– Surrounding

objects

II. Perceptual InterpretationA.Sensory Deprivation & Restored VisionB.Sensory AdaptationC.Perceptual SetD.Perception as Biopsychosocial

Phenomenon

A. Sensory Deprivation & Restored Vision

• Experiments on sensory deprivation–Critical period

B. Perceptual Adaptation

• Perceptual adaptation– in vision, the ability to adjust

to an artificially displaced or

even inverted visual field.

– Displacement goggles

C. Perceptual Set• Perceptual set: a mental disposition

to perceive one thing and not another– Mental predisposition

• the readiness to interpret a stimulus in a certain way

– Schemas

C. Perceptual SetContext Effects

• Context effects

C. Perceptual SetEmotion and Motivation

• Motivation on perception

• Emotions on perception

D. Perception is a Biopsychosocial Phenomenon

Is There Extrasensory Perception?

Parapsychology

Claims of ESP• Parapsychology

– study of paranormal phenomena, includes ESP & psychokinesis (PK).

• Extrasensory Perception– the controversial claim that perception can

occur apart from sensory input• Telepathy• Clairvoyance• Precognition