Perception

Perception

• The process by which we experience things through our senses

• Most of what we learn we acquire through our physical senses – sight, sound, smell, touch and taste

• Our sense allow us to live comfortably in our environment

Learning

• Individuals learn to know their world through the data that come to them by way of their sense organs.

• However, what we perceive depends also on what we bring along with us, from our past experiences to our present needs and wishes as we face the world.

Sources of Stimuli

• Usually the objects of which we are aware, are sources of multiple stimuli.

• We ‘see’ signs or pictures instead of spots of light.

• We ‘hear’ words or music instead of single pure tones.

Two women

• This one of the most famous optical illusions.

• Can you see the young woman?

• Can you see the old woman?

Try This!

• Even as you sit hear in class, stop for a moment, close your eyes, and attend to the various stimuli affecting you.

• Notice, for example, the tightness of the heel of your left shoe, the pressure of clothing on your neck or shoulders, the sounds coming from outside the room.

• We are bombarded all the while by stimuli to which we do not attend.

Sensory Deprivation

• It occurs when one or more of our senses are taken away from us.

• Has been used for psychological experiments, alternative medicine, interrogation, and torture

Perceiving Objects

• Our perception of an object depends on various factors; such as colour, brightness, shape, size, and location.

Would you trust this man?

Colour Blind Test

• 1 in 10 men has some degree of colorblindness.

• If you don’t see anything it might be time to see your eye doctor.

Scary optical illusion - Brightness

• Do you see some women looking at themselves in a mirror?

• Or do you see the devil staring right at you!

Big monster chasing little monster

Which line is bigger?

They are both the same length

• The illusion works because things in the distance would normally be smaller, but in this picture the perspective of the road plays tricks on your mind.

Now which monster is bigger?

Walking on the…

….moon

• This “pile of dirt” is actually a crater on the surface of the moon.

• The dark area in front is actually the shadow in the depression where it was hit by a meteor.

The power of letters and numbers - shape

• First, read the letters from left to right across the page.

• Next, read the text from top to bottom.

• What does it say?

Other Factors that Influence Perception – Your Personality

• Personality characteristics, such as rigidity and intelligence, may also determine how the individual perceives.

Rorschach Test

• A psychological test in which a subject's interpretations of a series of standard inkblots are analyzed as an indication of personality traits, preoccupations, and conflicts.

Angel or the Devil?

• Hundreds of years ago psychologists would show this picture to patients to determine if they were under the influence of Satan.

• What do you see?

Geometric Visual Illusions

• Geometric visual illusions present problems for interpretation. The results can, in part, be explained by the failure to isolate clearly, lines that are embedded in compelling areas.

• This can be achieved through size contrasts with the surroundings, and by the misleading interpretation of lines intersecting at angles.

Possible or impossible?

• Hold your hand over the right side of the object. What do you see?

• Hold your hand over the left side of the object. What do you see?

How many shelves do you see?

• Look to the right and count how many shelves there are.

• Look to the left and count how many shelves there are.

Shimmering Optical Illusion

• Look into the center of this spiral.

• After a little while, you'll start to see white lines radiating out from the center. Stare into the middle for longer, and blink a few times!

I hate it when people stare!

A very cool illusion

A very cool illusion• Actually, you might be surprised to see that

the pattern is really repeated circles! • Here's how it works. The repeating shape (a

part of a circle) is angled slightly inward toward the center. Then the shape is repeated again and again, eventually forming a circle.

• If you put your finger on the flower and trace it to the right, always following the shape that is slightly up and to the right of the shape, you'll end up back where you started!

Follow the circle

Read the colours!

Look Closer