Psychology Sensation and Perception

Which Gestalt Principle?

• Figure Ground Perception

• Closure

• Similarity

• Proximity

Why is it that we can see the panda in the logo and not a bunch of black shapes?

• We perceive the proximity of the shapes as a group

• We automatically fill the gaps between the black shapes to create a panda

• We simplify the scene into figures and background

• Because of the Figure/Ground principle

The weakest level of a stimulus that can be correctly detected at least 50% of the time.

• opponent process theory

• absolute threshold

• perceptual constancy

Information processing that begins with sensory receptors and works up into the brain.

• top down processing

• subliminal processing

• bottom up processing

​ (a)   refers to the way that sensory information is interpreted and consciously experienced; ​ (b)   refers to what happens when sensory information is detected by a sensory receptor.

• Perception

• Sensation

• Top-down processing

• Bottom-up processing

Difference thresholds increase in proportion to the size of the stimulus.

• Difference threshold

• Weber's law

• Absolute threshold

Temporary decrease in sensitivity to a stimulus that occurs when stimulation is unchanging. (nose blindness - like when you don't notice a musty smell after a few minutes)

• absolute threshold

• schemas

• sensory adaptation

information processing guided by your pre existing knowledge or expectations to construct perceptions.

• top down processing

• Bottom up processing

• parallel processing

While waiting in line at Starbucks, Kramer was playing games on his cell phone and subsequently failed to see the customer in front of him rob the cashier. This is an example of...

• inattentional blindness

• place theory

• blind spot

• feature detectors

• sensory adaptation

If you are expecting an important text message, you are much more likely to notice the sound as soon as the message arrives. This best illustrates...

• Weber's law

• signal detection theory

• difference threshold

• absolute threshold