PERCEPTION
pattern rather than a complex, brokenup pattern
Perception = method interpreting and
organizing sensory information to
create meaning
>Contiguity – two things happen
close together = related
Constancies
>Common Region – objects in a
common region are grouped
>Size Constancy
>Shape Constancy
>Brightness Constancy
>Elemental Connectedness – objects
that are connected overrides both
elements of similarity and proximity
Gestalt Principles
Pictorial Depth Cues
Gestalt Principles – looking at things
at the bigger picture; “the whole is
more important than the sum of its
parts”; mind and behavior as a whole
>Linear Perspective
converge in the distance
>Figure-Ground Illusion – perceive
figures as existing on a background;
reversible figures (figure and ground
can be reversed to form different
images)
Gestalt Patterns of Grouping
>Proximity – close to each other =
same grouping
>Similarity – look similar = same
group
>Closure – complete incomplete
figures
>Continuity – perceive things as
simply as possible with a continuous
–
objects
>Texture Gradient – more close =
more detailed and coarse; far away =
fine and less distinct
>Aerial Perspective – the farther, the
hazier (due to fine particles in the air
between viewer and object)
>Relative Size – farther away =
smaller; closer = larger
>Interposition/Overlap – if object
blocks another object, assumed that
blocked object is behind and farther
away
>Motion Parallax – (in moving
motion) object in distance moves
slowly while objects near zip by fast
when in the sky, due to the presence
of other objects to compare it with
Binocular Depth Cues
>Convergence
–
involves
rotation/muscles of eyes; far objects =
less convergence; near objects = more
convergence
>Binocular disparity – eyes see a
slightly different image due to being
slightly several centimeters apart
Perceptual Illusions
Hallucination – deception
stimulus is not present
yet
Illusion – present stimuli that
deceives the eye; what is seen does
not = reality
>Hermann Grid – matrix of black
squares seemingly creating black
circles in between; opponent-process
theory
>Muller-Lyer Illusion – two lines,
one appearing longer than the other,
but really just are same length
>Ebbinghaus Illusion – surrounded
by bigger things can make thing
smaller, surrounding smaller things
can make thing in middle bigger
>Moon Illusion – the moon seems
larger in the horizon compared to
>Perceived Motion (or apparent
movement) – still objects seem
moving
>Autokinetic Effect – perceived
motion of a single, still object (mostly
light) due to fatigue in the eyes
causing slight eye movement
>Stroboscopic Motion – still objects
in different locations, but due to rapid
motion, they are seen as they are
moving
>Phi phenomenon – motion created
by lights flashing in sequence
Perceptual Expentancy
>Ames Room Illusion – influenced
by past experiences; viewer perceives
the room as a rectangle, but is actually
a trapezoid with angled walls and
floor
>Top-Down Processing & BottomUp Processing
i.e. Devil’s Trident – three prongs
cannot be real as drawn
Subliminal Perception
Subliminal perception (Sub-ception) –
respond to stimuli that are below our
level of awareness
-research shows that the effects only
occur in controlled lab studies
Extra Sensory Perception
Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) –
occurs independently of the known
sensory processes (i.e. telepathy,
clairvoyance, precognition)
>Clairvoyance – awareness of an
unknown object or event
>Precognition – foreknowledge of
future events
>Telekinesis – mental movement or
motion of solid matter due to direct
influence of mind
>Telepathy – communication through
means other than senses’ knowledge
of someone else’s feelings or thoughts