Year 11 Revision
B542: Studies and Applications in Psychology
Perception
1. Key Concepts
Match up the key terms to their correct definitions
Key Term
Perception
Visual
Constancies
Sensation
Shape
Constancy
Colour
Constancy
Definition
This refers to the information that is collected by our sense organs. The sensations or information
for visual perception are light waves picked up by the eyes. These light waves are sorted out by
the retina into electrical information. This is then sent across the brain to the visual cortex (the
processing centre) at the back of the brain.
The tendency to see an object as keeping its shape even though we see it from different angles.
E.g. an open door will still be seen as a door even though it looks completely different from a
closed door.
This refers to the process in which the sensations from the eyes are turned into meaningful
images by the visual cortex. Sometimes there can be a mismatch between a sensation and our
perception. A visual illusion is where we see something that is false or distorted.
Allow us to see things as remaining the same even though their physical characteristics are
constantly changing.
The tendency to see colours as remaining the same despite different lighting. E.g. a white coat will
still be seen as white even with a clue light shining on it.
Depth Perception
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Depth perception also illustrates the difference between sensation and perception.
When we sense or look at the environment around us, the image on the back of our eye is two-dimensional
– like a photograph.
However, the world we perceive in our minds is the three-dimensional one we live in.
Depth perception refers to the ability of our eyes and brain to add a third dimension, depth, to everything
we see.
Match up the correct definitions
Definition
Linear Perspective
Height in the Plane
Relative Size
Superimposition
Texture Gradient
Description
This is a device or trick used by painters. If the image of an object is higher to the eyes (i.e.
above the horizontal halfway line) it is often seen as a further away or more distant than
other objects in the lower part of the painting.
If one image blocks or lies across the image of another object, we decide that the first
object must be a bit closer to us.
As you look down a stretch of motorway the outside lines of the road and the white
markings appear to come together in the distance. This allows us to interpret the distance
of the road, and is known as linear perspective.
Imagine you are standing on a beach and are looking along it. The grains of sand and
pebbles are pretty clear when you look down at them. However when you look along the
beach they appear to blend into one and give a smoother, less detailed texture. We use
this effect to spot distance.
This is when we expect two objects to be the same size and when we look at them they
are not. Our brain interprets this to mean that the bigger one is closer and the smaller one
is further away. So objects that are smaller are usually perceived as further away.
Fill in the spaces provided to show an example of each depth perception on the picture.
2. Core Theory – The Constructivist Theory of Perception
Fill in the blanks using the words below
The constructivist theory proposes that we construct our perception of the world based on what we see in front of
us as well as……………………………... This theory supports the idea of………………………………... This means that when the
brain is sorting out objects it makes use of past experience, including: prior knowledge, ……………………………,
motivation, expectations, memory.
Perceptual Set refers to the ………………………….. to perceive a scene, situation or object on the basis on what you
expect to see.
Expectations
You’ve probably already experienced this when meeting a friend outside the ……………………………. or shops. There
may be lots of people milling around but you can pick out your friend …………………………….. because you are expecting
to see them there. You might not notice them somewhere else because you were not expecting them to be there.
Motivation
How we are ………………………………….. can affect what we see. Research showed that ………………………………. or thirsty
people saw pictures of food and drink as ………………………….. than pictures of other objects, but that the difference
disappeared when they were allowed to eat and drink.
tendency
past experiences
feeling
brighter
cultural features
top-down processing
cinema easily
hungry
3. Core Theory AO2
Colour Code the sentences to make 3 PEEL paragraphs.
Point
P: Another weakness
of the constructivist
theory is that the
effect of illusions
actually questions
rather than supports
constructivist theory.
Evidence
E: For example, only
rarely do we
disagree with people
about what we see in
front of us.
Newborn Babies’
Perceptions
P: One major issue
with the
constructivist theory
is that if perception
is so heavily based
on individual
experiences, then
why do people tend
to perceive the world
in a similar way?
Optical Illusions
P: A further
limitation of the
constructivist theory
is that it cannot
account for newborn
E: For example, there
have been a number
of studies carried out
on newborns which
show that they have
some perceptual
abilities early on.
Babies as young as
two months appear
to recognise faces
and complex
patterns, and sixmonth-olds will not
crawl over an
imaginary cliff edge,
despite their limited
experience of the
environment.
E: For example,
every time we
perceive illusions
such as the Necker
Cube, we constantly
Perceiving the world
as others do
Explanation
E: This is an issue
because according to
the constructivist
theory, this would be
impossible as babies
have such limited
experiences of the
world around them.
E: This is an issue
because if we think
about it logically,
then we should not
fall for the same
illusion time and
time again. If
perception is about
experience we
should learn not to
be fooled by an
illusion the second
time around.
Link
L: This therefore
suggests that the
constructivist
approach to
perception lacks
explanatory power.
E: This is an issue
because if we do see
the world in similar
ways, then this
suggests that most
L: As a result this
casts doubt over the
credibility of the
claims the
constructivist
L: This therefore
reduces the overall
credibility of the
claim that we
construct our
perceptions.
babies’ ability to
perceive the world.
experience the
switching between
the two perceptions.
information is
coming from the
environment and not
‘down’ from our
minds.
approach to
perception makes.
4. Alternative Theory – The Nativist Theory
True or False?
True
The nativist theory argues that instinct and biology play an important role in perception.
They claim that perception is the result of top-down processing.
Bottom up processing means that perception is immediate and direct and is data driven; it
starts with independent information (i.e. eyes see something first and then the brain registers
it).
The Nativist Theory argues that we perceive the world around us by our past experiences.
The role of the mind is simply to analyse and integrate the information coming through our
eyes.
5. Core Study AO1 – Haber and Levin (2001)
a. State the aim of Haber and Levin’s research.
b. How many college students did they use?
c. Were they male or female?
d. Describe the objects in each section of the field
Section one –
Section two –
Section three –
Section four –
e. What design was used?
f.
What were the participants asked to do?
g. What were the results of the experiment?
False
h. What can we conclude?
6. Core Study AO2
Delete the wrong word.
Low Population Validity
P: One weakness of Haber and Levin’s study is that it has high/low population validity (androcentric)
E: This is because they used a very small/large sample of nine male/female students.
E: This is an issue because the sample used to investigate top-down processing is not very representative. As a result
we cannot generalise/discredit the findings to the wider population/real world. We cannot be sure that females
will perceive the images in the same way.
L: Consequently, this reduces the credibility of Haber and Levin’s findings that perception is the result of top-down
processing. Furthermore, this impacts negatively on the explanatory power of the Constructivist theory as a whole.
Demand Characteristics
P: Another issue with Haber and Levin’s study is that it may be subject to demand characteristics/social desirability.
E: This is because they used a repeated measures design/independent groups design to test the origins of
perception (top-down or bottom-up). Participants were asked to judge all 3/15 types of objects in the field. This
would have made it very easy for them to figure out the aim of the investigation. As a result, they may have changed
their behaviour to please/annoy the researcher.
E: For example, they may have purposely judges the objects in section 3 and 4 inaccurately in order to prove Haber
and Levin’s hypothesis right.
L: As a result, this further reduces the credibility of the research that supports the Constructivist Approach.
Low Ecological Validity
P: One limitation of Haber and Levin’s study is that it has low ecological/internal validity.
E: For example, the tasks used to investigate perception were artificial/realistic and unfamiliar. Participants were
asked to judge the distance of randomly placed items. This would always/never occur in a real life setting.
Furthermore, testing city dwellers in an unfamiliar field may have also distorted findings.
E: Therefore, because the task was not reflective of real life, we cannot generalise the findings to outside the
experimental setting.
L: As a consequence, this reduces the credibility of Haber and Levin’s study.
7. Real Life Applications – Advertising
Highlight the key information
A subliminal message is a brief sound or image message that it directed at us without us being aware of it, that is,
with less than 50% chance of us spotting it. The problem is that a hidden message can actually make us do
something because our unconscious has heard or seen it all and gets on with it!
Supermarkets
In a superstore, research was done into the background music being played and it noted the effect the music had on
customers shopping habits. When it was French music, the amount of French wine bought rose substantially. When
the music changed to Italian, more Italian wine was bought.
Advertising for the brain
Research has shown that different parts of the brain are responsible for processing different types of information.
Research has also shown that information entering through the left eye goes to the right side of the brain and viceversa. Some Psychologists argue that the emotional part of a TV advert should be the on the left hand side of the
screen so it can be interpreted by the right hand side of the brain. Any messages of words should be on the right side
of the screen, to be interpreted by the left side of the brain which deals with language.
Use of context in the advertising
Perception of an object can be affected by the context it is presented in; for example, in adverts. The same pair of
jeans may look sexier when modelled by a young, glamorous supermodel than when modelled by an older, dowdy
woman. The same meat pie may look bigger and more appetising on a small plate with a few vegetables than on a
huge plate piled with potatoes. The same car may appeal more to a female audience if driven by a woman than if
driven by a man.