Introduction
How do we detect heat and sound? How do we perceive the world around us?
Sensation and perception are two overlapping mental processes.
Chapter 3 Sensation and Perception, begins by defining the process of sensation -- how we
detect a physical stimulus like heat or sound.
We will examine a number of processes, like sensory adaptation and sensory thresholds, that are
common to all of our senses. Then we learn about our senses such as, vision, hearing, taste,
touch, and smell. The text also describes other sensory processes like our vestibular and
kinesthetic senses.
We will learn how we organize, integrate, and interpret our sensations and arrive at our
perceptions about the world around us. We will also cover the importance of the perception of
shape and how we perceive depth and motion. The chapter also presents examples of perceptual
illusions that can cause us to misinterpret the true characteristics of an object or an image.
Objectives
After completing the learning activities for this topic, you will be able to:
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Define and describe the overlapping processes of sensation and perception.
Explain the general process of sensation, including a description of sensory receptors,
transduction, and sensory thresholds.
Discuss and provide examples of the processes of sensory adaptation and subliminal
perception.
Describe how our sense of vision works, including our color vision.
Explain how our sense of hearing works, including how we determine the pitch of a
sound.
Describe how our senses of smell, taste, and touch work.
Explain how we sense pain and factors that influence our perception of pain.
Discuss how we sense movement, body position, and maintain our sense of balance.
Compare bottom-up perceptual processing and top-down perceptual processing and apply
these concepts to everyday situations.
Discuss and illustrate how we perceive shape, depth, motion, and perceptual constancies.
Recognize and explain examples of perceptual illusions and how they could impact our
daily perceptions.
Activities Checklist
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities. Print this page
and use it as a checklist.
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Review the Introduction and Objectives page.
Read Chapter Three: Sensation and Perception in your textbook.
Complete the assignment: PsychSim 5 Reflection Questions - Visual Illusions
Complete the assignments on the Learning Activities page.
Go to the publisher's web site and take the practice quiz over Chapter Three.
Visit the 123optical illusions web site to learn about perception.
Watch the videos about perception:
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Perceptual Illusions - Are Your Eyes Tricking You?
Perceptual Illusions - Errol and Ricky
How the Body Works - Color Vision
How the Body Works - Color Blindness
After Images - Rainbow with Waterfall
Assignment: PsychSim 5 Reflection Questions - Visual Illusions
Instructions
Edit Instructions
Complete the PsychSim 5 Reflection Questions Assignment:
1. Read the PsychSim 5 Assignment: Visual Illusions on the publisher's companion site.
2. Type complete, comprehensive answers to all three Reflection Questions in a word processor file such
as Word or Notepad. The required length for the answers is one page, including all three answers.
Visual Illusions Reflection Questions:
1. a. Did the Muller Lyer Illusion affect your perception? Explain your answer.
b. Describe how depth perception is related to the Muller Lyer Illusion.
2. a. Did the Ponzo Illusion affect your perception? Explain your answer.
b. Discuss how size constancy and depth perception are related to the Ponzo Illusion.
3. a. What are some of the common elements found in all four of the illusions illustrated in the Psych Sim?
b. How does culture affect our perception of visual illusions?