Sensation and Perception (0)
Psychology 444
Sensation and Perception
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Psyc 444 – Sensation and Perception
Week 0-1 Topics
• Introduction
• Class Syllabus and Course Organization
• Where in science are we?
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Psyc 444 – Sensation and Perception
Lesson 0-1: Introduction
• Dr. Brian P. Dyre
• Associate Professor of Experimental
Psychology/Neuroscience
• Research: Visual perception of motion, visual navigation,
computational modeling of human vision, virtual displays,
physiological measures of mental workload, augmented
cognition
• Teaching:
Sensation & Perception, Engineering Psychology,
Human Factors, Physiological Psychology
• Educational Background
• B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Clarkson University (1986)
• M.A., Experimental Psychology, University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign (1989)
• Ph.D., Experimental Psychology, University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign (1993)
• Post-doctoral Research Appointments: Beckman Institute,
UIUC, Air Force Research Laboratory
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Psyc 444 – Sensation and Perception
Class Syllabus and Course Organization
•
•
•
•
What’s the class about?
Required materials
Class requirements and Grades
Class policies
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Psyc 444 – Sensation and Perception
Where in Science are We?
• The goal of science is
to understand the
world around us
• The core of science is
logic and reason,
whose western roots
can be traced to the
ancient Greek
philosophers Plato
and Aristotle
• Mathematics is simply
a language for
expressing logical
relationships, hence it
is the language of
science
All Science
Logic
and
Math
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Psyc 444 – Sensation and Perception
Where in Science are We?
Economics
Sociology
• Science can be
Psychology
envisioned as a
collection of topics
Biology
that surround this
Chemistry
core much like the
layers of an onion
Nuclear
• Each layer connects
Logic
the layers lying within
and
it to the layers lying
Math
outside it, and the
Physics
layers proceed from
the microscopic to
macroscopic to cosmic
levels of scale
Geology
Medicine
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Psyc 444 – Sensation and Perception
Where in Science are We?
Economics
• Science is defined by
method, not by topic
– all science uses the
scientific method
• Non-science uses other
methods to establish
knowledge (e.g.,
authority, faith)
• Scientific method is
based on logical
reasoning and
systematic observation
(empiricism)
Sociology
Psychology
Biology
Chemistry
Nuclear
Logic
and
Math
Physics
Geology
Medicine
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Psyc 444 – Sensation and Perception
Science and Proof
Proof
• The scientific method cannot logically prove
anything, it can only disprove
• Scientific method operates on the logical principle of
disproof or disconfirmation
• Multiple theories can be proposed to explain any
phenomenon
• The predictions of these theories are compared
to empirical data
• Theories must therefore make specific predictions
that can be tested
• Theories that make predictions counter to the data
are disconfirmed
• Disconfirmed theories are reformulated or
abandoned
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Psyc 444 – Sensation and Perception
Class Syllabus and Course Organization
•
•
•
•
What’s the class about?
Required materials
Class requirements and Grades
Class policies
Syllabus
Class Web Page
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