Perception

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  • Perception
    • The Eye
      • Cornea
        • tough, transparent covering over the front part of the eye.
      • Iris
        • coloured part of the eye, contains muscles.
        • muscles relax/contract to adjust the size of the pupil
      • Pupil
        • hole in the middle of the iris
      • Lens
        • transparent, flexible disc behind the iris
        • attached to the ciliary muscles by the suspensory ligaments
      • Ciliary Muscles
        • muscles connected to the lens by suspensory ligaments
      • Retina
        • lining of the back of the eye containing two types of light receptor cells
        • rods are sensitive to dim light and black + white
        • cones are sensitive to colour
      • Optic Nerve
        • carries information from the eye to the brain
        • bundle of nerves that leads out from the retina at the back of the eye
      • Blind Spot
        • area of the retina where the optic nerve leaves
        • no rods of cones so cannot detect light
    • Keywords
      • Perception
        • cognitive process where we interpret the sensory information from the environment
      • Illusion
        • effect of mis-interpreting data - brain plays a trick on us
      • Constancies
        • allow us to see things as remaining the same even when physical characteristics change
      • Depth Perception
        • ability of our eyes and brain to add a third dimension
      • Linear Perspective
        • straight lines come together/ converge at a distant point - allows us to interpret distance of a road etc.
      • Height in a Plane
        • if an object is higher to the eyes - seems further away
      • Super-imposition
        • an object blocking another seems closer
    • Construct- ivist theory: top - down
      • Expectations
      • Motivation
        • how we are feeling can affect what we see
      • Surroundings
        • if you are in surroundings and see something new - you perceive it as something similar to the surroundings
      • what we see is based on the brain's prior knowledge
      • illusions prove this theory
      • Criticisms
        • can't be based on individual past experience - many people perceive the world in a similar way
          • most info comes from the environment - not down to our minds
        • babies can experience the world without past experience
        • we fall for the same visual illusions 2nd time around
          • we should learn not to be fooled
        • ignores influence of our natural ability to perceive the world
    • Nativist theory - bottom up
      • perception is a natural + instinctive process
      • do not have to rely on experience - born with functions
      • perception is dominated by what enters through the eyes
      • immediate/ direct and data driven
    • Haber and Levin 2001
      • supports constructivist theory
      • nine male college students taken to a grassy field surrounded by trees on 3 sides
      • split into four sections:
        • arrival area - empty
        • places at random distances - 15 real world object with a known size - door
        • 15 real world objects with different sizes - Christmas tree
        • 15 geometric cardboard cut out shapes
      • repeated measures design
      • lab experiment - controlled every aspect
      • recorded guesses about how far away the objects were
      • most accurate guesses were for the real world objects of a standard size
        • objects are seen everyday - use relative size to estimate distance
      • problems
        • can't be generalised
        • unfamiliar surroundings - distorted findings
        • artificial settings
      • strengths
        • well controlled - same objects, tested for eyesight
        • no harm or deception for participants
        • supports top down theory - could be used in testimonies

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