Creating our Psychological Reality

If a tree fell in the forest, and no one was around, would it make a sound?

Sensation & Perception

Video 5:31 – 8:26

Sensation

Sensation: data coming from the senses Transduction

info from senses changed to neural impulses Sensory reduction

Filter – not all information is sent to brain

Sensory adaptation: sending less of a signal from the senses that is continuous

Example: clothes on skin

Vision

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU-uQj9nzIM

The Eye

Cornea: protective cover, focuses light Iris: muscle dilate/constrict to control

amount of lightPupil: opening inside of irisLens: adjusts to focus on objects at a

distance, focuses light

The Eye

Retina: inner surface w/sight receptors rods (receptors for dark) & cones

(receptors for light and color)dark adaptation (cones -> rods)light adaptation (rods -> cones)

Optic nerve: neural signals to brainBlind spot: no vision receptors

Perception Video 14:57-17:42

Selection / selective attention: we can’t pay attention to everything – we will notice things that are new, changing

http://nivea.psycho.univ-paris5.fr/ECS/kayakflick.gif http://nivea.psycho.univ-paris5.fr/ECS/dottedline.gif http://nivea.psycho.univ-paris5.fr/ECS/bagchangeNoflick.gif

Perceptual set: we notice things that we expect to see and interpret things in ways we expect it to happen

Perception

Habituation: less attention in response to same stimulus (e.g., teacher talking in monotone voice) Video 1:24-3:09 Sensory adaptation vs. Habituation

Change in sensing vs. change in respondingNot consciously controllable vs. controllableChange in strength won’t vs. will recover response

Form Perception

Figure-Ground

Proximity

Continuity

Closure

Similarity

Constancies

Demo

Size

Shape

Brightness

Perceptual Experiences

Synesthesia: info from one sense is interpreted by a different sense Ex. Hearing music but seeing colors

Illusions: misinterpreting what you are seeing

Video 20:22-25:56

Discussion

Thinking about all of the topics from this semester, where/how will expectations influence our psychological reality?