Download Perception and Consciousness: An Exploration of Sensory Processing and Awareness - Prof. C and more Exams Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! Chapter 3 Sensation: stimulation of sensory organs, or messages from the senses. Perception: Selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory information. The Eye: -Cornea: Frontal part of the eye that bulges out a little. -Pupil: Opening in a circular muscle called the Iris. -Iris: muscle that changes the size of the pupil to let more or less light pass through. -Lens: further bends the light. -Retina: Receptor filled surface on the back top of the eye. -Fovea: indented region under the retina. -Blind Spot: area under the fovea that leads to the optic nerve. Signals generated with rods and cones make connections with bipolar and ganglion cells and form the optic nerve. Trichomatic Theory: 3 cone types; Red, Green, Blue/ color perception based on relative response. Opponent Process Theory: 4 colors; Red, Green, Blue, Yellow/ neurons process opponent pairs. Bottom-up Processing: information flows from sensory receptors to brain. Top-down Processing: use of knowledge, experience, and expectations to guide perception. Gestalt Psychology: The whole is more than the sum of its parts. Gestalt theorists argued that our perceptual systems automatically organized sensory input based on certain rules. Figure-Ground: identifying an object or figure that has more detail standing out against a background which has less detail. Proximity: things closer together are seen as a group. Closure: the viewer’s perception completes a shape. Similarity: similar elements tend to be grouped. Continuity: eyes tend to group or follow in the same direction. Common Fate: objects moving in the same direction/ speed are perceived as a group. Influences on Perception: -Needs: We pay more attention to things we need when we feel hungry, etc. -Beliefs: more likely to “See” things if you are pre-exposed or believe in them. -Emotions: emotions can amplify senses. [horror movies] -Expectations: more likely to expect something if you are told it will happen. Perceptual Constancy: tendency to see objects as unchanging despite changes to sensory input. -Important function of the perceptual system is to represent constancy in our environment even when the retinal image varies. Shape Constancy: to see objects as having a fixed shape, regardless of image cast on the retina. Size Constancy: objects remain the same size despite changes to the retina. Brightness Constancy: objects are perceived as maintaining a certain brightness or color. Chapter 4 Consciousness: awareness of external and internal stimuli. [Brain activity measured by an EEG] Circadian Rhythms: 24h biological cycle that regulates sleep patterns. [Still present w/o light, Lengthens if there is no sense of time.] Sleep Cycle Stages: 1. Transitional stage [Sleepy, varying levels of consciousness] 2. Rapid, high peaking brain waves [sleep spindles] 3. Low frequency delta waves 4. Very deep sleep. 5. REM Sleep, associated with dreaming. [Same brain waves as when we are awake] Functions of Sleep: Restoration; repair cells, rejuvenate body/mind. Circadian or Adaptive: Evolutionary function, suits lifestyle. Sleeping Disorders: -Insomnia: difficulty getting adequate sleep. Stress, depression, anxiety. Sleep Apnea: Sleeper stops breathing during the night. Blocked airway or overweight.
