1
Q
Perception
A
- experiences resulting from the stimulation of the senses
2
Q
Inverse projection problem
A
- task of determining the object that caused a particular image on the retina
- starting with the retinal image and extending rays out from the eye
- happens naturally
3
Q
viewpoint invariance
A
- the ability to recognize an object seen from different viewpoints
- knowing it’s the same object even though your angle has changed
4
Q
2 types of systems
bottom-up processing
A
1) looking at something creates an image on the retina
2) image generates electrical signals that are transmitted through the retina and then to the visual receiving area of the brain
- starts at the bottom when environmental energy stimulates the receptors
5
Q
2 types of systems
top-down processing
A
- knowledge we have of the environment
- originates in the brain at the “top” of the perceptual system
- enables us to rapidly identify objects
- filling in the blanks because of what we expect to see (context cues)
6
Q
top-down
speech segmentation
A
- the ability to tell when one word in a conversation ends and the next one begins
- why we can’t make sense of other languages (words realistically blend together)
7
Q
transitional probabilities
A
- the likelihood that one sound will follow another within a word
8
Q
statistical learning
A
- the process of learning about transitional probabilities and about other characteristics of language
9
Q
Helmholtz
likelihood principle
A
- we perceive the object that is most likley to have caused the pattern of stimuli we have received
10
Q
unconscious inference
describes likelihood principle
A
- our perceptions are the result of unconscious assumptions that we make about the environment
11
Q
Gestalt princples
apparent movement
A
- although movement is perceived, nothing is actually moving
12
Q
What idea did the Gestalt psychologists reject?
A
- that perceptions are formed by “adding up” sensations
13
Q
Gestalt
What 2 conclusions did Wertheimer come to regarding apparent movement?
A
- cannot be explained by sensations because there is nothing between the flashing lights
- the whole is different than the sum of it’s parts
14
Q
What do the principles of perceptual organization explain?
A
- the way elements are grouped together to create larger objects
15
Q
Gestalt principles
Good continuation
A
- points that, when connected, result in straight or smoothly curving lines are seen as belonging together
- objects that overlap are seen as continuing behind
- ex. shoelaces (2 separate strings that we see as a whole)
16
Q
Gestalt principles
Pragnaz (principle of good figure, simplicity)
A
- every stimulus pattern is seen in such a way that the resulting structure is as simple as possible
17
Q
Gestalt principles
Similarity
A
- similar things appear to be grouped together
18
Q
regularities in the environment
A
- characteristics of the environment that occur frequently (ex. blue = open sky)
- provide information we can use to resolve ambiguities
19
Q
Physical regularities
A
- regularly occuring physical properties (ex. buildings are vertical just like most things in nature (trees))
20
Q
physical regularities
oblique effect
A
- people perceive horizontals and verticals more easily than other orientations
21
Q
physical regularities
light-from-above assumption
A
- we usually assume that light is coming from above because that is how it normally is in our environment
22
Q
Semantic regularities
A
- “semantics” refers to the meanings of words or sentences
- when applied to perception, semantics refers to the meaning of a scene
- characteristics associated with the functions carried out in different types of scenes (context)
- ex. when asked to imagine an office, we know we are thinking of an office because of the things we imagine are in that room (chair, desk, paperwork, etc.)
23
Q
semantic regularities
scene schema
A
- our visualizations contain information based on our knowledge of different kinds of scenes
- expectations created by scene schemas contribute to our ability to perceive objects and scenes
24
Q
Bayesian inference
A
- the idea that our estimate of the probability of an outcome is determined by the prior probability and the likelihood
25
# Bayesian inference
prior probability (prior)
- our initial belief about the probability of an outcome
26
# bayesian inference
likelihood of an outcome
- the extent to which the available evidence is consistent with the outcome
- additional information added to our initial belief
27
what are the 4 conceptions of object perception?
1) Helmholtz's unconsious inference
2) the Gestalt principles
3) regularities in the environment
4) Bayesian inference
28
How are the Gestalt principles different from the other 3 approaches?
- emphasizes the idea that the principles of organization are built in
the other 3 say we use data about the environment and past experiences to determine what is out there
29
# theory of natural selection?
why are there more neurons that respond to horizontals and verticals?
- characteristics that enhance an animal's ability to survive, and therefore reproduce, will be passed on to future generation
30
brain ablation
- removing part of the brain to determine its function
31
object discrimination problem
32
landmark discrimination problem
33
'what' pathway (ventral)
- neural pathway, extending from the occipital lobe to the temporal lobe, that is associated with perceiving or recognizing objects
- corresponds to the perception pathway
34
'where' pathway (dorsal)
- neural pathway, extending from the occipital lobe to the parietal lobe, that is associated with neural processing that occurs when people locate objects in space
- roughly corresponds to the action pathway
35
perception pathway
- neural pathway, extending from the occipital lobe to the temporal lobe, that is associated with perceiving and recognizing objects
- corresponds to the what pathway
36
action pathway
- neural pathway, extending from the occipital lobe to the parietal lobe, that is associated with neural processing that occurs when people take action
- corresponds to the where pathway
37
mirror neurons
- neurons that respond both when a monkey observes someone else grasping an object such as food on a tray and when the monkey itself grasps the food
38
mirror neuron system
- a network of neurons in the brain that have mirror neuron properties
