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Understanding Perception and Sensation

May 18, 2025

Psych 120 Chapter 6 Part 2

Key Topics Covered

  • Perception and Sensation

    • Distinction between sensation and perception.
    • How sensory information is processed and interpreted by the brain.
  • Visual Perception

    • The role of the eyes in capturing visual stimuli.
    • How the brain processes visual information.
    • Examples of optical illusions and what they reveal about perception.
  • Auditory Perception

    • The auditory system and how humans perceive sound.
    • How sound waves are transformed into neural signals.
    • The importance of context in interpreting sounds.
  • Other Senses

    • Overview of other sensory systems (e.g., taste, smell, touch).
    • How these senses contribute to the overall perceptual experience.

Important Concepts

  • Sensory Adaptation

    • Definition and examples.
    • The impact on daily sensory experiences.
  • Perceptual Constancy

    • Explanation and significance in perception.
    • Examples demonstrating perceptual constancy.
  • Depth Perception

    • How humans perceive depth and distance.
    • The cues used by the brain to interpret three-dimensional space.

Applications and Examples

  • Real-life Applications

    • How understanding perception can improve safety in design (e.g., road signs, ergonomic tools).
    • The role of perception research in technology, such as virtual reality.
  • Psychological Experiments

    • Classic experiments that have contributed to our understanding of perception.
    • Results and implications of these studies.

Conclusion

  • The importance of studying perception and sensation in understanding human behavior and interaction with the environment.
  • Future directions for research in sensory and perceptual psychology.