Sensation and perception

convergence

A binocular cue for perceiving depth; the extent to which the eyes converge inward when looking at an object

moon illusion

A visual illusion involving the misperception that the moon is larger when it is on the horizon than when it is directly overhead. Moon on horizon looks larger because it is farther away and there are things to compare it to (buildings, mountains, etc.)

Wallach ratio

Black:white = 1:30 Black reflects 1 unit of light to white reflecting 30 units of light Only compares things that are luminous in the same way

Complex Circuit

Both inhibitory and excitatory circuits

Affordance Theory

Explains novel use of object Looks at properties of the object but cannot tell two similar objects apart

Visual kinesthesis

Feelings about the body that comes by way of vision; bodily experiences

familiar size cue

Finding something that has a consistent size to tell how far something is Distance cue

converging circuit

Many inputs, one output A concentrating circuit Multiple receptors on one neuron

hyper complex cells

Responds to particular features of the object in a particular direction and orientation

complex cells of visual cortex

Responds to things in a particular orientation moving in a particular direction

Psychophysics

The study of how physical stimuli are translated into psychological experience.

texture gradient

a monocular cue for perceiving depth; a gradual change from a coarse distinct texture to a fine, indistinct texture signals increasing distance. objects far away appear smaller and more densely packed

illusory conjunction

a perceptual mistake whereby the brain incorrectly combines features from multiple objects

template theory

any pattern that fits template of an object will be recognized as that object Used for small stimuli set, too many objects

Gelb effect

a phenomenon whereby an intensely lit black object appears to be gray or white in a homogeneously dark space

texture theory

comparison to things around it

vestibular information

essential for postural control and for control of eye movements

Visual Kinesthesis

feeling of motion; knowing that your limbs and body are there even if you don't see it

simple cells

in vision, cells that respond to light in a particular orientation

two theories of motion sickness

mismatch senses incoordination

motion perception

objects traveling towards us grow in size and those moving away shrink in size

RBC theory

short for "recognition-by-components"; a theory of visual pattern recognition that assumes that objects are analyzed and represented in terms of simple 3D geometrical shapes. Accommodates many objects

optic flow

the changing angular position of points in a perspective image that we experience as we move through the world

binocular disparity

the difference in the retinal images of the two eyes that provides information about depth Depth cue

accommodation

the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina

lateral inhibition

the reduction of activity in one neuron by activity in neighboring neurons

opponent-process theory

the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green

trichromatic theory

theory of color vision that proposes three types of cones: red, blue, and green

hill slopes

we perceive hill slopes to be steeper than they are

aftereffects

when you stare at a movement for a long time, it will appear to be moving in the opposite direction of what it was originally