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