Sensing the World: Some Basic Principles

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Sensing the World Some Basic Principles
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Describe what you see in the image below? Is this
an example of bottom up or top-down processing.
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Answer

• Example of Bottom up processing. You do not use
  your experience to perceive an object. We use
  only the the features of the object itself to
  build a complete perception. We start our
  perception at the bottom with the individual
  characteristics and build up.

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1) The title of the next image is rat-man. A)
Describe to me what you see in the image below.
B) Explain whether your ability to tell me what
you saw was an example of bottom up processing or
top down processing.
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Answer

• This would be an example of top down processing
  because you use your background knowledge to fill
  in the gaps to what you perceive

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3) Answer

• a. . The student would most likely overstimate
  the amount of times he or she saw the signal
  because the safety of the flight is in the
  securities hand. In this simulation, nothing was
  really at risk. This theory assumes that there
  is no absolute threshold, and that the ability
  for someone to detect a stimulus relies on
  experience, expectations, motivation, and fatigue

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4)Answer

• The difference threshold is the smallest amount
  of change needed in a stimulus to detect change.
  .5 is how much you can detect change. Webers
  law states the more intense the stimulus the more
  you will need to change to notice a difference.
  It is harder to tell the difference between c and
  b because they are more intense. You need more
  change. An example would be putting hot sauce in
  a non spicy soup and a spicy soup. You will need
  to put more hot sauce on a spicy soup to tell the
  difference

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5) Answer

• Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of
  constant simulation

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What is the difference between top-down and
bottom up processing?
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What is the difference between top down and
bottom up processing?

• Bottom up processing deals with simply using only
  your sense receptors and then working up to a
  higher level of processing.
• Top down processing occurs by using prior
  information, experience, or expectations to fill
  in gaps

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What is the difference between sensation and
perception?
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What is the difference between sensation and
perception?

• Sensation is the pickup of information by our
  sensory receptors, for example the eyes, ears,
  skin, nostrils, and tongue.. Perception is the
  interpretation of what is sensed.

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What is the difference between absolute threshold
and difference threshold
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• The minimum stimulation necessary to detect a
  particular stimulus is the absolute threshold.
  The difference threshold is the smallest amount
  of change needed in a stimulus to detect change

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What does research on signal detection theory
tell us?
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• Signal Detection theorists have found out that
  people respond differently to the same stimuli
  under different circumstances.
• Examples?

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Are subliminal stimuli sensed? Are they
perceived?
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• Yes if slightly below the absolute threshold it
  can be sensed at times. Yes it can be perceived.
  Example????

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Briefly explain the process of sensory
adaptation. How does it focus our attention on
changing stimulation?
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• Sensory adaptation occurs because our body
  becomes less sensitive to an unchanging stimulus
• Allows our body to focus less on other things
  around us that are changing, rather than stimulus
  that is constant

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Examples of Sensory Adaptation

• Sight
• Hearing
• Taste
• Smell
• Touch