Perception
What is the distal stimulus?
The actual object in the environment
What theory says we match stimuli to stored patterns?
The template-matching theory
What is figure-ground perception?
Differentiating a shape (figure) from the background (ground)
What is bottom-up processing?
Interpretation based on sensory input from the environment
What approach says we mentally rotate objects to match stored views?
The viewer-centered approach
What part of the brain first processes visual information?
The primary visual cortex (in the occipital lobe)
Why is the template approach outdated?
We can still recognize objects despite variation in shape or form
What does Gestalt psychology emphasize?
We tend to organize what we see into meaningful patterns
What is top-down processing?
Interpretation influenced by prior knowledge, context and expectations.
According to recognition-by-components theory, how many geons are usually enough to identify an object?
About three geons
What is iconic memory?
A visual memory store that holds an image for a fraction of a second (after the extinction of a physical stimulus)
What does feature-analysis theory propose?
We recognize objects based on basic features or components (like lines, curves, colors)
What’s an ambiguous figure-ground relationship?
When the figure and ground can reverse which allows the image to be interpreted in multiple ways
When is top-down processing strongest?
When stimuli are ambiguous or only seen briefly
What is a weakness of feature-analysis theory for complex shapes?
Real-world objects are distorted and contain too many contours
What is the proximal stimulus?
The image registered on your sensory receptors (ex: the retina)
Who found it takes longer to distinguish letters with shared features (like O vs. Q)?
Eleanor Gibson
What are illusory contours?
Perceived edges that aren’t physically present
What is the word superiority effect?
We identify letters faster when they are part of a word than when alone or in nonsense strings.
What brain region helps with complex object recognition beyond basic visual areas?
Inferotemporal cortex
Why can we still recognize objects when the proximal stimulus is incomplete?
Because we rely on shape more than color or texture.
What are geons in recognition-by-components theory?
Simple 3D shapes that combine to form complex objects
Why do we perceive illusory contours?
Neurons in early visual processing respond to them and the brain tries to make sense of the pattern
In the Rueckle & Oden experiment, what helped people interpret "bears" vs. "beans"?
Both the visual similarity of letters and sentence context (bottom-up + top-down)
What evidence supports recognition-by-components theory?
fMRI studies show cortical areas responding to geons in humans and monkeys