Perception & Processing
Frameworks for thinking that help us organize and interpret information
Schemas
The building blocks of thought, helping us to categorize and understand the world
Concepts
Step-by-step procedures that guarantee a solution by trying all possible options
Algorithms
Cognitive processes that allow us to plan, organize, and carry out goal-directed behaviors
Executive Functions
Use of both eyes for rich 3D depth like retinal disparity & convergence)
Binocular Depth Cues
Expectations that influence how we perceive the world.
Perceptual Sets
A mental shortcut, the best example or average representation of a category (like a robin for "bird"), helping us quickly classify new information by comparing it to these internal models, allowing for flexible understanding but also potential biases like stereotyping
Prototypes
Mental shortcuts that simplify decision-making but can lead to errors
Heuristics
Generating novel ideas and engaging in divergent thinking
Creativity
Use one eye to perceive depth, essential for flat images like relative size & linear perspective
Monocular Depth Cues
Helps us maintain a consistent perception of objects, even when their images change
Visual Perceptual Constancies
Incorporating new information into existing schemas without changing them
Assimilation
Making judgments based on how well something matches a prototype
Representativeness Heuristic
Gestalt Principle which states we tend to see incomplete figures as complete. For instance, we can perceive a whole circle even if part of it is missing.
Closure
The slight difference between how images are projected which helps us perceive depth
Retinal Disparity
Processing which is influenced by our internal prior expectations. Seeing a rabbit shape cloud because someone suggested it to you.
Top-down Processing
Changing schemas to incorporate new information.
Accommodation
Basing judgments on the most readily available information
Availability Heuristic
Gestalt Principle which states we differentiate objects from their background.
Figure & Ground
The brain merges the images from both eyes to create a single, three-dimensional perception
Convergence
We perceive an object as having a constant size, even when its distance from us changes.
Size Constancy
Believing that past events affect the likelihood of future events
Gamblers Fallacy
Approaching problems in a way that has worked before
Mental Sets
A barrier to creativity where one struggles to see new uses for an object
Functional Fixedness
Objects that are closer appear clearer than those farther away
Relative Clarity
We perceive an object as having a constant shape, even when its angle of view changes. A door is still recognized as a rectangle whether it is open or closed.
Shape Constancy
Continuing a behavior due to previously invested resources
Sunk-cost Fallacy
Decisions can be swayed by how information is presented
Priming & Framing
Gestalt Principle which states objects that are close together are seen as a group.
Proximity
Larger objects are perceived as closer than smaller ones, even if they are the same size.
Relative Size
Processing which relies on external sensory information. When you hear a new song and recognize its melody
Bottom-up Processing
(Attention & Inattention) Often focus on specific information while ignoring others
Selective Attention
(Attention & Inattention) An example of selective attention, in a noisy room we can still hear our name mentioned
The Cocktail Party Effect
Exploring many possible solutions to a problem or situation
Divergent Thinking
Surfaces with a detailed texture appear closer, while smoother textures seem farther away
Texture Gradient
We perceive familiar objects as having consistent color, even under varying lighting conditions. A white shirt remains white whether it’s under sunlight or indoors.
Color Constancy
(Attention & Inattention) We miss aspects of our environment because we are not paying attention.
Inattention
(Attention & Inattention) Failure to notice changes in a scene because we are distracted.
Change Blindness
Gestalt Principle which states similar objects are perceived as a group.
Similarity
Parallel lines appear to converge in the distance, like railroad tracks meeting at the horizon
Linear Perspective
Refers to the perception of movement in stationary objects
Apparent Movement
When one object overlaps another, the overlapping object is perceived as closer
Interposition