Module 16: Perceptual Interpretation

I. Perceptual Interpretation

A. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) maintained that knowledge cares from our in born ways of
organizing. Sensory experiences. John Locke (1632-1704) argued that through our experience
we also learn to perceive the world.

II. Restored Vision

A. After cataract surgery blind adults were able to regain sight. These individuals could
differentiate figure and group relationships.

III. Facial Recognition

A. After blind adults were able to regain sight they were unable to recognize faces, they would
only distinct features normal observers also show difficulty in facial recognition when lower
half of picture changed.

IV. Sensory Deprivation

A. Kittens raised without exposure to horizontal lines later had difficulty perceiving horizontal
bars.

V. Perceptual Adaption

A. In vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field.

VI. Perceptual Set

A. A mental predisposal to perceive one thing and not another. What you can see in the see in the
center picture is influenced by flanking pictures.

VII. Schemas

A. Schemas- Are concepts that organize and interpret unfamiliar information. Children schemas
represent reality as well as their abilities to represent what they see.

VIII. Features on a Face

A. Face schemas are accentuated by a specific feature in the face.

IX. Eye and Mouth

A. Eyes and mouth play a dominant role in free recognition.

X. Context Effects
 A. Context can radically alter perception.

XI. Cultural Context

A. Context is stilled by culture also after perception.

XII. Perception and Human Factors

A. Human factors psychologist design machines the assist our natural perception.

XIII. Human Factors and Misperceptions

A. Understanding human factors can enables us in designing equipment that can avoid disaster.
Two third of air crashes are due to human error. Largely is based errors of perception.
XIV. Extrasensory perception (ESP)- the controversial claim that perception can occur
apart from sensory input. Said to include telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition.
XV. Parapsychology- the study of paranormal phenomena, including ESP and psychokinesis