Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J.

Sternberg
Chapter 3

Perception: Part 1

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

PERCEPTION
The process of recognizing and
interpreting stimulus.
Sensation is a pre-requisite of
perception.
It gives meaning to sensory stimuli.

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

THE PERCEPTUAL
PROCESS
1. Environmental
2. Attended Stimulus
3. Image in the Retina
4. Transduction
5. Neural Processing
6. Perception
7. Recognition
8. Action

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

THE PERCEPTUAL
PROCESS

1. Environmental/Distal Stimulus

Everything in our environment that has the

potential to be perceived.

2. Attended /Distal Stimulus

The specific object in the environment on

which our attention is focused

3. Image in the Retina/Proximal Stimulus

The attended stimulus is formed as an

image on the retina.
The image on the retina is actually upside
down from the actual image in the
environment.

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

THE PERCEPTUAL
PROCESS
4. Transduction

The image on the retina is then

transformed into electrical signals in a
process known as transduction. This
allows the visual messages to be
transmitted to the brain to be interpreted.

5. Neural Processing

Electrical signal are processed through the

neurons in the visual network (visual areas
of the brain).
The person becomes aware of the stimulus.
The process of sensation is complete at
this point.

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

THE PERCEPTUAL
PROCESS
4. Perception
Continuous neural
processing makes possible
the recognition and spatial
understanding of the
environmental object.

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

Distal vs. proximal stimuli

Light waves

Photon absorption

Sound waves

Conduction to basilar
membrane

Chemical molecules

Absorption in
olfactory epithelium

Chemical molecules

Contact with taste

buds

Pressure/vibration

Stimulation of
dermis receptor cells

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

OUR VISUAL SYSTEM

Electromagnetic light energy is converted into

neural electrochemical impulses

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

OUR VISUAL SYSTEM

Three main layers of
retina
Ganglion cells
Amacrine cells, horizontal
cells, bipolar cells
Photoreceptors
Rods and cones

Chapter 3

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

VISUAL PATHWAYS IN THE

BRAIN
what
Temporal lobe lesions
in monkeys
Can indicate where but
not what

where

Parietal lobe lesions

in monkeys
Can indicate what but
not where

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

PERCEPTUAL BASICS
Sensory adaptation
Occurs when sensory receptors
change their sensitivity to the
stimulus

Our senses respond to change

Ganzfeld effect

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

PERCEPTUAL CONSTANCY
Object remains the same even
though our sensation of the
object changes
Size constancy vs. shape constancy

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

DEPTH PERCEPTION
Monocular vs. binocular depth
cues

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

MONOCULAR DEPTH
CUES
Texture gradients
The clearer and bigger the
grains, the nearer the
object is.

Relative size
Bigger is closer

Relative Height
The higher the farther

Interposition
Closer objects are in front
of other objects

Chapter 3

Linear
perspective

Parallel lines converge

in distance

Aerial
perspective

Images seem blurry

farther away

Motion parallax

Objects get smaller at

decreasing speed in
distance

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

BINOCULAR DEPTH CUES

Binocular Disparity
The difference in the location of a
feature between the right eye's
and left eye's image.

Cognitive Psychology, Sixth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg

Chapter 3

BINOCULAR DEPTH CUES

Binocular Convergence
When you look at an object that is
closer than approximately 25 feet,
your eyes must converge on the
object to perceive it as a single
object clearly in focus."