VCE Psychology Unit 2 Already Graded A

VCE Psychology Unit 2 Already Graded A Sensation the physical Detection and response to sensory information vie sensory receptors. Perception The cognitive detection of stimuli. assigning meaning to incoming sensory information. Reception The process of detecting and responding to incoming sensory information. Receptive field The area of space in which a sensory receptor can respond to a stimulus or the specific area of sensitivity of a receptor cell where a stimulus will affect its activity. Transduction Converting incoming sensory information into a form which can travel along neural pathways to the brain. Transmission When sensory information is carried along neural pathways. Interpretation The process of assigning meaning to incoming sensory information so that it can be understood. Visual sensory system The complex network of physiological structures involved in vision. Cornea Transparent, convex shaped covering which protects the eye and helps to focus light rays onto the retina at the back of the eye. Pupil An opening in the iris that helps to control the amount of light entering the eye. Iris The coloured part of the eye consisting of a ring of muscles that expand or contract to change the size of the pupil and control the amount of light entering the eye. Lens A transparent, flexible, convex structure located immediately behind the pupil which plays a major role in focusing light onto the retina. Retina Layer of neural tissue at the back of the eye that receives and absorbs light, and processes images for transmission to the brain. Photoreceptor A light sensitive visual receptors cell in the eye (rods and cones) Rod Photoreceptor in the eye's retina that responds to very low levels of light; primarily responsible for night vision. Cone Photoreceptor in the retina of the eye that responds to high levels of light and is primarily responsible for colour vision and detecting fine details. Optic nerve Transmits visual information from the retina to the primary visual cortex. Blind spot A small area on the retina at the back of the eye where there are no photoreceptors so light cannot be detected. Optic chiasm Point where the axons of ganglion cells in the optic nerve cross. Visual perception principle 'Rule' applied to visual information to assist organisation and interpretation of the information in consistent and meaningful ways. Gestalt principle of visual perception Organising the features of a visual scene to perceive a whole, complete form. Figure-ground In visual perception, organising visual information by perceptually dividing a visual scene into a 'figure', which stands out from the 'ground', which is its surroundings. Closure The perceptual tendency to mentally 'close up', fill in or ignore gaps in a visual image and to perceive objects as complete/Whole . Similarity The tendency to perceive parts of a visual image that have similar features, such as size, shape, texture or colour, as belonging together in a unit, group or 'whole'. Proximity The tendency to perceive parts of a visual image which are positioned close together as belonging together in a group. Depth perception The ability to accurately estimate the distance of objects and therefore perceive the world in three dimensions. Depth cue Source of information from the environment (external cue) or from within the body (internal cue) that assists perception of how far away objects are and therefore perceive depth, often classified as binocular or monocular. Binocular depth cue A depth (or distance) perception cue requiring the use of both eyes. Convergence A binocular visual perception depth cue involving the inward turning of the eyes to focus on nearby objects. Retinal disparity A binocular visual perception depth cue based on the difference (disparity) of the retinal images. Monocular depth cue A depth perception cue requiring the use of only one eye. Accommodation In visual perception, a depth cue involving the automatic focusing of the lens in the eye to adjust shape in response to changes in the distance of view from an object. Pictorial cue A visual perception depth cue that can be represented pictorially on a two-dimensional surface. Linear perspective A visual perception depth cue based on the apparent convergence of parallel lines as they recede into the distance. Interposition A visual perception depth cue based on the principle that an object which partially covers another object is closer than the object it covers and the covered object is further away. Also called overlap. Texture gradient A visual perception depth cue based on the extent to which fine detail can be perceived in a surface. Relative size The perceptual tendency to visually perceive the object that produces the largest image on the retina as being closer and the object that produces the smallest image as being further away (when objects are expected to be the same size). Height in the visual field The perceptual tendency to visually perceive objects closer to the horizon as being more distant than objects located further from the horizon Perceptual constancy the tendency to perceive an object as remaining stable and unchanging despite any changes that may occur to the image cast on the retina. Size constancy Recognising that an object's actual size remains the same, even though the size of the image it casts on the retina changes. Shape constancy The tendency to perceive an object as maintaining its shape despite any changes in the shape of the image on the retina. Perceptual set The predisposition to perceive something in accordance with expectations of what it is. Context The setting situation or environment in which an event occurs; in visual perception, the