Sensation and Perception
NINTH EDITION
E. Bruce Goldstein
University of Pittsburgh
,
, CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO PERCEPTION
Chapter Outline
I. Preview Questions/ Opening vignette
A. Hypothetical “Science Project”: Design sensory device
B. Relation of this project to human sensation and perception
II. Why Read This Book?
A. Career possibilities
B. Applications of perception in medical and related fields
C. Increased awareness and appreciation of senses
D. Inherent interest in perception
III. The Perceptual Process
A. Stimuli (Steps 1 and 2)
1. Environmental Stimuli and Transformation
2. The Stimulus on the Receptors
B. Receptor Processes/Transduction (Step 3)
1. Transduction
C. Neural Processing (Step 4)
1. Transmission
2. Processing
D. Behavioral Responses (Steps 5-7)
1. Perception
, 2. Recognition (and problems of recognition)
3. Action
E. Knowledge
1. Demonstration: The “Rat-Man”
2. Bottom-up vs. top-down processing
IV. How to Approach the Study of Perception
A. Two Approaches to Studying Perception
1. Psychophysical: the stimulus-perception relationship
2. Physiological
a. the stimulus-physiology relationship
b. the physiology-perception relationship
3. Cognitive influences can affect both levels of analysis
B. Understanding perception requires using both approaches
V. “Test Yourself 1.1”
VI. Measuring Perception
A. Measuring Thresholds (absolute)
1. Method: Determining the threshold
a. Method of limits
b. Method of adjustment
c. Method of constant stimuli
2. Difference threshold (DL)
a. Demonstration: Measuring the difference threshold
b. Weber’s Law and Weber’s fractions
NINTH EDITION
E. Bruce Goldstein
University of Pittsburgh
,
, CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO PERCEPTION
Chapter Outline
I. Preview Questions/ Opening vignette
A. Hypothetical “Science Project”: Design sensory device
B. Relation of this project to human sensation and perception
II. Why Read This Book?
A. Career possibilities
B. Applications of perception in medical and related fields
C. Increased awareness and appreciation of senses
D. Inherent interest in perception
III. The Perceptual Process
A. Stimuli (Steps 1 and 2)
1. Environmental Stimuli and Transformation
2. The Stimulus on the Receptors
B. Receptor Processes/Transduction (Step 3)
1. Transduction
C. Neural Processing (Step 4)
1. Transmission
2. Processing
D. Behavioral Responses (Steps 5-7)
1. Perception
, 2. Recognition (and problems of recognition)
3. Action
E. Knowledge
1. Demonstration: The “Rat-Man”
2. Bottom-up vs. top-down processing
IV. How to Approach the Study of Perception
A. Two Approaches to Studying Perception
1. Psychophysical: the stimulus-perception relationship
2. Physiological
a. the stimulus-physiology relationship
b. the physiology-perception relationship
3. Cognitive influences can affect both levels of analysis
B. Understanding perception requires using both approaches
V. “Test Yourself 1.1”
VI. Measuring Perception
A. Measuring Thresholds (absolute)
1. Method: Determining the threshold
a. Method of limits
b. Method of adjustment
c. Method of constant stimuli
2. Difference threshold (DL)
a. Demonstration: Measuring the difference threshold
b. Weber’s Law and Weber’s fractions
