Sensation and Perception

1. Sensation and Perception

2. Front of Class Computer Area As you come in … Find your new seats! Take a new Table ofContents from stool Write down today’s Focus Question: What are sensation and perception and how are they linked? Desk Z. McGuire Nadia Kevin Maria Sondra Theresa Cassidy Brandie Human Behavior 2 Allie Alex Aubrey Hunter Katey Emily Katie Stephanie Kayla Carli Kelsey Sam David Sara Mary Carolyn Rebecca Z. Melo Danielle Lauren window

3. Computer Area Front of Class As you come in … Find your new seats! Take a new Table ofContents from stool Write down today’s Focus Question: What are sensation and perception and how are they linked? Desk Mario Steph Dylan Jessica Alyssa Lindz Gina Maggie Human Behavior 5 Pat Ashley Mike Hannah Cristina Annalee Savannah Sandra D’Anna David Taylor Janelle Megan Dorothy Shaughn Ellen Annie Ken Violet window

4. Basic Assumptions Essential Question: How do external and internal stimuli affect our perception of ourselves and of the world around us? • The only way we know we exist in this world is through our senses • The only way we interact with our world is through the perception of these senses • In doing this, we create our reality. Today’s notes: on your own. I have underlined anything worth writing down

5. An Introduction: • Ted Talks are AWESOME • Beau Lotto – founder of a hybrid art and science lab • Start-1:50

6. What are these abilities: Sensation and Perception Sensation Perception Process of assembling and organizing information to give it meaning Beau told us to compare the colors, he gave the colors names, we evaluated the colors, etc. • process of receiving information from our environments • Beau showed us colors on a board, he describes that our eyes/brain picks up light and that is color Sensory information is MEANINGLESS, it’s what we do with that information that matters Let’s see it again…in action

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9. What just happened? • Our brains received information (meaningless, in this case) but our brain since pre-K has learned to read and understand languages • Therefore, we perceived it to make sense! • We wanted to make the abnormal information normal again… • Beau has another great trick up his sleeve in which he redefines normal and reality: 5:24

10. So why do we need these…abilities? • Beau again (for the last time): 2:00-3:00 • Sensation and perception not only allow us to read and see different colors… • But from the evolutionary perspective, the purpose of sensation and perception is to improve a species’ chance of survival • An animal must be able to sense stimuli, perceive that stimuli, and respond quickly • Under this assumption, we can see colors…to see the predator

11. How do we have these abilities? • Specialized cells throughout the 5 senses detect stimulus information (sense) and transmit it to the brain to be given meaning (perception)

12. How do we get our senses…and our perception to work? Thresholds Absolute Threshold Difference Threshold or the just noticeable difference The degree of difference that must exist between two sensory stimulations before the difference is detected How different do two colors, for example, have to be for you to declare, “these are different!”? Weber’s Law: the difference in stimuli must be proportionate to each other (amount, like the first example) doesn’t matter • the minimum amount of sensory stimulation needed for sensation (and thus perception) to occur • This differs between people – some have better hearing, vision than others • Average Absolute Thresholds for the 5 senses

14. Weber’s Law Examples • music and friends • Low volume, any change is noticeable • High volume, changes may not be noticeable • Candles • Add 1 candle to 20 – will we notice a difference? • Yes • Add 1 candle to 120 – will we notice a difference? • Probably not • Add 7 candles to 120 – will we notice a difference? • Probably

15. Getting used to the stimulation: Sensory Adaptation • A diminished sensitivity to a stimulation due to constant sensory stimulation • Examples: • That GREAT smell when you walk into a restaurant…soon disappears when you get your even better food • The bath that is WAY TOO HOT to get in…is soon enjoyable • You are BLIND walking into a dark movie theatre…and then you are BLINDED as you emerge into the light • One characteristic of individuals on the autism spectrum is a unique sensitivity to sensations (too much, too little, no adaptation, etc.) • Speaking of our movie theatre example…some movie theatres have Sensory Friendly showings for families with individuals on the spectrum – lights on, sound low, you can get up and walk around/sing/dance

16. Exit Slip and Homework • Exit Slip: What are sensation and perception…in your own words • Homework: using any of the new terms from this PowerPoint, create/discover your own example.

17. Hello, as you come in… • Take an article from the stool • Read the article • Think about and answer these questions: • How does Synesthesia represent a conflict of our sensation and perception? • Have you ever experienced synesthesia? Example: Seeing yellowmakes many people feel warm • Dates to remember: NEXT 1 Day – assessment on sensation and perception

18. Exit Slips: Revisited 5 Sensation Perception The way you react to that specific feeling Getting that information organized to find meaning one’s view of the world Understanding your senses To create a purpose for information • A feeling you have • Gettinginformation • Using senses to discover what is around you Sensation and perception are responsible for reality

19. Now what about those thresholds, etc.? • On the back of your Synesthesia worksheet, number down the page 1-5 • Share your example with 5 different people in the room.

20. A video: • Our visual sensation is remarkable at completing simple visual tasks when given clear directions • Nearly 100% of you will get this correct

21. Selective Attention! • Focusing on a specific aspect of experience while ignoring others • Familiar example: cocktail party effect: ability to concentrate on one voice among many in a crowded area • Also,inattentional blindness – the failure to detect unexpected events when our attention is engaged by another task

22. Another Task

23. When selective attention fails you This task required you to ignore some information (the word) and selectively attend to different information (the color). Reading takes less attention than naming colors (think of when your mind wanders as you read a book). Therefore, when you are forced to drop the easy task (reading) in place of the harder one (color), it is increasingly difficult to change your attention.

24. As you come in… • Where are we on FQs? – short unit, 4 FQS in total • Yesterday’s #2: What are we actually seeing when we see? • Today’s #3: Why does visual stimuli sometimes mislead our perception of reality? • Then, grab a book from yesterday and work on packet – these are the bare minimum questions that need to be completed: • The Stimulus Input: Light Energy • The Eyenumbers 1, 2 • Color Vision numbers 7, 8, 10, 12 • Color Constancy numbers 13, 14

25. As you come in… • Today’s LAST FQ: How do our other senses create a complete reality? • Who will not be here Tuesday? • Who will not be here Wednesday?

26. Color Blindness

27. Electromagnetic Spectrum • The wavelengths that enter our eye as visible light are only a small part of the E.S. • The Eye • Light enters the eye at the pupil, depending on the shape of the iris • Light is focused by the lens • The image created by light lands on the retina in the back of the eye like film • The retina is comprised of rods – cells sensitive to light and cones – cells sensitive to color

28. Difference Threshold • LOW – we can see 7 million colors • Why We See Colors • The tomato is everything but red • Objects absorb all light except one wavelength • That wavelength enters our eye as the color of the object Our brains construct our experience of color • Cones • Specific cones are sensitive to an individual primary color • All colors are a combination of these cones The Tomato is NOT red • Color Constancy • If illumination changes, an object’s color stays the same • We try and find the ESSENCE of something The Tomato is many shades of red One cone is responsible for the tomato’s redness The tomato is red in the morning, noon and night

29. The Other Senses • Your Task: Choose one of the other senses – taste, touch, hearing • Describe in the most basic terms how it works – you do not need to be overly anatomical • Describe any “phenomena” associated with that sense • Create or find a real life example of that “phenomenon” in action

30. Groups, next two days – 2nd period

31. Groups, next two days – 5th period