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Here is a list of study questions for week 3. You can answer most of them by using information from the textbook, but some of them (for example, the question on visual agnosia) require information from the lectures.It is very useful to WRITE the answers to these questions. Writing improves semantic encoding! (especially if you write the answer using your own words rather than copying the book). Let's say that if you can answer these questions you will do very well in the text....
If something is not quite clear, PLEASE, ask questions. You can ask questions in class, or you can write e-mail to the class list or to me, or come to my office hours.
STUDY GUIDE
Chapter 3
1. What is the fovea? Why do we have a blind spot? Why don't we see a hole in our visual field due to the blind spot? What is the consequence of this effect in people with a scotoma (and, by the way, what is a scotoma)?
2. What is an absolute threshold? What is the assumption underlying the absolute threshold concept? Is this assumption correct?
3. What are the four possible combinations of states of the world and responses in the signal detection theory?
4. What is the assumption of the signal detection theory? Which two processes in signal detection do ß (beta) and d' (d prime) represent?
5. Mention some of the the practical applications of the signal detection theory.
6. What is the "span of apprehension"? Describe Sperling's partial report technique. What is the point of Sperling's experiments?
7. What is iconic memory? How long does this memory last? Which information is represented in this type of memory (which cognitive codes are activated)? What is the experimental evidence for it?
8. What is ecoic memory? How long does this memory last? Which information is represented in this type of memory (which cognitive codes are activated)? What is the experimental evidence for it?
Chapter 4
1. What are the three assumption of the information processing approach?
2. What are the difference between the direct perception approach (Gibson) and the information processing approach? Describe the information processing model of visual perception depicted in Figure 4.1
3. Define top-down and bottom-up processes. Give an example of the two processes. Does always previous knowledge influence perception? Can you give an example in which this does not occur?
4. Talk about the visual search task. What are the main results of this experimental paradigm? What reaction times can tell us on the type of processing of visual features?
5. Define the difference betwee monocular and binocular depth cues. Give some examples of the two types of cue in depth perception.
6. Define the Gestalt principles of organization. Why are these principles important in the study of visual perception?
7. What is visual agnosia? Which visual pathways is impaired in these patients? Which kind of impairments would you predict when the "where" pathway is lesioned?
8. Talk about the template matching theory of pattern recognition. What are the limitation of this model? Is it a plausible algorithm for pattern recognition in the human brain?
9. What is the difference between template matching theory and feature comparison theories? What are the advantages of features comparison theories? Describe the experimental evidence that supports those theories.
10. Describe the three types of representations in Marr's theory of object recognition.
11. What is a GEON in Biederman's recognition by components theory?
12. What is the word superiority effect? How can we explain this effect in terms of activation of different cognitive codes?
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