Sensation and Perception Notes
Sensation and Perception Lecture 6: Gestalt Psychology •
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Looking at objects and understanding functionality – how the brain works. o Wolfgang Kohler (1887-1967). o Worked with chimps. o Chimps look at certain objects understand that you can make something bigger if you put all the parts together (build). o Understands functionality Functionality is immediately present. Gestalt Laws: o Environment is organised. We understand the inherent organisation. o “The whole is more than the sum of its parts”. The sum can look completely different from the whole.
Organising Principles: o Proximity:
o Similarity: organises itself alternatively (horizontal or vertical).
o Proximity and Similarity: according to proximity, organises itself vertically but according to similarity, organises itself horizontally.
o Figure Ground Segregation:
o Neon spreading: square is something that the brain makes up because it makes more sense as a whole.
o Closure: occurs when an object is incomplete or a space is not completely enclosed.
o Good continuation:
o Symmetry: black is symmetrical and white is not, so black can immediately be see as the object.
o Common fate (movement): line that surrounds the dog/allows us to see the dog is not actually there, it is formed by our brain to make it easier to differentiate.
o Amodal completion: allows fragments to be grouped and recognised even when partially hidden. An object that is partially hidden appears whole, when in fact it is separate parts acting separately.
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Form recognition: o Few theories. o Most famous: Irvin Biederman’s Recognition by Components theory. ! Using an alphabet of basic forms (geons) you can make every object you can think of. Approximately 36.
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Culture, frame of reference and advertising: o When Gerber first started seeling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the USA – with the cute baby on the label. o Later, they found that in Africa companies routinely put pictures on the label of what’s inside, since lots of people can’t read. Illusion: o They should result in the same experience for all persons, irrespective of their cultural background. o Western world explanation: ! Illusion works less for specific cultures. ! So apparently a function of ‘knowledge’. ! Students from Africa studying in London or UK did have the illusion (after a while).
Japanese read it as going from left to right as this is how they write it.
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Western cultures read it as going from right to left as it flows with the overall direction.
Pictorial depth cues and perception from a cultural perspective: o The understanding of test material is a real issue that one should take into consideration before testing differences between cultures. Facial expressions: o Hardwired into us so we easily recognise different expressions and their meanings. Use and abuse of visual information: o Joe Camel (smoking): ! Targeting children. ! The Camel campaign with “Joe Camel” was more recognisable amongst children than Mickey Mouse. ! Some argue that these ads are targeted at children. ! Introduced Joe Chemo. !!
• •
•
Looking at objects and understanding functionality – how the brain works. o Wolfgang Kohler (1887-1967). o Worked with chimps. o Chimps look at certain objects understand that you can make something bigger if you put all the parts together (build). o Understands functionality Functionality is immediately present. Gestalt Laws: o Environment is organised. We understand the inherent organisation. o “The whole is more than the sum of its parts”. The sum can look completely different from the whole.
Organising Principles: o Proximity:
o Similarity: organises itself alternatively (horizontal or vertical).
o Proximity and Similarity: according to proximity, organises itself vertically but according to similarity, organises itself horizontally.
o Figure Ground Segregation:
o Neon spreading: square is something that the brain makes up because it makes more sense as a whole.
o Closure: occurs when an object is incomplete or a space is not completely enclosed.
o Good continuation:
o Symmetry: black is symmetrical and white is not, so black can immediately be see as the object.
o Common fate (movement): line that surrounds the dog/allows us to see the dog is not actually there, it is formed by our brain to make it easier to differentiate.
o Amodal completion: allows fragments to be grouped and recognised even when partially hidden. An object that is partially hidden appears whole, when in fact it is separate parts acting separately.
•
Form recognition: o Few theories. o Most famous: Irvin Biederman’s Recognition by Components theory. ! Using an alphabet of basic forms (geons) you can make every object you can think of. Approximately 36.
•
•
Culture, frame of reference and advertising: o When Gerber first started seeling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the USA – with the cute baby on the label. o Later, they found that in Africa companies routinely put pictures on the label of what’s inside, since lots of people can’t read. Illusion: o They should result in the same experience for all persons, irrespective of their cultural background. o Western world explanation: ! Illusion works less for specific cultures. ! So apparently a function of ‘knowledge’. ! Students from Africa studying in London or UK did have the illusion (after a while).
Japanese read it as going from left to right as this is how they write it.
•
•
•
Western cultures read it as going from right to left as it flows with the overall direction.
Pictorial depth cues and perception from a cultural perspective: o The understanding of test material is a real issue that one should take into consideration before testing differences between cultures. Facial expressions: o Hardwired into us so we easily recognise different expressions and their meanings. Use and abuse of visual information: o Joe Camel (smoking): ! Targeting children. ! The Camel campaign with “Joe Camel” was more recognisable amongst children than Mickey Mouse. ! Some argue that these ads are targeted at children. ! Introduced Joe Chemo. !!
