HANDOUTS

EPY510: Introduction to
Educational Psychology
Topic 3: Sensation

PERCEPTION

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MASENO UNIVERSITY EPY510: Introduction to Educational Psychology

PERCEPTION
Perception is the meaning that we ascribe to sensations (our brain organizes all information we
take in through our senses, hence without sensation there is no perception).

Perceptual Constancies (In Vision)

This is the effect on the perception of an awareness that objects in the environment remain the
same even though they may look different because of varying conditions in the environment
(awareness is as a result of experience).

Perceptual constancies free people from depending too heavily on the characteristics of the
retinal image when they try to perceive the nature of an object.

Colour Constancy

Familiar objects appear to retain their color under variety of lighting conditions- provided there
are sufficient contrasts and shadows.

For example the owner of a red car sees it red whether looking at it in bright sunlight or in dim
illumination. He is relying on his memory of the car’s color.

Information about the nature of the illumination and the color of the surrounding objects are also
clues to the color constancy.

When these clues to color constancy (i.e. nature of illumination-light-and color of the
surrounding objects) are eliminated, color constancy disappears, e.g. if you look at a ripe tomato
through a narrow tube so that you do not know the nature of the object or the source or kind of
illumination, the tomato will appear to be blue, brown or any other color depending the
wavelengths of the light being reflected from it.

Shape Constancy

An object seems to stay the same shape even though it may be viewed from a different distance
or angle e.g. the shape of the top of a drum remains circular (if seen from afar) even though the
shape it produces on the retina may be oval.

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MASENO UNIVERSITY EPY510: Introduction to Educational Psychology

Brightness Constancy

We see the brightness of an object as constant even under different lighting conditions e.g.
whether you read a page of a book in bright sunlight or in semi –darkness, you still know that
the paper is white and the printing black

Distance Perception

We can judge distance in two major ways:

1. Use images that depend on the vision of both eyes working together (Binocular cues).
2. Use images that depend only on one eye (Monocular cues).

BINOCULAR CUES

Since our eyes are nearly one centimeter apart, our retinas receive slightly different images of
objects. When the brain compares these two images the amount of retinal and binocular
disparity (differences between the two images) provides an important cue to distance. The brain
also combines the two to create the impression of depth

Another binocular cue to distance is convergence- a muscular cue that indicates the extent to
which the eyes turn inwards when we look an object. By noting the angle of convergence, the
brain determines whether you are focusing just past your nose or on the paper you are writing
on, or across the field

MONOCULAR CUES

The following are ways of finding the distance using monocular cues:

a) Relative size- If we assume that the two object are similar size, we perceive the one
that casts the smaller image as being farther away.
b) Overlap- If one object is partially covered by another, we perceive it as further away.
This is known as interposition.

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MASENO UNIVERSITY EPY510: Introduction to Educational Psychology

c) Relative height- We perceive objects higher in our field of vision as further away. This
may contribute to the illusion that vertical dimension are longer than identical horizontal
dimensions
d) Relative motion- As our heads move, stationary objects in our environment appear to
move relative to us(in opposite direction.) if in a car (or moving object) you will see that
the objects in front of a focal point e.g. a tree appear to be moving backward. The nearer
the object is the faster it will appear to move. Objects beyond the focal point will appear
to be moving in your direction at a speed that decreases as the objects get further away.
The brain uses these speed and direction clues to determine the object’s relative
distance (This phenomenon is also known as motion parallax).
e) Relative brightness- Nearby objects reflect more light to our eyes. Thus, given two
identical objects, the dimmer one will seem further away.
ILLUSION- Is a false perception due to the defective sense organ or influence of
a past experience
HALLUCINATION- Altered perception thoughts, emotion which may lead to
euphoria or panic. It is caused by anxiety, depression or some damage to the
brain, or use of drugs e.g. hallucinogens.
DELUSION- A false belief of opinion about yourself or your situation e.g. delusion
of grandeur- that you are more important than you are. Causes of delusions are
low self esteem/ negative self concept up bringing socializing with individuals
who have similar problems.