Psychology 3215 Syllabus

Psychology 3215

Perception - Fall 2012

Dr. Kenneth M. Steele

Smith Wright 310F

Office Hours: 12:00 - 2:00 MTWR and by appointment

phone: 262-2731

email: [email protected]

Textbook: J. M. Wolfe et al. (2009). Sensation & Perception (2nd ed.)

Online material: www.acs.appstate.edu/~kms/

Description of the course:

This is an introductory survey course on perception. Historically , the study of perception is one of the first areas to emerge in psychology, and is concerned with the question of how we know the world. Answers involve being able to bridge three topic areas: a description of the physical stimulus (what is light? What happens when light rays strike an object?), how our bodies react to that stimulus (what happens when light rays hit the back of our eyes?), and the relation of both of those to our perceptual experience (What a delicious looking apple!). So be prepared to do skipping back and forth as we will integrate physics, physiology, and phenomenology.

The course is broken into four sections. The first section is concerned with the psychophysical method. This sections covers the methods by which people establish the relationship between physical events and subjective experience. The psychophysical method is both a philosophy about how to think about the world and a set of techniques derived from that philosophy. Next we will move to vision, the most investigated system. We will begin with some basic physiology and then move into an analysis of brightness, color, and form. In the next section, we will examine the perception of space, motion, and form (again). In the final section, we will cover audition, the next most investigated system. In all cases we will be connecting 3 descriptive systems-- physics, physiology, and the perceptual experience.

One of the fun aspects of studying perception is that the effects are easy to see with just one subject, and that subject can be yourself. SO I do many mini-experiments/demonstrations in class. I put the demonstrations and figures on my website so that you can look at them at other times. Plan on visiting my website often.

Go to http://www.acs.appstate.edu/~kms and click on the link to this class. The "Topics" link will take you to the in-class material.

The class schedule below is a brief version of the topics webpage. Go to the topics webpage to see all the details. You may want to print it out so that you can make notes about the flow of the course. For example, I may suggest focusing on a particular link or ignoring a link.

Tests, grades, and your busy schedule:

There will be four multiple-choice tests during the session. The percent correct for each test will be averaged across the four tests to compute your final grade. I will post a study guide and there will be a question and answer period preceding each test. Come prepared and use it to your advantage.

There is a multiple-choice final exam. Your final grade is based on the average of 4 exams. If you have taken 4 exams and are happy with your grade then you do not have to take the final exam. If you have taken 4 exams during the semester, and the final exam, then your grade will be based on your 4 highest scores. If you miss an exam during the semester then the final exam serves as the "make-up" exam. You can only make-up one exam.

The final letter grade will be assigned on a 10- point scale (100-90, A; 89-80, B; 79-70, C; 69-60, D; below 60, F). Pluses and minuses will be assigned for averages that are 2 points from a higher or 2 points from a lower grade (e.g., C+ for a 78 or 79, C- for a 70 or 71).

Finally, remember that your grade is a measure of your performance and not whether I like you, how smart you are, how busy you were during the semester, etc., etc. Save yourself time wasted in groveling for points.

Attendance, classroom behavior, and life:

ASU has a detailed statement on academic integrity and the ASU class attendance policy which I am supposed to share with you. You can read the policy by going to http://academicaffairs.appstate.edu/syllabi

I will call attendance for the first few sessions so that I can connect names with faces. I don�t record daily attendance because I assume that you are adults, and will only miss class when absolutely necessary. If you skip class then you will likely do miserably or fail tests. This is no joke. I make up the tests based on what happened in class. I test in detail on what I think the class should know. If you skip class and fail tests then I will have no sympathy.

I will record attendance some variable number of times during the semester. If you are there 3/4 of the time or more then you will get a Woody Allen Award of a point on your final grade. (Woody Allen said, "Ninety percent of success is just showing up on time.")

Please, Please, Please ask questions. Don�t let the moment of confusion pass by. Don�t worry about the rest of the class, your job is to make sure that you understand.

Psychology 3215 Perception - Fall 2012
DATE	DAY	TOPIC
Measurement of Perceptual Experience
8/22	W	Course Requirements, etc.
8/24	F	Fechner: The mind-body problem and the importance of the absolute threshold Classical Psychophysical Techniques
8/27	M	Difference thresholds & Weber's Law
8/29	W	Weber's Law vs. Fechner's Law Your Textbook: 13
8/31	F	Magnitude estimation & Stevens' Power Law Your Textbook: 18
9/3	M	Labor Day
9/5	W	Signal Detection Theory Your Textbook: 14-17
9/7	F	Signal Detection Theory
9/10	M	Question & Answer/Review [ Study Guide ]
9/12	W	Test 1
		Test 1 Results
VISION I
9/14	F	Physics of Light Your Textbook: 29-30 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Physiology of the Eye Everything you wanted to know about the Vertebrate Retina and more Your Textbook: 31-36
9/17	M	Structure of Eye continued Visual Pathways
9/19	W	Duplex Retina Dark Adaptation Curve Purkinje Shift Your Textbook: 38-39
9/21	F	Brightness Constancy & Brightness Contrast Example of Simultaneous Brightness Contrast Hermann Grid Illusion Lateral Inhibition
9/24	M	Color Additive Color Mixing Subtractive Color Mixing The Munsell System of Color Notation CIE XYZ Color System Your Textbook: 110-113
9/26	W	Mechanisms of Color Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic Theory Ewald Hering Opponent Process Theory Your Textbook: 113-118
9/28	F	Color Blindness and Color Deficiencies Your Textbook: 106-110
10/1	M	Color Contrast and Color Constancy Edwin Land - Mondrian Experiments Your Textbook: 122-128
10/3	W	Finding Edges vs. Filling In
10/5	F	Question & Answer/Review [ Study Guide ]
10/8	M	TEST 2
		Test 2 Results
VISION II
10/10	W
10/12	F	Fall Break
10/15	M	Space, Distance, & Depth - Binocular Cues Your Textbook: 146-152
10/17	W	Manipulation of Binocular Cues to Produce Depth Effects
10/19	F	Space, Distance, & Depth - Monocular Cues Ames Room Ames Room Diagram Your Textbook: 136-144
10/22	M	Perception of Movement Corollary Discharge Theory Autokinetic Effect Your Textbook: 185-186
10/24	W	Motion Parallax James Jerome Gibson Your Textbook: 144-145
10/26	F	Stroboscopic Motion: Beta vs. Phi and MagnaPhi Beta Motion Phi Motion Wagon Wheel Illusion
10/29	M	Form The Gestalt Psychologists and Von Ehrenfels Object Recognition - Structural Approach Object Recognition - View-point / Image Approach Your Textbook: 83-96
10/31	W	Question & Answer/Review [ Study Guide ]
11/2	F	TEST 3
		Test 3 Results
AUDITION: Parallels and Differences
11/5	M	Physics of Sound Frequency Amplitude Phase and Phase Interference A general problem for the hearing system Your Textbook: 220-222
11/7	W	Auditory Physiology Your Textbook: 241-244
11/9	F	Auditory Physiology & Pitch Helmholtz Rutherford Wever & Bray (1937) - Volley Principle Von Bekesy Cochlear Implant Your Textbook: 225-231, 244-247
11/12	M	Psychophysics of Pitch and Loudness Your Textbook: 240-244
11/14	W	Sound Localization Your Textbook: 249-254
11/16	F	Auditory Scene Analysis Your Textbook: 265-272
11/19	M	Music Pitch Perception Timbre The Missing Fundamental Effect Your Textbook: 249-254
11/21	W	Thanksgiving Break
11/23	F	Thanksgiving Break
11/26	M	Octave Effect Shepard tone Your Textbook: 275-280
11/28	W	Consonance & Dissonance
11/30	F	Interactions Between Hearing & Seeing Your Textbook: 288
12/3	M	Question & Answer/Review [ Study Guide ]
12/5	W	TEST 4
		Test 4 Results
12/7	F	Final Exam - Q & A/Review
		Final Exam - Thursday - 12/13 - Noon to 2:30