Sensation and Perception

Sensation & Perception Not always veridical to the physical stimulus Illusions An illusion is a perception of a physical stimulus differing from measurable reality

Gestalt Laws of Organization  Gestalt psychologists suggest that conscious experience is more than the sum of its parts  The law of Prägnanz says stimuli that can be grouped together as a whole will be seen that way

Gestalt Laws of Organization  Five laws predict which area will be seen as the figure, and which as the ground  Law of proximity – elements close to one another in space or time will be perceived as groups  Law of similarity – similar items will be perceived as groups

Gestalt Laws of Organization  Law of continuity – a string of items will indicate where the next item in a string will be found  Common fate principle – items that move or change together will be perceived as a whole  Law of closure – parts of a figure that are not presented will be filled in