Sensation and Perception SAC Revision

The aspect of a participant’s behaviour or experience that is assumed and expected to change as a result if the manipulation of the IV selected by the researcher.

Referred to as the ‘treatment’ variable to which participants may be exposed (or not exposed).

Refers to the entire group of research interest from which a sample is drawn and to which the researcher will seek to generalise (apply) the results of their investigation.

A sample is a subset or part of the population that is selected for research purposes.

-Convenience Sampling -Random Sampling -Stratified Sampling

Occurs when the researcher cannot obtain a complete list of the population, or divide it into subgroups, and therefore the sample becomes whoever is most accessible.

Is a sampling technique that ensures every member of the population of research interest has an equal chance of being selected to be part of the sample.

Is the process of selecting a sample from a population composed of various subgroups in such a way that each subgroup is represented.

-Between Subjects Design -Within Subjects Design -Mixed design

Also repeated measures and within groups, each participant (‘subject’) is in both the experimental and control groups or all the treatment conditions (if there is no control group).

Also called independent groups and between groups, each participant (or ‘subject) is randomly allocated to one of two (or more) groups or conditions and provides one score for data analysis.

Occurs when participants’ responses in the various conditions are affected by the order of conditions to which they were exposed.

A technique used to deal with order effects when using a repeated measures design. With counterbalancing, the participant sample is divided in half, with one half completing the two conditions in one order and the other half completing the conditions in the reverse order.

Refers to actively focusing on particular information while simultaneously ignoring other information.

-Sustained Attention -Selective Attention -Divided Attention

Allows us to fully process information or complete a task. Example: Watching a movie without needing to pause or rewind to understand the plot.

Acts as a filter that helps us to prioritise incoming information according to its performance. Example: Focusing on what one person says and ignoring the sounds of other conversations or stimuli that may distract you.

Allows us to process multiple sources of information or stimuli more efficiently. Example: Driving while following directions from your navigation system.

Involves receiving sensory information from the environment. This is done via sensory receptors (specialised cells in your sense organs).

-Reception -Transduction -Transmission

The process of detecting incoming sensory information.

The process by which the information is converted into a form which can travel along neural pathways to the brain as neural impulses.

Involves sending the information to the brain. Eg. Vision: Optic nerve - thalamus - visual cortex

Refers to the process of selecting, organising, and interpreting sensory information.