You want referencing? You got it to go...

Here is my short

summary on referencing.

Remember it's only to get you started. If you can understand this bit, you can understand the rest!

I suppose you want a picture?  Well, this is what I've been doing.

And here's a picture  





Have a nice half term!

Oh No, Not ANOTHER Access Assignment!

Yup.  Time for assignment 2. As promised, here are some hints.

Hint no.1:  Don't underestimate your own capabilities!

And NOW....    

How to do Assignment 2

Q1  You should start with sense 1.  Name it.  Explain it along the lines of “nerve endings in the (organ, e.g. skin) are stimulated by …..”  Then say how that sense is perceived, e.g.  “you sense the heat in a cup of coffee because the nerve endings in the skin are stimulated, both by temperature and touch.  This is perceived as you holding a delicious, warm  cup of coffee.”

Q2  Does look suspiciously like one of the powerpoint slides in ‘sensation and perception’.  Say no more.  Nudge nudge.  Wink wink.

Q3  Describe how the Necker cube is perceived.  It’s sensed as a pattern of black lines on a white background.  Describe the top-down explanation of how the percept is a cube with the corner pointing out of the page.  But our minds don’t stop there.  Describe the top-down explanation of perceiving it as a cube pointing into the page.  And our minds then keep working…  In other words, perception is an active, dynamic process.  (What would happen, do you think, if it was a static process?  Just a thought, I don’t expect an answer!)

Q4   A bit of planned, extended writing is needed here.  Perhaps you'd better have a nice cup of tea and a sit down at this point... 

Click here for a mindmap.

The mindmap should help you plan it.  The question asks you to distinguish between top-down and bottom-up processing.  Basically, you must explain the top down theory approach, i.e. Gregory’s theory.  Use some technical terms, such as hypothesis, schema, matching, constructivist, percept, whatever.  Use an example, e.g. the fox, or the rider or something. Then do the same for the bottom up approach, i.e. Gibson’s theory of direct perception.  Liberally sprinkle a few technical terms such as motion parallax, optical array or visual array, and affordances if you feel like it.

But the main thrust of this assignment is the evaluation.  In your handout you will find a section called evaluation of constructivist (top down) theories and evaluation of bottom up theories.  You see, level three work is all about evaluation.  You are allowed, nay, encouraged to be critical.  As long as you can support what you say with evidence.  In psychology, you usually support with empirical evidence or peer-reviewed published articles or books etc.  You will be taught before too long about referencing – another subject which has a poignancy all of its own.  So you might think that top down and bottom up theories probably should be integrated.  Good idea!  Who says so?  Well, yes, I do, but the expert is Ulric Neisser.  And you’ll find what he has to say in the handout.  ‘Fraid you’ll just have to read it, though.  Sorry!

How long? I hear you saying.  Aim for Q1 about ½ a page to a page.  Q2 about ½ a page.  Same for Q3.  Q4 probably about 750 words.  Ish.  Don't count them though.  These are only a rough guide, because it all depends on how much you get carried away.  Just remember the poor bugger who's got to mark it, though!

As promised here is a picture to gloat over when you've finished.

Personally, I don't understand what you ladies see in him.

The Attention Thing

OK. Some of my students have shared with me the attentional channels thing about the basketball players. The idea is to watch it and count the number of passes. YouTube have taken off the original one, so here is a slightly different version, but just the same principle.

The idea is twofold: first, to show you a bit of psychology; second, to make you think about how attentive you are when you drive. Ask yourself if you really think it's OK to use your mobile phone when you are driving. Or your satnav. Or to change the CD in the player. Or to turn round and swipe at the kids messing around in the back.

Then watch this little clip. WARNING! It's not pretty. But then true life isn't always, is it?

The First Access Assignment

I’ve posted the assignments for the whole course. Well, the first six or seven, but I got fed up with changing the format. I’ll do the rest later. They are also on the college VLE, but that’s not much good when you’ve forgotten your login details. I know, you couldn’t possibly forget them…

Here’s some tips on how to do the first one.

Tip 1 Don’t worry about it. If it looks easy it probably is.

Tip 2 I’m assessing content, not style. Yes, it will be easier in the long run if you can word process it. Get used to it now while you can, because you really will need to word process the later ones!

Tip 3 If you don’t know what to do, ASK. You can ask me, or your friend, or Dear Abby the agony aunt. But don’t just sit and fester until it’s too late.

Tip 4 Describe and draw the basic information process model. Say that you will give an example of an information processing model. Describe and draw the multistore model and explain how it fits the basic model. Sit back and admire your work. Sip at the glass of wine…

Tip 5 Choose a bit of computer, say hard disk. Explain how this is a storage item. Compare it with a bit of the memory process. Explain how it compares with a bit of the memory process. Sit back again, admire the work and have another sip. Hic!

Tip 6 Read your notes, and consider looking at Gross page 27 box 2.6 and page 32 box 2.9. For fun, you might read the pages between as well! Then try your hand at answering the third part of the assignment. If you really are worried about literary style, then write as if you were writing me a letter. If you want. Finish the bottle.

This is you when you've done the assignment. Unless you're one of the blokes. In which case I'll find a suitable picture for a later post.

So good luck!

Welcome to 2009-2010

Suppose I’d better put something up for a new academic year. That’s it. Title says it all. Hopefully, more as the year gets under way…