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...
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.
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