Learning objectives
To introduce students to the study of perception, to understand i) how perceptual systems shape our experience of the environment; ii) the methods used to study sensation and perception; iii) th adaptive function of perception, both from an evolutionary perspective and from the perspective of individual learning.
Prerequisites
none
Course unit content
An overview of main research topics and of consolidated findings in the psychology of perception. In addition, the course presents the main methods of psychophysical measurement as well as their applications to both basic and applied research.
Full programme
Problems in perception. Levels of explanation. Low- middle-, and high-level perception. Classical Psychophysics. Signal Detection. From the psychophysical chain to the perception-action cycle. From senses to perceptual systems. Multisensory perception. Perceptual constancies. Completion. Space perception. Motion perception. Color perception. Perceiving and moving one's body. Perceiving food. Perception and cognition. Classical and contemporary models of perception.
Bibliography
I problemi della percezione. Livelli di spiegazione. Percezione di basso, medio, e alto livello. Psicofisica classica. Teoria della detezione del segnale. Dalla catena psicofisica al ciclo percezione-azione. Dai sensi ai sistemi percettivi. Multisensorialità. Costanze percettive. Completamento. Percezione dello Spazio. Percezione del movimento. Percezione del colore. Percezione del proprio corpo e controllo dell'azione. Percezione dei cibi. Percezione del tempo. Percezione e processi cognitivi "orizzontali" (attenzione, memoria, ragionamento). Modelli classici e modelli contemporanei della percezione.
Teaching methods
lectures and in-class demonstrations
Assessment methods and criteria
Students who attend lectures (frequentanti) will have the option to take a final exam immediately after the end of the course. This will be a written exam with open questions and it will cover the materials discussed in the lectures. Students who did not attend class will take an oral exam on all the required texts.
Other information
It is highly recommeded to take Data Analysis I prior to studying the materials for the current course
