Perception Lab Worksheet Reality Check
Sensation & Perception Lab Report
Name:
Date:
Part 1: Basic Definition Matching
Match the term on the left with its correct definition by writing the letter in the box.
1. Absolute Threshold
2. Sensory Adaptation
3. Selective Attention
4. Difference Threshold
5. Signal Detection Theory
A. Diminishing sensitivity to an unchanging stimulus.
B. The minimum stimulation needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time.
C. Focusing conscious awareness on a particular stimulus.
D. Predicting how/when we detect faint stimuli amid background noise.
E. The minimum difference detected 50% of the time.
Part 2: The Scenario Lab
Scenario A
You try a sour candy. The first piece makes you wince, but by the fifth, you barely notice the sourness.
Concept:
Scenario B
A student looks at the picture on the LEGO box to understand the final dragon before hunting for bricks.
Concept:
Scenario C
A parent sleeps through a thunderstorm but instantly wakes up when their infant makes a soft whimper.
Concept:
Scenario D
A lifter notices a 1lb weight added to a 5lb dumbbell, but doesn't feel it added to a 100lb barbell.
Concept:
Scenario E
People told a "monster" is in the lake see a floating log as a creature, while others see it as wood.
Concept:
Scenario F
A child learning to read sounds out every letter (C-A-T) to figure out what the word means.
Concept:
Part 3: Deep Dives
7. Which Gestalt principle explains why we perceive three separate rows of dots rather than 15 individual dots when they are spaced closer horizontally than vertically?
A Similarity
B Continuity
C Proximity
D Closure
8. As a car drives away, its retinal image shrinks, but you do not perceive the car as shrinking. This is:
A Size Constancy
B Shape Constancy
C Retinal Disparity
D Linear Perspective
9. The "Visual Cliff" experiment was primarily used to study the development of:
A Color Vision
B Depth Perception
C Sensory Adaptation
D Top-down Processing
Part 4: Process Flow
The process by which our sensory receptors receive stimulus energies from our environment is called . Once these signals are organized and interpreted, we call it . When we process information starting with the sensory receptors and working up to the brain's integration, we use processing. In contrast, when we use our expectations and experiences to interpret sensory input, we use processing. A(n) is a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another, often influenced by the context.
Next, proceed to the "Logo Detective" activity to find Gestalt principles in everyday branding.
Reality Check Slides Psychology Lab: Modules 8-9
Reality Check
Decoding the systems of Sensation and Perception
Input vs. Output
Sensation
Receiving stimulus energies from the environment (Bottom-up).
Perception
Organizing and interpreting sensory info (Top-down).
Check
Reality Check #1: Scenario
"You're at a loud party, but you instantly hear your best friend say your name from across the room."
A Sensory Adaptation
B Difference Threshold
C Selective Attention
D Bottom-up Processing
Selective Attention
Correct Answer: C
Your brain "tunes in" to important signals while filtering out irrelevant background noise (The Cocktail Party Effect).
Gestalt Match-Up
1
Proximity
2
Similarity
3
Closure
A. We fill in gaps to create a whole object.
B. We group nearby figures together.
C. We group similar items together.
The Pattern Match
1. Proximity Definition B
2. Similarity Definition C
3. Closure Definition A
Logo Detective Challenge
FedEx
Look at the space between 'E' and 'x'
Which Gestalt Principle is being used to hide a symbol in this logo?
Closure
Continuity
Figure-Ground
Hidden in Plain Sight
Figure-Ground
The "hidden" arrow is created by the ground (negative space) between the letters, making it a powerful example of how we organize focus.
Reality Check #2: MCQ
Which is the best example of Sensory Adaptation?
A Waking up because of a car alarm outside.
B Not noticing the smell of your own house.
C Squinting in bright sunlight.
Not noticing smells
Option B
Constant exposure to a stimulus (like the scent of your home) leads to a decrease in nerve cell firing.
Final Challenge
1. Receiving sensory info from receptors and working "up" to the brain is called:
2. Once signals are organized and interpreted, it is called:
The Result
1
Bottom-Up Processing
Reality Check Answer Key Teacher Guide & Answer Key
Reality Check Review (Modules 8 & 9)
Perception Lab Solutions
Part 1: Matching
1: B
2: A
3: C
4: E
5: D
Part 2: Scenarios
A: Sensory Adaptation
B: Top-Down Processing
C: Signal Detection Theory
D: Difference Threshold / Weber's Law
E: Perceptual Set
F: Bottom-Up Processing
Part 3: Deep Dives (MCQ)
7: C (Proximity)
8: A (Size Constancy)
9: B (Depth Perception)
Logo Detective Case Files
1. FedEx: Figure-Ground
The "hidden" arrow is formed in the negative space (the ground) between the letters (the figure).
2. WWF Panda: Closure
Our brain connects the separate black shapes to perceive a complete panda image.
3. IBM: Similarity / Proximity
We group the horizontal lines together because of their shared color/shape and closeness.
Common "Logo Hunt" Examples:
Amazon: Arrow from A to Z (Continuity)
Apple: The "bite" out of the circle (Closure)
Adidas: Three parallel stripes (Similarity/Proximity)
Unilever: Many small icons forming a 'U' (Proximity/Closure)
Teaching Tips:
The Ames Room: Show a video of the Ames Room to show how size constancy can be manipulated by tricking depth perception.
Evolutionary Advantage (Reflection): We group info to save cognitive energy. Seeing "a pride of lions" is faster and more useful than seeing "five distinct yellow moving shapes with whiskers".
Visual Cliff: Remind students that depth perception is partially innate (though it matures) as seen in infants' hesitation to cross the "cliff".
Logo Detective Worksheet Logo Detective
Gestalt Principles in Branding
Name:
Date:
The Psychology of Design
Graphic designers use Gestalt principles to create logos that are memorable and efficient. By understanding how the human brain organizes visual information, designers "hide" symbols or create complex meanings out of simple shapes.
Part 1: Case Studies
FedEx
1. FedEx
Look closely at the negative space between the 'E' and the 'x'. You will see an arrow pointing to the right, suggesting speed and accuracy.
Gestalt Principle:
Visual "Trick":
2. WWF
The panda logo consists of disconnected black shapes, but your brain "completes" the outline of the panda's head and body.
Gestalt Principle:
Visual "Trick":
3. IBM
The letters are made of horizontal blue stripes. You perceive letters rather than a series of disconnected lines.
Gestalt Principle:
Visual "Trick":
Part 2: The Logo Hunt
Your mission: find two additional examples of Gestalt principles in everyday logos (clothing tags, apps, classroom posters, or packaging).
Sketch the Logo Here
Brand Name:
Gestalt Principle:
Analysis (Explanation):
Sketch the Logo Here
Brand Name:
Gestalt Principle:
Analysis (Explanation):
Lab Reflection
Why is it evolutionarily advantageous for our brains to "group" information or "fill in the gaps" rather than seeing every single detail as a separate, unique object?
