PS4037: PERCEPTUAL PROCESSES (2021-2022)

Last modified: 31 May 2022 13:05

Course Overview

Interaction with the world around us involves perceptual processing using our three main senses: visual (seeing), auditory (hearing) and haptic (touch). The aim of this course is to consider a range of approaches to human perception, from historical beginnings to recent innovative research.

Topics covered include: colour perception; face recognition; perception of pain and age related changes in perception. Students will also engage in guided debate with their peers regarding media portrayal of recent research findings.

This course is intended for students completing joint honours degrees in Behavioural Studies or Psychology.

Course Details

Study Type	Undergraduate	Level	4
Term	First Term	Credit Points	15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus	Aberdeen	Sustained Study	No
Co-ordinators	Dr Amelia Hunt

Qualification Prerequisites

Programme Level 4

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

Programme Level 4
Either PS2015 Advanced Psychology a - Concepts and Theory (Passed) or PS2017 Advanced Psychology a - Concepts and Theory (Passed)
Any Undergraduate Programme
Psychology (PS)
Either PS2515 Advanced Psychology B - Concepts and Theory (Passed) or PS2517 Advanced Psychology B - Concepts and Theory (Passed)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

PS3012 Perception (Studied)
PS4030 Senior Honours Psychology A (Studied)
PS4032 Perceptual Processes (Studied)
PS4036 Senior Honours Level 4 Psychology A (Studied)
PS4536 Senior Honours Level 4 Psychology B (Studied)

Are there a limited number of places available?

Course Description

None.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers

Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Alternative Assessment

60% Essay

10% Tutorial

30% Multiple Choice Questions

Alternative Resit Assessment

100% Coursework

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge Level	Thinking Skill	Outcome
Conceptual	Understand	Understand the basics of psychophysics - a methodological approach that enables us to precisely and scrutinously examine the relations between our percepts and the physical world.
Conceptual	Understand	Become introduced to motor control research, which will provide an insight into the importance of perceptually guided action in everyday life.
Conceptual	Analyse	Gain understanding of perceptual constancies, which enable us to experience an unchanging world in spite of change in environmental factors - specifically, colour and lightness constancy.
Conceptual	Evaluate	Gain the ability to evaluate theories and understand their role in guiding research. The courses will focus on lightness perception and attention.
Conceptual	Apply	Understand the role of visual illusions in the study of perception
Conceptual	Understand	Become acquainted with historical models of visual attention, a process which selects a subset of the vast information that is taken in by sensory organs for further processing.