Perception and Attention in cognitive psychology.pptx

Perception and attention in cognitive psychology

1. Perception and Attention By: Ms. Samia Mustafa Department Of Psychology National University Of Medical Sciences

2. Introduction Perception and attention are very important parts of how our brain works every day . Perception means how we receive and understand information through our senses — like seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling. It helps us make sense of what is happening around us . Attention means focusing our mind on one thing at a time while ignoring other distractions. For example, when you listen to your teacher in class, you focus on their voice and ignore other background sounds . Perception and attention work together to help us learn, remember, and communicate . In this assignment, we will discuss three main topics : Sensory memory (iconic and echoic memory ) Speech recognition and voice onset time Spatial vs. linear representation

3. 1. Sensory Memory: Iconic Memory and Echoic Memory What is Sensory Memory ? Sensory memory is the first stage of memory. It stores information from our senses for a very short time — just a few seconds. This helps the brain decide which information is important and should move to short-term memory . There are two main types of sensory memory: Iconic memory (related to vision) Echoic memory (related to hearing )

4. Types Of Sensory Memory Iconic Memory (Visual memory ): Iconic memory is the memory that comes from what we see . It stores visual images for a very short time — less than one second . This helps our brain combine images smoothly, so we don’t see the world as a series of flashes. Example: When you see a sparkler or lightning in the sky, the image stays in your eyes for a brief moment even after it’s gone. This is because of iconic memory . It’s also the reason we can watch movies smoothly — even though they are made up of many separate pictures shown quickly one after another.

5. Echoic Memory (Auditory memory) Echoic memory is the memory that comes from what we hear. It holds sounds for about 3 to 4 seconds. This type of memory helps us understand spoken language because words and sentences take time to unfold. Example: If your teacher says something and then asks, “What did I just say?”, you can still repeat the words because the sound is stored briefly in your echoic memory.

6. Why Sensory Memory is Important: It helps us process information quickly and smoothly. Without sensory memory, we would not be able to follow speech or understand fast-changing visuals.

7. 2 . Speech Recognition and Voice Onset Time Speech Recognition Speech recognition is our brain’s ability to understand and identify spoken words . It involves listening, separating sounds, and understanding their meaning. How It Works: Our ears receive sound waves. The brain breaks the sound into small parts called phonemes (the smallest units of sound). Then it combines these sounds to form words and sentences.

8. Con… Example: When your friend talks to you in a noisy room, you can still understand their words if you pay attention to their voice. That’s your attention and speech recognition working together. Speech recognition depends on both processes B ottom-up processing (using what we hear) Top-down processing (using our knowledge and experience). For example, even if you miss a word in a sentence, you can guess it from the context.

9. Voice Onset Time (VOT) Voice Onset Time is a small time gap between when we release a sound and when our vocal cords start vibrating. It helps us know the difference between similar sounds like /b/ and /p/ . Example: The word “bat” has a short VOT (vocal cords start vibrating quickly). The word “pat” has a longer VOT (there’s a small delay before vibration). Our brain notices these tiny differences automatically, allowing us to understand which word someone is saying.

10. Why It’s Important: It helps us recognize speech correctly. It is useful for language learning and clear communication. Problems with recognizing VOT can cause difficulty in understanding spoken words.

11. 3. Spatial vs. Linear Representation What is Representation? Representation means how information is organized and stored in our brain. We can represent things either by their position (spatially) or by their order (linearly). Spatial Representation “Spatial” means related to space or position. In spatial representation, information is understood in terms of where things are located. This kind of representation is often used in visual and spatial tasks , like maps, diagrams, and pictures.

12. Spatial Representation Example: When you look at a classroom map and find the teacher’s table, your desk, and the exit door, you are using spatial representation. Another example is remembering how furniture is placed in your room. Why It’s Useful: Helps in navigation and understanding space. Important for visual learning and problem solving.

13. Linear Representation Linear Representation “Linear” means in a straight line or sequence. Linear representation means processing information in order, one step after another. It is used mostly in reading, writing, and listening. Example: When you read a story line by line or follow steps in a recipe, you are using linear representation. It helps you understand things in the correct sequence.

14. Conclusion Perception and attention help us understand and respond to the world around us. Sensory memory (iconic & echoic) lets us briefly hold sights and sounds to process them smoothly. Speech recognition & voice onset time enable us to understand spoken words and tell one sound from another. Spatial & linear representation show how the brain organizes information — by space or by sequence. Together , these processes support learning, memory, communication, and effective interaction with our environment.

15. References Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin , R. M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes. In K. W. Spence & J. T. Spence (Eds.), The psychology of learning and motivation (Vol. 2, pp. 89–195). Academic Press. Goldstein, E. B. (2019). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research, and everyday experience (5th ed.). Cengage Learning. Kosslyn , S. M. (2006). The case for mental imagery. Oxford University Press. Liberman , A. M., Harris, K. S., Hoffman, H. S., & Griffith, B. C. (1957). The discrimination of speech sounds within and across phoneme boundaries. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 54 (5), 358–368. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0044417 McLeod, S. (2018). Stages of memory – Sensory, short-term, and long-term memory. Simply Psychology.