01
Front
What is top-down processing?
Back
Top-down processing is the influence of higher-level knowledge and expectations on how sensory information is analyzed.
Free Online Flashcard Deck
4 Top-Down Processing in Perception Free Online FlashCards
Study 4 Top-Down Processing in Perception with 12 free online flashcards. Review key terms, definitions, and concepts with this interactive flashcard deck.
12 cards
02
Front
What does bottom-up processing use to build recognition?
Back
Bottom-up processing builds recognition from features in the stimulus, such as edges, colors, and sounds.
03
Front
How do top-down and bottom-up processing work together?
Back
Top-down processing uses prior knowledge and expectations to guide interpretation; it works together with bottom-up sensory evidence.
04
Front
How can prior expectations speed recognition?
Back
Expectations narrow possible interpretations and direct attention toward useful features, which can make recognition faster.
05
Front
What happens when sensory evidence conflicts with an expectation?
Back
Expectations help resolve ambiguity, but unexpected or strong sensory evidence can lead us to revise an initial guess.
06
Front
What is a context effect in perception?
Back
Context effects occur when surrounding information influences how a target is perceived.
07
Front
How can a familiar scene aid object recognition?
Back
A familiar setting suggests which objects are likely to be present, making an object easier to recognize.
08
Front
How can perception organize a partly hidden shape?
Back
When a shape is partly hidden, perceptual organization can lead people to perceive it as a complete object.
09
Front
What does attention do in perception?
Back
Attention prioritizes some parts of the sensory environment for closer processing.
10
Front
What two kinds of influences can guide attention?
Back
Attention can be guided by stimulus properties, such as a sudden bright flash, and by top-down goals, such as searching for a friend in a red coat.
11
Front
How do expectation and attention differ?
Back
Expectation concerns what is likely to be present; attention concerns what is prioritized for processing.
12
Front
Why can unattended information be harder to recognize?
Back
Because attention is limited, unattended information may be processed less thoroughly, making recognition harder.
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