PSYC 212

Perception | Fall 2011

Overview
Everything we know about the world around us comes to us through our sensory systems. From the information provided by our senses, our brain constructs representations of external reality, and our actions are based on these mental representations. In this course, we will explore the mechanisms and processes of sensation and perception in humans and other animals. The course will begin with an introduction to the basic concepts and methods of psychophysics and neurophysiology, the two fields from which much of our understanding of perception is derived. We will consider each of the senses - vision, audition, touch, taste, and smellin some detail, paying particular attention to the basic issues of sensory transduction, stimulus coding, localization and recognition. The next portion of the course will examine the somatosensory, chemical, and auditory systems. Considerable emphasis will be placed on drawing parallels among these diverse systems by discussing the similarities and the unique contributions made by each to our mental representation of the world around us. A substantial part of this course will deal with vision, arguably the most important sensory system in humans, and the one on which the most research has been carried out. We will examine in detail how the images are formed on the retina and how from these images, the visual system extracts information about form, brightness, colour, motion, and depth. We will also consider some of the higher level aspects of visual perception, such as object recognition, space perception, and visual constancies.

Tuesdays & Thursdays 16h05 17h25

Instructor: Allard Rmy, PhD E-Mail: remy.allard@mcgill.ca Office: TBD Office Hours: Tuesday 17h30 18h30

Required Text
Chaudhuri, A Fundamentals of Sensory Perception 1st edition (2010) ISBN-13: 9780195433753

Exams
September 27, 2011 @ 16h05

Midterm 1 (Chapters 1, 2, 8, 9) 1 hr 15 min (16h05 17h20) During class time (Location TBD)
October 27, 2011 @ 16h05

Midterm 2 (Chapters 10 13) 1 hr 15 min (16h05 17h20) During class time (Location TBD)
December 2011

Final Exam (all content) 3 hrs (Time & Location TBD)

Evaluation
Your final course grade is determined based on your performance in 2 midterms (best midterm performance counts for 40%) and a final exam (60%), all with multiplechoice questions. Note that sample questions are posted on the textbook website. In addition there is an optional assignment in the Participant Pool (up to 2%, above and beyond the sum of exam scores). Please note that all matters related to the administration of the study and transfer of credits MUST be discussed with the designated TA. Credits MUST be received by the last lecture so that they can be added to your score.

Secretary
Name: Judi Young Phone: 514.398.6094 Office: STBIO W8/28

Teaching assistant
Dana Hayward Caitlin Mouri Elizabeth Parvin Jane Zhang Selma Hamdani

Office hours Thursday 9am-10am Tuesday 1pm 2pm Wednesday 2pm-3pm Monday 1pm-2pm Wednesday 11am-12pm

Office STBIO N7/2 STBIO N7/29 STBIO W8/15 STBIO N7/18B STBIO N8/7

Students A Dal Kar Mosci Mosco Sha Shc - Z Dan Kao

Email
dana.hayward@mail.mcgill.ca caitlin.mouri@mail.mcgill.ca elizabeth.parvin@mail.mcgill.ca jie.zhang5@mail.mcgill.ca selma.hamdani@gmail.com

Perception | Fall 2011

Syllabus & Reading Assignments

Date 01 06 08 13 15 20 22 27 29 04 06 11 13 18 20 25 27 01 03 08 10 15 17 22 27 29 01 TBA Sep Sep Sep Sep Sep Sep Sep Sep Sep Oct Oct Oct Oct Oct Oct Oct Oct Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Dec Topic Course Overview Principles of Perceptual Measurement Biological Foundations of Sensory Perception The Visual System: Light, Optics, and the Eye Chapter N/A 1 2 8

The Visual System: Retinal Processing and Early Vision Midterm 1 (covers Sep 01 22; lecture notes and entire textbook chapters) The Visual System: Cortical Processing and Object Perception

9 1, 2, 8 and 9 10

The Visual System: Colour Perception

11

The Visual System: Depth Perception and Stereopsis

12

The Visual System: Motion Perception, Eye Movements, and Action Midterm 2 (covers Sep 29 Oct 25; lecture notes and entire textbook chapters) The Somatosensory System: Touch, Feeling and Pain The Chemosensory System: Taste and Smell The Auditory System: Sound and the Ear The Auditory System: Perceptual Aspects of Hearing The Auditory System: Music and Speech Perception

13 10, 11, 12 and 13 3 4 5 6 7

Perceptual Development and Aging

N/A

Visual Attention and Perceptual Awareness Final Exam (covers entire course content)

N/A All

There will be no opportunity to do make-up work to improve your grade in the course and no supplemental examination will be available for midterm and final exams unless approved by your respective faculty office. McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore, all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/ for more information). (approved by Senate on 29 January 2003) In accord with McGill Universitys Charter of Students Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded. (approved by Senate on 21 January 2009.)

Perception | Fall 2011