Psychophysics And Experimental Phenomenology Of Pattern Cognition

Psychophysics and Experimental Phenomenology of Pattern Cognition examines the cognitive transformations that underly this cognitive system and the specialized subsystems for processing these transformations. Sections cover symmetry cognition, contour perception and geometric illusion. Weight sensation is also discussed, as are repetitive and dot patterns. By incorporating elements of both psychophysics and experimental phenomenology, pattern cognition is examined from both the physical and mental sensory perspective, thus providing a comprehensive view of this cognitive system. Examines the cognitive transformations underlying pattern cognition and the specialized subsystems for processing transformations Provides an interdisciplinary psychophysics and experimental phenomenology perspective Features sections that cover symmetry cognition, contour perception and geometric illusion Describes weight sensation and repetitive and dot patterns

Foundations of the Mind, Brain, and Behavioral Relationships: Understanding Physiological Psychology is an engaging introduction into neuroscience, and the portions of the nervous system, perception, and the clinical considerations in physiological psychology. "Clinical Applications" appear throughout the chapters and provide real-world examples of brain–behavior relationships, and how the nervous system interacts with other body systems to create a specific behavior. Creating an interactive experience for learners, this volume connects the study of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology with clinically relevant topics, ranging from stress and eating disorders to substance abuse, major affective disorders, and schizophrenia. Integrating the foundations of neuroscience with disorders encountered in clinical practice serves as a foundation to better understand the clinical bases of these conditions. Coauthored by clinical neuropsychologists, this book is for those interested in learning about the underpinnings of the mind, brain, and human behaviors in normal and divergent functioning. Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology are interconnected with disorders and clinically relevant practice "Clinical Application" sections throughout the chapters provide real-world examples of brain–behavior relationships Discussion of how the nervous system interacts with behaviors, consciousness, movements, and the five senses Chapters on cognitive disorders and clinical considerations of physiological psychology cover a variety of neurological disorders

The plan for this volume emerged during the international Leipzig conference commemorating the centenary of the death of Gustav Fechner. The contributors suggested that while many features of modern psychological theory were anticipated by Fechner, many new theoretical approaches owe much more to him than often is realized. As such, they decided to honor Fechner by evaluating his own contribution to the founding of psychology and psychoanalysis, by deepening the foundations of psychological theories of consciousness, perception, and choice, and by using the analysis of time to create a new appreciation of constraints that bind mental processes together. Thus, this volume spans an extraordinary range of psychological topics, from hermeneutics to the time-quantum basis for mental processes, in a way that would both amaze and delight Fechner. Moreover, the international reach of his pioneering ideas can be seen from the current locations of the contributors. The span from Japan to the United States to Holland to Germany and to Israel provides a global measure of Fechner's scientific legacy.

This volume presents a series of studies that expand laws, invariants, and principles of psychophysics beyond its classical domain of sensation. This book's goal is to demonstrate the extent of the domain of psychophysics, ranging from sensory processes, through sensory memory and short-term memory issues, to the interaction between sensation and action. The dynamics and timing of human performance are a further important issue within this extended framework of psychophysics: Given the similarity of the various cortical areas in terms of their neuroanatomical structure, it is an important question whether this similarity is paralleled by a similarity of processes. These issues are addressed by the contributions in the present volume using state-of-the-art research methods in behavioral research, psychophysiology, and mathematical modeling. The book is divided into four sections. Part I presents contributions concerning the classical domain of psychophysical judgment. The next two parts are concerned with elementary and higher-order processes and the concluding section deals with psychophysical models. The sections are introduced by guest editorials contributed by independent authors. These editorials present the authors' personals view on the respective section, providing an integrated account of the various contributions or highlighting their focus of interest among them. While also voicing their own and sometimes different point of view, they contribute to the process of discussion that makes science so exciting. This volume should be of great interest to advanced students in neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, neuropsychology, and related areas who seek to evaluate the range and power of psychological work today. Established scientists in those fields will also appreciate the variety of issues addressed within the same methodological framework and their multiple interconnections and stimulating "cross-talk."

Psychological Processes in Pattern Recognition describes information-processing models of pattern recognition. This book is organized into five parts encompassing 11 chapters that particularly focus on visual pattern recognition and the many issues relevant to a more general theory of pattern recognition. The first three parts cover the representation, temporal effects, and memory codes of pattern recognition. These parts include the features, templates, schemata, and structural descriptions of information processing models. The principles of parallel matching, iconic storage, and the components and networks of memory codes are also considered. The remaining two parts look into the perceptual classification and response selection of pattern recognition. These parts specifically tackle the development of probability, distance, and recognition models. This book is intended primarily for psychologists, graduate students, and researchers who are interested in the problems of pattern recognition and human information processing.

Our lives are informed by perceptual and cognitive processes at all levels, from instrumental learning to metaphorical discourse to memorial representation. Yet, historically, these two branches of experimental psychology, perception and cognition, have developed separately using independent methods of experimentation and analysis. This volume is motivated by the assumption that a fundamental integration of the two fields is fruitful methodologically and indispensable theoretically. It explores how the notion of psychophysics aligned with cognitive processes shapes the study of perception and cognition, and illuminates a variety of contemporary research issues from a novel theoretical perspective. The papers raise conceptual and metatheoretical issues against the background of relevant empirical data. The authors provide a virtually narrative account of the most recent developments in their respective fields of expertise in psychophysics and cognitive psychology. Hence, this volume gives the interested reader an opportunity to reflect critically upon some of the current issues defining the two domains and their conjunction. Topics discussed include the psychology and psychophysics of similarity, the psychophysics of visual memory and cognitive factors in judgment. The emerging notion of cognitive psychophysics may well warrant the attention of experts in the field.

Psychophysical theory exists in two distinct forms -- one ascribes the explanation of phenomena and empirical laws to sensory processes. Context effects arising through the use of particular methods are an unwanted nuisance whose influence must be eliminated so that one isolates the "true" sensory scale. The other considers psychophysics only in terms of cognitive variables such as the judgment strategies induced by instructions and response biases. Sensory factors play a minor role in cognitive approaches. This work admits the validity of both forms of theory by arguing that the same empirical phenomena should be conceptualized in two alternative, apparently contradictory, ways. This acceptance of opposites is necessary because some empirical phenomena are best explained in terms of sensory processes, while others are best ascribed to central causes. The complementarity theory stresses the "mutually completing" nature of two distinct models. The first assigns importance to populations of sensory neurons acting in the aggregate and is formulated to deal with sensory effects. The second assigns importance to judgment uncertainty and to the subject strategies induced by experimental procedures. This model is formulated to explain context effects. Throughout the text, the exposition is interlaced with mathematics, graphs, and computer simulations designed to reveal the complementary nature of psychophysical explanations.

Now available in paperback. This revised and updated edition of the definitive resource for experimental psychology offers comprehensive coverage of the latest findings in the field, as well as the most recent contributions in methodology and the explosion of research in neuroscience. Volume One: Sensation and Perception focuses on sensory experience and complex learned perceptions through modalities such as vision, touch, smell, and hearing.