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Articles on teaching Perception

A Size–Distance Scaling Demonstration Based on the Holway–Boring Experiment

Gallagher and Hoefling (2013) describe their demonstration, which enhanced understanding of the classic Holway–Boring (1941) experiment. They also include suggestions for implementation in a number of different teaching environments.

The Interactive Sensation Laboratory Exercises (ISLE) from Sage has labs on Perception.  You can use the table of contents or these links to get to modules on Object Perception, Color Perception, Depth and Size, Music Perception and Speech Perception.

Depth perception - echo location (courtesy of Joseph Swope via PSYCHTEACHER listserv 9/10/13)
Have a student stand about 8 feet away from a brick wall or other wall with a hard flat surface (no posters, pictures, windows).  Then have the student hum or hold a note out loud as he or she walks toward the wall with EYES CLOSED.  Instruct the student to listen to the tone as he approaches the wall.  Without peeking, he will be able to get within an inch of the wall by sound alone.

Taste Perception Demonstration (Hat Tip to Alexis McCall!)

Background: The ability to detect the bitter taste of phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) is correlated with a number of psychological and health outcomes. Although the exact phenotypic variation is still being explored to this day. Recent research has suggested that PTC nontasters may be more vulnerable to depression (see Joiner & Perez, 2004 Psychiatry Research), schizophrenia (Brewer et al., 2012 Psychiatry Research), as well as other psychiatric illness (Schlosberg & Baruch, 1992 Perceptual and Motor Skills). 

Research on supertasters has also linked PTC status with metabolic syndrome (see Turner-McGrievy et al., 2013 Journal of Food Science). PTC status has also been linked to aesthetic preferences (see DeWall et al., 2011 Empirical Studies of the Arts). For more on the history of PTC perception and a good overview of the genetics underlying PTC, see Guo and Reed (2001) here.

Materials: PTC test strips can be purchased online (see Indigo Labs).

Procedure: As a lecture/discussion launcher, instructors could ask students to place the strip on their tongue and report what they tasted, or students could rate the experience on a Likert-type scale (e.g., 1 = not at all sweet, 10 = extremely sweet; 1 = not at all bitter, 10 = extremely bitter). 

Note: Instructors may also use the information from this online article with links.

Size-Distance Illusion (Download the presentation slides)

Watch as the size-distance illusion disappears when the distance cues are removed.

Kreiner, D. S. (2009). Problem-based group activities for teaching sensation and perception. Teaching of Psychology, 4, 253-256. doi: 10.1080/00986280903173157

Logos that are reversible figure-grounds.  For more visit the graphic design blog.

Change blindness demonstration: "Blink: What Changed" (NY Times, 8/13/2012). Also, see the Change Blindness page here. 

The "Scintillating Starburst" Visual Perception Illusion

Here is a link to both a new optical illusion (video is embedded for use) and great description of the top down processing involved in perceptual construction

https://www.iflscience.com/brain/brand-new-type-of-optical-illusion-tricks-the-brain-into-seeing-shimmering-rays/?fbclid=IwAR0RToBtU25LP00Wl3UkeCtYTZFoxmrLI1p1MC9Mnq6V_IYtCDT9nsqk2SM

To assign the research article in a perception class, see this link (you must have access to sage journals though): "

Scintillating Starbursts: Concentric Star Polygons Induce Illusory Ray Patterns" 

https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695211018720

"Tutting": a video (that you might assign to student to learn to mimic in groups!) to encourage application of perception terms (phi, synchrony)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GK3Vz-QS40

Shared by Ronald Shapiro: A touch activity demonstrating adaptation

View here: https://www.slideshare.net/DrRonShapiro/rhode-island-high-school-psychology-teachers-valentines-day-activity?fbclid=IwAR2Q1M26aDCcLMPhWr9BL_iPLhD6xDawvR972doJFAX1OudGqDM2ltjQpxE

Here is a live demo with Ron and guest: https://vimeo.com/129456308

Shared by Angela Swilley Kelling: Site devoted to a variety of sensation demonstrations and labs

https://isle.hanover.edu/

Classroom Demonstration Experiencing the pure taste of Umami: Angela Swilley Kelling

Ask students to plug nose, eat a potato chip. That will taste salty.

Then, keeping nose plugged, eat a Doritos chip. The chips are basically matched for salt, so the difference in taste will represent the pure taste of umami.

Two point Touch Discrimination Activity (Angela Swilley Kelling)

take two paper clips (unfold them) or toothpicks, and have a volunteer blindfolded in class.

Partner takes the two items and touches them at different points on their body (like fingertips and forehead or back) with either one or two at different distances apart.

Fingertip is easy to discriminate the two discrete points, but it takes a lot more distance to detect two distinct points on forehead or back. 

During covid, people suggested asking them to have a roommate/SO do it or they can actually do it on themselves.  If on themselves, they can tape two pencils together and see where feels like one versus two. 

Online Hearing Test (appeared on STP Facebook page, post by Deanne Buffalari Tennant

https://hearingtest.online/?fbclid=IwAR0NhdckADcnwPoFjuvdI9rQpEWBjWaxglAJdtEy9IUW-2YjmHbLN2R52hM

Fun Youtube Video of Tactile Discrimination Task

This could be used as an introduction to your own in class activity. Suggestions from the STP website include a tactile lab using plastic dinosaurs and farm animals in paper bags and having students guess what it is before pulling it out (KatieAnn Skogsberg)

Here is the video link (if it breaks, please search for "Jimmy Fallon Can You Feel It" in Youtube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBEg-jygXrE

Additive and Subtractive Color Mixing-posted by Ellen Carpenter on STP's Facebook Page (10/13/2022)

Materials needed: Blue, Yellow, Red Play Doh formed into 1 inch cubes, enough for individuals or groups depending on course size.

First students explore how additive color mixing of light waves works, and work through why mixing blue and yellow light yields white light.

Next,  introduce subtractive color mixing with the pigments in Playdoh. Students work in small groups to identify which wavelengths (small, medium, long) are being absorbed/reflected in the blue, yellow, and red Playdoh individually.

Once students feel comfortable with that, allow them to mix and then figure out which wavelengths are reflected and absorbed (Ellen presents a visual from the textbook up on the screen to help them along). Next class students explore how yellow is detected with our red and green sensing cones.

Ellen also encourages students to handle the Playdoh the rest of the class while lecture continues if they'd like to do so.