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PSYC 333 Course website

Psychology (PSYC) 333
Sensation and Perception (Revision 1)

Revision 1 closed December, 2008, replaced by current version.

Delivery mode: Individualized study or grouped study. Online-enhanced.

Credits: 3 - Social Science

Prerequisite: A course in introductory psychology, PSYC 289, PSYC 290 is recommended but not required.

Centre: Centre for Psychology

PSYC 333 has a Challenge for Credit option.

Course website

Overview

This course examines how the human brain receives and processes information from our environment. This course explores the functioning of human sensory systems and how physical stimuli are transformed into signals that can by understood by the nervous system. Topics covered in the course include vision, audition, taste, smell, touch, proprioception, and basic psychophysics.

Outline

Unit 1: Introduction to Perception

Unit 2: Receptors and Neural Processing

Unit 3: The Lateral Geniculate Nucleus and Striate Cortex

Unit 4: Higher-Level Visual Processing

Unit 5: Perceiving Objects

Unit 6: Perceiving Colour

Unit 7: Perceiving Depth and Size

Unit 8: Perceiving Movement

Unit 9: Perception and Action

Unit 10: Sound, the Auditory System, and Pitch Perception

Unit 11: Auditory Localization, Sound Quality, and the Auditory Scene

Unit 12: Speech Perception

Unit 13: The Cutaneous Senses

Unit 14: The Chemical Senses

Unit 15: Perceptual Development

Unit 16: Clinical Aspects of Vision and Hearing

Evaluation

To receive credit for the course, you must complete all of these evaluation assignments, and you must receive a grade of at least 50 percent on the final exam and a composite course grade of at least “D” (50 percent).

5 Quizzes (5% each) Term Paper Final Exam Total
25% 35% 40% 100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbook

Goldstein, E. B. (2004). Sensation and Perception (6th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Wadsworth.

CD-ROM

Wadsworth Publishing. (2004). S & P Virtual Lab to Accompany Goldstein's Sensation and Perception. Thomson/Wadsworth.

Other Materials

The course materials include a study guide, a student manual, quiz book, forms.