Psychology 2115A 200 FW24

Introduction to Sensation and Perception

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

 

Western University

London                   Canada

 

Department of Psychology

Fall 2024

 

Psychology 2115A    Section 200

Introduction to Sensation and Perception

 

 

1     Calendar Description

 

An introduction to the study of the human senses and higher order perceptual processes. Data gathered from psychophysical research and studies of the nervous system in both humans and other animals will be discussed. The course will review the mechanisms and principles of operation of vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell. . Extra Information: 4 lecture hours.

 

Antirequisites Psychology 2015A/B

Prerequisites: A mark of at least 60% in 1.0 credits of Psychology at the 1000 level.

 

4 lecture hours (2 online, 2 in-person); Course Weight: 0.5

 

Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.

 

2     Course Information

 

Instructor:        Dr. Blake Butler

Phone:             (519) 661-2111 x 85831

Office Hours:     By appointment

Email:               bbutler9@uwo.ca

 

Teaching Assistant:   TBD

Office Hours:                 By appointment

Email:                               TBD

 

Time and Location of Classes:

Blended: In-person 2 hours, plus Online: Asynchronous (at your convenience) 2 hours

See Student Timetable for location and times

 

For courses that include an online component, students must have a reliable internet connection and computer that are compatible with online learning system requirements.

 

3     Course Materials

 

Sensation and Perception, 3rd Edition

BL Schwartz & JH Krantz

Sage Publishing

 

Print Version: [insert UWO bookstore link here]

eBook Version: [insert UWO bookstore link here]

 

Note: I have chosen the Schwartz & Krantz text for this course because I find it to be the most accessible yet comprehensive text available. Moreover, it is one of the most affordable options (believe it or not) and includes some good learning resources in the online accompaniment. Please note that we will cover this text in its entirety by the end of the course.

 

4     Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

 

This course provides an overview of how we sense and perceive the world around us, and provides a strong basis for subsequent study in Psychology. It is not possible to understand how we understand the physical world without developing a basic understanding of the structure and function of our varied sensory systems; as a result, this course will require students to integrate across the fields of anatomy, neurology, physiology, and psychology. While the course is content-heavy, we will do our best to illustrate the similarities across systems and present multiple way to engage with the information.

 

Learning Outcome

Learning Activity

Assessment

Depth and Breadth of Knowledge.

·     Students will learn about the structure and function of sensory systems, incorporating learning from across disciplines (anatomy, physiology, psychology) and will think critically about how perceptual processes are measured.

·     Students will use the knowledge acquired in the course to guide discovery-based learning aimed at developing a deeper understanding of sensory systems function.

 

Online & in-person course materials aligned with assigned readings from the text will provide the basic framework.

 

A group project will allow students to learn about an illusory percept of their choice.

 

In-class quizzes and the final examination will be used to assess how students are retaining basic principles.

 

 

Oral presentation and written document will be used to assess success.

Application of Knowledge.

·     Students will apply their understanding of theory and measurement to novel challenges in sensation and perception.

 

Applications questions will ask students to apply learned concepts & theories to novel scenarios

 

The final exam will include a written portion that tests these applications explicitly.

Communication Skills.

·     Students will learn to collaborate effectively with their peers toward a common goal.

·     Students will learn how to effectively communicate their ideas in a way that is accessible to their peers & content experts.

 

A group project will ask students to work together to select, study, & present about a perceptual illusion.

 

An oral presentation and written document will be used to assess the success of this group project.

Awareness of Limits of Knowledge.

·     Students will consider instances of atypical and illusory perception to better appreciate the ambiguity and limits of our understanding of perception in the real world.

 

Atypical perception will be considered in order to better understand how different systems contribute to perceiving the world.

 

The group assignment will ask students to examine a perceptual illusion to better understand how the brain constructs representations of external stimuli.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An oral presentation and written document will be used to assess the success of this group project.

 

5     Evaluation

The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4 and are necessary for meeting these learning objectives

 

Quizzes (14% each)

There will be three in-class quizzes throughout the term, each of which will contribute 14% toward your final grade. These will focus on the material presented since the previous test (i.e. Quiz 2 will focus on material presented after Quiz 1), including both lectures and associated readings.

 

       Group Project (18%)

As a group, you will choose a perceptual phenomenon (a non-exhaustive list will be provided or you can come up with your own) and prepare a presentation and a written submission that contains:

 

  1. a) a description of the phenomenon;
  2. b) a description of what is interesting/puzzling about the phenomenon;
  3. c) a reasonable hypothesis that might explain the phenomenon; and
  4. d) a description of an experiment that could test the hypothesized explanation.

 

Groups will be assigned early in the term, and you will be responsible for scheduling to complete this project before the deadline. More details will be provided in class.

 

       Final Exam (40%)

The final exam will be written in person in the Final Exam period. The exam will include material from throughout the course and will include both lecture material and assigned readings. The exam will include multiple choice and written questions focused on applications (i.e., applying the concepts from the course to novel problems). More details will be provided before the end of term.

 

Policy on Missing Coursework

 

Quizzes: Quizzes will take place during our regularly scheduled in-class meetings, and no make-up quizzes will be made available. Instead, the final exam will be reweighted to accommodate quizzes that are missed.

 

Group Project: Group presentations will be scheduled during our regularly scheduled in-class meetings. Any group who does not present on the scheduled date will be asked to record their presentation and submit via the OWL site. Recorded presentations and accompanying written submissions uploaded after the deadline will be penalized 10% per day to a maximum of 50%.

 

Final Exam: Students who are unable to write the final exam as scheduled should speak to their academic counsellor as soon as possible to discuss an accommodation. The date of the make-up final exam will be announced via the OWL shortly after the finalized exam schedule is posted.

 

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines:  https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf

 

The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages:

 

70%     1000-level to 2099-level courses

72%     2100-2999-level courses

75%     3000-level courses

80%     4000-level courses

 

In the event that course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components.

 

Policy on Grade Rounding

 

Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered.

 

6     Assessment/Evaluation Schedule

 

Quiz 1 – Thursday October 3

Quiz 2 – Thursday October 31

Quiz 3 – Thursday November 21

Group Presentations/Written Document – Thursday November 28

Final Exam – TBD (to be held in person during the final exam period)

 

7     Class Schedule

 

Sept 5                    Introduction                 

Sept 9-13               What is Perception and how can we study it?                  Chapters 1-2

Sept 18-6-20          Introduction to the Visual System                                   Chapter 3

Sept 23-27             The Visual Brain                                                            Chapter 4

Sept 30- Oct 4        Form & Colour Perception                                             Chapters 5-6

Oct 7-11                Depth & Size Perception                                                Chapter 7

Oct 14-18               READING WEEK                                             

Oct 22-25               Visual Motion Perception                                               Chapter 8

Oct 28 – Nov 1       Visual Attention                                                             Chapter 9

Nov 4-8                  Introduction to the Auditory System                                Chapter 10

Nov 11-15              The Auditory Brain & Sound Localization                        Chapter 11

Nov 18-22              Speech & Music Perception                                           Chapters 12-13

Nov 25-29              Somatosensation                                                          Chapter 14

Dec 2-6                  Chemical Senses                                                          Chapter 15

 

8     Academic Integrity

 

Scholastic offences are taken seriously, and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf.

 

Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.

 

Statement on Use of Electronic Devices

 

Quizzes will be completed in class, but will be administered using the course management software. Please ensure you bring an appropriate device to class on scheduled quiz dates.

 

Plagiarism Detection Software

 

All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism.  All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com.

 

Use of AI

 

The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to produce written work is not permitted unless permission is granted by the instructor for specific circumstances. Any work submitted must be the work of the student in its entirety unless otherwise disclosed. When used, AI tools should be used ethically and responsibly, and students must cite or credit the tools used in line with the expectation to use AI as a tool to learn, not to produce content.

 

 

Multiple Choice Exams

 

Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.

 

9     Academic Accommodations and Accessible Education

 

View Western’s policy on academic accommodations for student with disabilities at this link.

 

Accessible Education provides supports and services to students with disabilities at Western.

If you think you may qualify for ongoing accommodation that will be recognized in all your courses, visit Accessible Education for more information.  Email: aew@uwo.ca  Phone: 519 661-2147

 

10  Absence & Academic Consideration

 

View Western’s policy on academic consideration for medical illnesses this link

 

Find your academic counsellor here: https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html

 

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain academic considerations. Students must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence.

 

Medical Absences

 

Submit a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for Academic Consideration.

 

Nonmedical Absences

 

Submit appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.

 

 

Religious Consideration

 

Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term.

 

11  Other Information

 

 

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness@Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.

Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you.

 

If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf. Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal in writing to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca).

 

Copyright Statement

 

Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.

 

 

12  Land Acknowledgement

 

We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Chonnonton. Nations, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. This land continues to be home to diverse Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of our society.