Outline

Overview

How do we know what’s out in the world? Indeed, how do we know anything at all? Sensing the world around us and turning that into a reliable representation that can guide behaviour and knowledge is fundamental to everything we do. The acts of ‘seeing’ and ‘hearing’ seem effortless and instantaneous, yet perception poses enormous challenges and is probably the most complex problem the brain must solve. In this course, you will learn how we see colour and movement, how we perceive surfaces and know materials, and how a robust perception must combine other senses such as sound, vision and touch, or taste and smell? You will also learn about the limits of perception, and surprisingly, how much it uses guesswork, prediction and filling-in to compensate. This unit draws on multiple perspectives (behaviour, neurophysiology, modelling, neuroimaging) to answer these questions and deepen your understanding of perception. The lecturers are all research-active leaders in the field and present the latest work on these research topics. Students will gain conceptual tools for evaluating the empirical and theoretical worth of recent research in perception and the tutorial component will involve working in small groups to formulate a hypothesis and develop a simple experiment to test it by collecting and analysing data. Students thus gain practical research experience that gives them valuable insight into the scientific process as it exists both in professional work and in empirical research project for Honours.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Psychology Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	(PSYC2010 or PSYC2910 or PSYC2011 or PSYC2911 or PSYC2016) and PSYC2012
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	PSYC3913
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	David Alais, david.alais@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Frans Verstraten, frans.verstraten@sydney.edu.au
	Bart Anderson, barton.anderson@sydney.edu.au
	David Alais, david.alais@sydney.edu.au
	Alex Holcombe, alex.holcombe@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	David Alais, david.alais@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final exam MCQ and/or SAQs	45%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Small continuous assessment	Lecture Quizzes See Canvas for details	5%	Ongoing	See Canvas for details
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay Written assignment.	25%	Week 10 Due date: 12 Oct 2023 at 23:59 Closing date: 09 Nov 2023	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Tutorial Quiz MCQs and/or SAQs	15%	Week 12	45 mins
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Group Presentation Short presentation to the class on a topic to be distributed.	10%	Week 13	15 mins
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Essay (25%): Students will complete a 2000 word written assignment on a topic to be distributed. See Canvas for more details.
Tutorial Quiz (15%): The quiz will assess the content from the tutorials in the form of multiple choice and/or short answer questions. See Canvas for more details.
Lecture Quizzes (5%): There will be formative quizzes held during lectures to go through lecture materials across the semester.
Group Presentation (10%): Students will make a brief presentation to the class on topics to be distributed. See Canvas for more details.
Final Exam (45%): This is a compulsory task which you need to attempt, or you will receive an absent fail, but no minimum mark is required.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

You will receive a penalty of 5% of the maximum value of the assignment for each calendar day it is submitted after your due date. More than 10 calendar days after your due date, a mark of zero is applied. Submissions will not be accepted after the closing date.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	The retina and filling-in of blindspots	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	Spatial resolution of vision and attention	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Spatial resolution of vision and attention (II)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Temporal resolution of vision and attention	Lecture (1 hr)
	Intro to Perception	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	Temporal resolution of vision and attention (II)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Touch	Lecture (1 hr)
	The Blind Spot / Filling In	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Signal detection theory	Lecture (1 hr)
	Touch (II)	Lecture (1 hr)
	SDT	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	The levels and problems of perception	Lecture (1 hr)
	Diffuse surface reflectance: Lightness	Lecture (1 hr)
	Receptive Fields	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Diffuse reflectance: Shading and shape	Lecture (1 hr)
	Shading, shape, and material	Lecture (1 hr)
	Motion	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Specular reflectance: gloss and sheen	Lecture (1 hr)
	Specular reflectance and Shape	Lecture (1 hr)
	Somatosensation	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Translucency and transparency	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	High order interactions: putting the pieces together	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Introduction to multisensory perception	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Multisensory Integration	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Combing the senses: spatial and temporal rules	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 10	Multisensory cortex	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 11	Applied vision	Lecture (1 hr)
	Models of sensory integration	Lecture (1 hr)
	Applied Perception	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Sensory integration from synchrony	Lecture (1 hr)
	Temporal recalibration	Lecture (1 hr)
	Tutorial Quiz	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Resolving visual ambiguity with sound and touch	Lecture (1 hr)
	Synesthesia: cross-wired senses`	Lecture (1 hr)
	Group Presentations	Tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture attendance: 80% is recommended in order to pass the unit.
Tutorial attendance: Attendance is recorded and 80% is recommended in order to pass the unit.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. have a deep understanding of various areas of visual perception and a familiarity with auditory and tactile perception, too.
LO2. gain an understanding of the various research methods used in perceptual research and an understanding of the computational and neurophysiological underpinnings of perceptual processes.
LO3. gain an understanding of perceptual science, its methods, and how to present it to others.
LO4. (i) develop knowledge of several of the perceptual problems the brain must solve (such as combining information from distinct senses) (ii) Appreciation of common processing principles for how the brain solves perceptual problems (such as adaptation) (iii) Conceptual understanding of the limits on human perception and how they relate to the underlying mechanisms (such as acuity) (iv) Understanding of specific perceptual phenomena and how they arise as a consequence of processing architecture, especially in vision and audition (v) Basic knowledge of methods and measures commonly used in perception research (vi) Ability to understand and evaluate empirical studies in perception
LO5. (i) develop an understanding of the major methods of perceptual research (ii) Critically assess research findings and related theories in these areas (iii) Design and conduct basic studies to address perceptual questions: frame research questions; undertake literature searches; critically analyse theoretical and empirical studies; formulate testable hypotheses; operationalise variables; choose an appropriate methodology; make valid and reliable measurements; analyse data and interpret results; and write research reports.
LO6. (i) demonstrate an attitude of critical thinking that includes persistence, open---mindedness, and intellectual engagement. (ii) Evaluate evidence & information; differentiate empirical evidence from speculation. (iii) Think about how perception might be achieved mechanistically (iv) Evaluate issues using different theoretical and methodological approaches. (v) Use reasoning and evidence to recognise, develop, defend, and criticise arguments.
LO7. (i) develop an awareness of the applications of the theories and findings in the area. (ii) Apply psychological concepts, theories, and research findings to problems in everyday life and in society. (iii) Understand major areas of applied Perceptual Psychology.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Delayed major essay due date by a day to avoid clash with lecture

Additional information

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

General Laboratory Safety Rules

No eating or drinking is allowed in any laboratory under any circumstances
A laboratory coat and closed-toe shoes are mandatory
Follow safety instructions in your manual and posted in laboratories
In case of fire, follow instructions posted outside the laboratory door
First aid kits, eye wash and fire extinguishers are located in or immediately outside each laboratory
As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that you have a current tetanus immunisation. This can be obtained from University Health Service: unihealth.usyd.edu.au/

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PSYC3013: Perceptual Systems

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect