Configural Properties of Colour - Coursework Example

DRAFT (WILL SUBMIT FINAL COPY SHORTLY) Mini Project 2 Identity properties (configural properties) are remembered and en d better than color properties (surface properties) Abstract Renewed scene perception interest has been motivated by the idea that very little of what an individual can focus on is normally retained in the visual memory. However, different visual properties are encoded at different stage processing and may require different amounts of attention for recognition. The main aim of the study was testing the hypothesis that configural properties are better encoded and are encoded earlier that the surface properties. The study is based on a repeated measure design where it manipulates two attributes that is color (surface property) and identity (configural property) each having a two level time presentation of two and ten seconds. Participants were selected randomly, consent for taking part in the study determined and the procedure for the study explained to them. They were then asked to answer questions after display of the pictures with different time durations and correct answers sought. From the study results ……. Thus, configural properties are better encoded and are encoded earlier than surface properties. Introduction The ability to remember the contents of visual displays is critical for a variety of real life tasks. Our visual systems enable an individual to recognize with great ease and accuracy objects and a broad range of cues helps in attaining this. Objects can be recognized on their basis of their identity, texture, color, shape and their specular patterns. Majority of the research studies conducted have focused on form rather than the material properties of objects in regards to their visual recognition. Nevertheless, the information on material properties of an object provides essential information regarding the identity of the object recognition. A central question in visual scene perception and cognition is how individuals process complex entities of objects they perceive every day. These objects perceived in the visual environment possess much different kind of properties that include texture, shape, identity, color, motion and orientation. These properties are divided in to two; that is surface properties and configural properties of the object. Examples of configural properties include the shape, location and identity while on the other hand surface properties include the objects color and texture. While recognizing objects, these different visual properties will be encoded at different stages of processing and they may require different amounts of attention and time for processing for them to be encoded in the visual memory and subsequently be remembered later on during recall. The configural properties are remembered better than the surface properties since they are encoded better. However, the presentation time when visualizing an object has a significant effect on the visual recall on a particular object. The longer the time of presentation of an object, the more the information will be remembered regarding its scene. Thus, the time of presentation influences the visual properties in many different ways. However, Aginsky and Tarr (2000) in their hypothesis stated that configural properties never require attention for them to be extracted from a scene for later recall but the surface properties do. According to ….. much of what individuals believe that they focus on is not retained in the visual memory. Different visual properties require different attention amounts for them to be incorporated into the mental representation of the scene depending on the role played in organization of the scene perception. A study was conducted by …. With a goal of comparing how color, object position and presence are encoded in the visual memory. From the results, cueing effects regardless of the color altered the scene configuration and agreed to the idea that scene properties are important in helping determining the scene configuration such as their presence and position and are encoded better than surface properties in scene representation. According to change blindness, the pictorial and veridical representations surveying the multiple gaze relocations are unlikely generated in the visual system. Different properties of information of a scene are represented and extracted differently over time. In a natural viewing of the natural system, the visual system is able to construct complex information that is rich with presentation. A single glimpse on an object is sufficient to put a five visual object in to the memory. When an exposure duration affects the visual memory, then there is an interaction between the exposure duration and visual property. However, individuals starring at an object over a lengthy period are likely to remember more scene aspects. Thus, increasing the viewing duration is significant in enhancing increased performance. The study was conducted to test the hypothesis that configural properties are better encoded and are encoded earlier that the surface properties were 16 pictures were used among 12 undergraduate student volunteers. Picture was displayed for a particular period allocated and participants would answer questions regarding the picture to determine the surface and configural properties. The researcher would then determine whether the answers were correct or wrong. Independent variables were color and identity as well as the presentation time of the pictures. The dependent variable was the accuracy of correct answers in relation to the pictures. Thus, the above literature provides a hypothesis that the memory for the different visual scene properties will be different in different times of exposure and the configural properties are encoded better and faster as compared to the surface properties. Method. Participants Participants included 12 undergraduate- student volunteers (5 Females , 7 Males ) from Universities in South Wales aged between 19-21 (Mean =20.1667 , SD=.57735 ). Participants had a good gasp of written and spoken English and they all had normal vision which was necessary for the study. Ethic approval was given prior to the study and participants gave written full informed consent using a consent form. Stimuli We selected 16 pictures were used in the following study. These pictures were taken from nova art explosion 750,000. The pictures were random, for example one consisted of a scene from a bedroom whereas another type of picture illustrated different typed of stationary on a task such as scissors and a calculator. For a full list of the pictures used in the study see Appendix (2). A questionnaire followed prior to each individual photo. Each question related to items in the previous photo, each questionnaire consisted of 4 photos (2 on colour, 2 on identity) with there being () in total. An example of the questions used would be “What colour was the little girls skirt” and “name the smoking related item on the table” for a full set of the questions used also see appendix (2). Apparatus Microsoft PowerPoint presentation was the software used to trial participants. The presentation was shown on a computer with a monitor with a 19-inch flat screen. Designs This study was based on a within repeated measure design. Two attributes were manipulated Colour (Surface) and identity (Configural). Colour had two levels (10-second presentation time and 2-second presentation time). Identity also had two levels (10-second presentation time and 2-second presentation time). The combination of the two factors give rise to 4 experimental conditions. Each condition was presented 8 times. The order presentation of each of the four experimental conditions were 10 second colour and identity, 2 second colour identify etc. Procedure Participants were randomly asked if they would like to take part in the study. They were handed a participant information sheet (Appendix ), which contained details about the research such as the purpose, who was carrying out the research, what was to happen to their information and it was also explained to them that their participation was in fact voluntary, so they had the right to withdraw at any time so they wish. If participants were satisfied to take part in the study they were asked to give informed consent. Participants were then asked to sit in front of a computer where the PowerPoint was presented. The presentation started when the participant clicked on the space bar of the keyboard. This is when the first picture would be displayed for the allocated amount of time, following this would be a set of questions where the participant would read aloud/or to themselves then tell the researcher the answer, the researcher would then write down the answers onto a () sheet. Once the participants had finished answering the four questions they would then press the space bar for the next picture to appear. The same procedure was repeated for the both conditions. No feedback was given to the participants after the experiment however they were given a debrief form this told them what we as researchers were interested in finding out. Results Descriptive stats eg means collapsed across time presentations Descriptive Statistics N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Colour10 12 8 13 10.75 1.545 Colour2 12 5 12 9.42 2.429 Identity10 12 7 14 10.83 2.623 Identity2 12 5 11 7.17 1.749 Collapsed mean for colour = 10.083 Collapsed mean for Identity = 9 Anova results Tests of Between-Subjects Effects Measure: MEASURE_1 Transformed Variable: Average Source Type III Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. Intercept 4370.083 1 4370.083 641.659 .000 Error 74.917 11 6.811 Significant 2 tailed tells you which hypothesis to accept we just need to find t value I think neither are significant ut not 100% sure Pair 1 t value =1.646 Pair 2 t value = 4.578 Discussion The main aim of the study was to determine whether configural properties are better encoded in comparison with the surface properties and testing the hypothesis that different visual properties are encoded at different processing stages. The study also sought to determine whether visual processing is affected from different attention times. In accordance to the previous literature, it has been established that objects can be recognized on their basis of their identity, texture, color, shape and their specular patterns. However, the objects perceived in the visual environment possess much different kind of properties divided in to two major categories; that is surface properties and configural properties. While recognizing objects, these different visual properties will be encoded at different stages of processing and they may require different amounts of attention and time for processing for them to be encoded in the visual memory and subsequently be remembered later on during recall. The configural properties are remembered better than the surface properties since they are encoded better. However, the presentation time when visualizing an object has a significant effect on the visual recall on a particular object. The longer the time of presentation of an object, the more the information will be remembered regarding its scene. From the study results, the mean for color (10 seconds) is 10.75 while that of color (2 seconds) is 9.42. The identity mean (10 seconds) is 10.83 while the identity mean at two seconds is 7.17. The condition of the mean is very important as it shows the magnitude between the differences of the states and it is easy to determine the group with the higher mean. It is very correct was illustrated in the results that participants who focused the pictures at a longer period (10 seconds) in in both color and identity remember more features as compared to those who had a shorter glance period of the pictures. Thus, the results support the fact that the longer the time of presentation of an object, the more the information will be remembered regarding its scene. However, they do not tend to agree with Aginsky and Tarr (2000) their hypothesis that stated that configural properties never required attention for them to be extracted from a scene for later recall but the surface properties do as there was a significant increase in identity mean from a two-second glance to ten seconds. The identity mean at 10 second was greater than color at 10 seconds but at 2 seconds color mean was greater than identity mean. The collapsed mean of color was 10.083 and it is greater than that of identity, which was 9. From the results, they do not agree to the fact that configural properties (identity) are coded earlier and better than the surface properties (color) since color mean is greater than that of identity. Read More