Psychology of Perception and Attention

Code:

LPSI102

Acronym:

PPA

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Psychology

Instance: 2025/2026 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://sigarra.up.pt/fpceup/pt/ucurr_geral.ficha_uc_view?pv_ocorrencia_id=351749
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	First degree in Psychology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LPSIC	227	Official Curricular Structure	1	-	6	54	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The aim of this curricular unit is to present and discuss the perception and attention theories and models. Besides the theoretical framework, the methodologies of empirical investigation of perception and attention in the domain of experimental cognitive psychology will also be presented, as well as the their implications and applications in multiple domains.

Learning outcomes and competences

The students will be able to understand the lectured themes of attention and perception and to describe the most representative theories and their theoretical and practical implications.

Working method

Presencial

Program

INTRODUCTION:
1. General concepts of Perception and Attention.
2. The problem of detection and measurement of sensation; Psychophysics methods and Signal Detection Theory.


PERCEPTION
1. Visual perception. Basic phenomena: Identification and localization of objects; Colour; Orientation; Movement and shape; The perceptual binding; The perception of depth.
1.1. Perception theories (Gestalt, Constructivism, Ecological theory of visual perception, Computational and Connectionist approaches).
1.2. Object recognition models;
1.3. Face recognition;
2. Tactile perception; The cutaneous sensory system; Basic phenomena of auditory perception; Tactile memory; Braille and the texture-weight illusion;
3. The pain: nociceptive perception. Phantom limb and treatment of phantom pain.


ATTENTION
1. Definitions and types of attention.
A) Visual attention, auditory attention and intermodal attention.
B) Focal attention and selective attention.
1.1. Models of selective attention.
1.2. Filter models (Broadbent, Treisman).
1.3. Capacity models (Kahneman).
2. Absolute and relative limits of selective attention.
2.1. Research techniques of attention;
2.1.1. Visual search tasks and models of attention;
2.1.2. Taquistoscope perception and iconic memory (visual sensorial memory);
3. The control of attention.
3.1. The importance of attention’s control;
3.2. Distinguishing voluntary from automatic control of attention;
3.3. Attention to intentions: Prospective memory;
4. Attention assessment. Focal attention measures, divided attention measures and maintenance of attention or sustained attention measures. Application to human resources selection, learning disabilities and neuropsychological assessment.


PERCEPTION AND ATTENTION
1. The “blindness to change” phenomenon.
2. Perception without attention. Inattentional blindness. Attention and implicit memory.
3. Intermodal perception and attention.
4. To listen and to see: basic phenomena of modalities integration.

Mandatory literature

Eysenck Michael W.; Cognitive psychology. ISBN: 978-1-84872-416-7
Gibson James J.; The ecological approach to visual perception. ISBN: ISBN 0-395-270-49-9
Kahneman Daniel; Attention and effort. ISBN: 0-13-050518-8
Pashler Harold E.; The psychology of attention. ISBN: ISBN 0-262-16165-6
Styles Elizabeth A.; Attention, perception and memory. ISBN: 0-86377-659-0

Complementary Bibliography

Broadbent, D. E.; Perception and communication, Oxford University Press, 1987
Raja Parasuraman; The^attentive brain. ISBN: 0-262-16172-9
James, W.; The principles of psychology, H. Holt and company, 1890
Goldstein E. Bruce 730; Blackwell handbook of sensation and perception. ISBN: 0-631-20684-1
Mack Arien; Inattentional blindness. ISBN: ISBN 0-262-13339-3

Teaching methods and learning activities

Audio-visual examples and data collection for experimental demonstration of phenomena in the domains of perception and attention will take place.

The classes will be in Portuguese but the main references are usually in English. Complementary english language references will be provided.

The exam will be in english, comprising four or five written essay type questions.

keywords

Social sciences > Psychological sciences > Cognitive science
Social sciences > Psychological sciences > Psychology > Experimental psychology

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	70,00
Trabalho laboratorial	10,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	20,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	90,00
Frequência das aulas	54,00
Trabalho laboratorial	18,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Students should attend the theoretical and practical classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

The final grade components will be scored on a 0–20 points scale.

Exam Grade (80%): Based directly on the number of correct answers. This component may be adjusted based on participation in experimental psychology studies (0–16 points).

Assignment Grade (20%): Assigned by the instructors (0–4 points).

Participation in Studies: Participation in 180 minutes of experimental psychology studies modifies the weighting of the exam, reducing its weight to 70% of the final grade.

Formula:

Final Grade=[exam grade]×0.80×(a)+[assignment grade]×0.20+(b)×2

Where,

$a=1$ ----------if the student did not participate in studies
a=0.875 -----if the student participated
b=0 ----------if the student did not participate in studies
b=1 ----------if the student participated

a) Participation in studies from a previous academic year does not carry over to the current academic year.

b) The grade for the "practical assignment" component is valid for the academic year in which it was completed and for the following academic year.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students with special status (e.g. working students) have the legal benefits according to their status. Students with special needs should contact the teacher in the beginning of the semester in order to prepare the needed adaptations.

Classification improvement

Students can improve the exam classification only one time. They can improve the marks until the «recurso» season of the school year following the one in which they obtained approval, and provided that the curricular unit foresees an exam. Only the exam grade can be improved. 

The final classification corresponds to the highest mark (either the initial one or the one resulting from the attempt to improve) in accordance with the University of Porto regulation.