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Information Processing: Perception, Reaction Times, and Information Theory - Prof. A. Hedg, Papers of Environmental Science

Cornell UniversityEnvironmental Science
Prof. A. Hedge

This document, authored by professor alan hedge of cornell university, explores various aspects of human information processing. Topics include the acquisition of external and internal information, quantifying information using information theory, and the effects of information load on reaction times. The document also covers simple and choice reaction times, hick's law, and redundancy in information theory.

Typology: Papers

Pre 2010

Uploaded on 08/31/2009

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HUMAN INFORMATION
PROCESSING
Cornell University
DEA 3250/6510
Information Aquisition
• Information is the key to survival.
• Information about our external world is acquired by exteroceptors
(5 senses - vision, audition, olfaction, tactile, gustation).
• Information about our internal state is acquired by interoceptors
(e.g. kinesthesis, proprioception).
• The brain must sift this constant information stream for relevant
cues (signals) rather than irrelevant cues (noise).
Quantifying Information:
Information Theory
• Information is the reduction of uncertainty.
• Highly probable events convey little information and merely confirm
what we anticipate.
• Highly improbable events convey greater information because they
are not anticipated.
Information and Behavior
• Information load has functional effects on human performance.
• Information load dramatically affects the speed of a response.
• Information load dramatically affects the accuracy of a response.
© Professor Alan Hedge, Cornell University, August 2009
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HUMAN INFORMATION

PROCESSING

Cornell University

DEA 3250/

Information Aquisition

  • Information is the key to survival.
  • Information about our external world is acquired by exteroceptors (5 senses - vision, audition, olfaction, tactile, gustation).
  • Information about our internal state is acquired by interoceptors (e.g. kinesthesis, proprioception).
  • The brain must sift this constant information stream for relevant cues (signals) rather than irrelevant cues (noise).

Quantifying Information:

Information Theory

  • Information is the reduction of uncertainty.
  • Highly probable events convey little information and merely confirm what we anticipate.
  • Highly improbable events convey greater information because they are not anticipated.

Information and Behavior

  • Information load has functional effects on human performance.
  • Information load dramatically affects the speed of a response.
  • Information load dramatically affects the accuracy of a response.

Information: Reaction Time

  • The speed of reaction to information depends on the time to:
    • Activate the sensory receptor
    • Transmit nerve impulses from the sense organ to the brain
    • Process nerve impulses in the brain
    • Transmit nerve impulses to muscles
    • Energize and activate muscles
    • Execute movement

Simple Reaction Time

  • Simple reaction time (SRT):

Stimulus Response

  • SRTs typically range between 150-200 milliseconds (0.15 - 0. seconds).
  • Auditory SRTs approx. 50 msec. faster than visual SRTs (at 55 mph this equates to ~ 4 feet difference in braking distance).

Choice Reaction Times

  • When the operator has choices among alternative stimuli and/or responses (choice reaction time - CRT) then the information load affects reaction times.

S 1 R 1 S 2 R 2 : : Sn Rn

CRTs: Hick's Law (1952)

  • In making choices a person gains information at a constant rate:

Mean CRT = K log 2 (n+1)

where n = number of choices +1 = has event occurred or not K = constant

Bandwidth

  • Bandwidth is the rate of information transmission over a channel.
  • Bandwidth of the eye is ~ 1,000 bits/sec
  • Bandwidth of the ear is ~ 10,000 bits/sec
  • Bandwidth of the brain is much lower than that of the sensory systems!
  • Most sensory information is filtered out of the system at a peripheral level to better match the capacity of the brain, which functions as a limited single channel capacity system.

Functional Information Processing

Information Storage and Retrieval

Information Sensing Processing Action Output input

Sensory Input

  • Sensory receptors transduce external energy in a limited spectrum into nerve impulses.
  • Sensory information is actively organized by perceptual processes to create and internal representation of our external world.
  • Perceptual organization occurs in a 'top-down' manner to impose order on sensory information.

Perceptual Processes

  • Detection - determination of whether a stimulus is present or absent. Not a foolproof process. - False alarm - report that stimulus is present when absent. - Miss - report that stimulus is absent when present.
  • Recognition - noticeable familiarity without the ability to label the stimulus.
  • Identification - full identification of the stimulus (recognition + labeling).

Perceptual Organization

  • Gestalt principles:
    • Proximity
    • Similarity
    • Closure
    • Continuity
    • Figure-ground
  • Constancies:
    • Size
    • Shape
    • Color
    • Brightness

Constancies

  • Color - colors appear the same under a wide range of lighting conditions (e.g.snow looks white and coal looks black in sunlight or moonlight).
  • Brightness - object brightness looks the same under a range of lighting levels (e.g. the paper of a book looks white under low through bright light.

Perceptual Processes

  • Perception - is an active process whereby the brain strives to make sense of sensory information and fit this to a known pattern.
  • Perception creates our reality.
  • Perception can easily be fooled to create illusions.

Visual Illusions

  • Illusions can arise because of cue conflicts.

Visual Illusions

  • Illusions can arise because of cue competition.

Visual Illusions

  • Illusions can arise because of cue ambiguity.

Visual Illusions

  • Illusions can arise because of cue orientation.

Visual Illusions

  • Illusions can arise because of time and redundancy.