Sensation and Perception Unit Plan

• Unit Plan Elements
• Unit Plan Authorship
• Copyright Information
• How to Obtain the Unit Plan
• Unit Plan Procedural Timeline

Unit Plan Elements

The Sensation and Perception Unit Plan, published in 1993, is designed as a five-lesson unit plan.  The plan comprises 44 pages and includes:

• Procedural timeline
• Content outlines
• 9 Class activities
• 2 Critical thinking exercises
• 6 Discussion/essay questions
• Bibliography/references
• Suggested videos

Unit Plan Authorship

The Sensation and Perception Unit Plan was originally prepared at the Texas A&M-NSF Summer Institute for the Teaching of AP and Honors Psychology, July 1992 by:

Nancy Grayson
Kathleen Self
Martha J. Whitacre
Marvin Ziegler

Edited by: Randal M. Ernst

Copyright Information

The procedural timeline from the Sensation and Perception Unit Plan is reprinted here with the permission of the Education Directorate of the APA.  Further publication of any material from the unit plan is not permitted without the express consent of the Education Directorate.

How to Obtain the Unit Plan

To obtain a complete copy of the Sensation and Perception Plan contact the APA at:

TOPSS
c/o Sherrill Jenkins
American Psychological Association
Education Directorate
750 First St., NE
Washington, DC  20002-4242

Unit Plan Procedural Timeline

• Lesson 1

Introduction and Definition of Sensation and Perception
Thresholds
Receptors
Activity 1.1 The Muller-Lyer Illusion

• Lesson 2

Sensory Processes
Vision
Activity 2.1 Blind Spot in Vision
Activity 2.2 Clear Vision at the Fovea
Activity 2.3 The Pulfrich Pendulum Effect: When To and Fro is Roundabout Audition
Activity 2.4 Locating Sound Sources
Critical Thinking Exercise "A"

• Lesson 3

Gustation
Olfaction
Somethesis
Activity 3.1 Taste Preferences: Influence of Smell and Sight
Activity 3.2 Balance Sensitivity

• Lesson 4

Perceptual Processes
Attention
Perceptual Organization
Perceptual Abilities
Perceptual Constancy
Depth Perception
Pattern Perception
Activity 4.1 The Stroop Effect

• Lesson 5

Videotape "Sensation and Perception"
Activity 5.1 Sensation: Movement Detectors in the Visual Cortex
Critical Thinking Exercise "B"