Perceptual psychologists specialize in the study of human perception, which is a branch of cognitive psychology. As humans perceive their surroundings, many complex processes interact. Understanding these processes can aid researchers in determining the best background color for advertisements or how perceptual biases can influence hiring decisions, among other things. Researchers in this field work for both educational institutions and private companies with a cognitive psychology focus.
In general, cognitive psychology examines the neural processes that underpin human behaviors like perception. Hearing, touch, smell, sight, and taste are all affected by pathways in the brain that perceptual psychologists study. They also develop theories to explain some perceptual phenomena that, despite the use of brain imaging and other tools, remain a mystery. These theories can be put to the test in a lab setting.
The study of vision is an important aspect of perceptual psychology. The biological processes that underpin vision are complex, and a variety of errors can occur along the way. There are also important cognitive processes that influence how people process visual data. An understanding of how humans perceive visual information can also be exploited; for example, at the movies, viewers perceive a series of rapidly presented images as a single moving picture due to a perception error.
Researchers interested in perceptual psychology can measure perceptual abilities and systems using a variety of methods, which is useful for establishing a baseline of data. This could aid perceptual psychologists in learning more about the processes that underpin sensory perception and interpretation. Perception biases, which affect how people perceive and present information, are also being researched. Understanding these biases can help us learn more about how they interact with real-life situations. Experiments can include both fieldwork and laboratory studies to test hypotheses and learn more about human perception and the development of perception in young children and teenagers.
Many colleges and universities offer cognitive psychology courses and can help students who want to specialize in perceptual psychology. Perceptual psychologists may choose to work as educators and researchers in academia. They can also work for private companies and government agencies, as well as consult in the medical field, where perception errors can indicate brain problems. To understand how perceptual biases influence society, perceptual psychologists may study topics such as advertising, sociology, and related issues.