Lidia visits an art exhibit of abstract paintings. One painting is composed of seemingly random lines and shapes. However, because Lidia knows the painting is supposed to be a portrait, she perceives the various lines and shapes as forming a face. Which type of perceptual processing is Lidia most likely using?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lidia's prior knowledge or expectation that the painting is a portrait is influencing her interpretation of the lines and shapes. This is an example of top-down processing, where higher-level knowledge or expectations guide lower-level perceptual processing.

Lidia Visits an Art Exhibit of Abstract Paintings