Observation and InferenceNotes #4

Observation (notes)

• Observations are facts based on our senses

• They are only what we can directly sense, or what we can measure with devices

More than Five (not notes)

Interestingly, we actually have more than five senses. Here are a few examples:

• Temperature: temperature sensors are carried separate of touch, and can be fooled by certain chemicals (capsaicin, menthol)

• Pain: like temperature, pain signals are separate from touch

• Proprioception: this is the ability to tell where your body is in space without looking

• Equilibrioception: this is the ability to keep your balance

Activity #1 (not notes)

• Look around the room and make three observations about this room (and no, you can’t use my examples)

• Write them down in your notes and leave a blank space to the side

• This is participation points

Observation #1: The room is 3.25m tall

__________

Observation #2: The room smells slightly stuffy

__________

Observation #3: The binders in the back are a little messy

__________

Example ->

Types of Observation (notes)

Quantitative

• Anything that can be expressed by numbers

• Useful because we can use them in math

Qualitative

• Anything that can’t be expressed by numbers

• Usually less precise than quantitative

• Can sometimes have quantitative estimates

There are two types of observations: quantitative and qualitative

Quantitative Examples (not notes)

Qualitative Examples (not notes)

Aesthetics (beauty)

Emotional states

Preferences

Activity #2 (not notes)

• Go back to the three observations you made about this room

• On the lines next to them, classify whether they are qualitative or quantitative observations

• This is participation points

Observation #1: The room is 3.25m tall

__________

Observation #2: The room smells slightly stuffy

__________

Observation #3: The binders in the back are a little messy

__________

Activity #2 (not notes)

• Go back to the three observations you made about this room

• On the lines next to them, classify whether they are qualitative or quantitative observations

Observation #1: The room is 3.25m tall

Quantitative

Observation #2: The room smells slightly stuffy

Qualitative

Observation #3: The binders in the back are a little messy

Qualitative

Estimating qualitative with quantitative (not notes)

“Pumped” could be estimated quantitatively by:

• Blood pressure

• Heart rate

• Concentration of adrenaline in blood

“Wrinkly” could be estimated quantitatively by:

• Average height of surface

• Number of folds per area

“Smelly” could be estimated quantitatively by:

• Time it takes to be detected

• Distance the smell can be detected

Inference (notes)

• An inference is a conclusion based on an observation

Activity #3 (not notes)

• In your notes guess what this picture is of and where it was taken

• Underneath write what specificobservations led you to your guesses

• This is participation points

Activity #4 (not notes)

• In your notes guess what this painting is of

• Underneath write what specificobservations led you to your guesses

• This is participation points