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Question 1

What is the function of senses?

Answer 1

Detect energy or substances in the environment to sample and interpret surroundings.

Question 2

What are the types of senses?

Answer 2

1. Detect energy (e.g., vision).
2. Sample substances (e.g., taste).

Question 3

What are the limitations of senses?

Answer 3

Can only detect a small portion of available environmental information (e.g., visible light for vision).

Question 4

What is sensation?

Answer 4

Receiving environmental information and converting it into neural impulses for the brain.

Question 5

What is perception?

Answer 5

Organizing and interpreting sensory patterns to understand objects and events.

Question 6

What is transduction?

Answer 6

The conversion of physical stimuli into neural signals.

Question 7

What is the absolute threshold?

Answer 7

The minimum stimulus intensity detectable 50% of the time.

Question 8

What is the difference threshold (Just Noticeable Difference, JND)?

Answer 8

Smallest detectable change in stimulus intensity, depending on the magnitude of the standard stimulus.

Question 9

What is Weber’s Law?

Answer 9

JND is a constant proportion of the stimulus.

Question 10

What does Signal Detection Theory examine?

Answer 10

Sensitivity and response criteria for detecting stimuli.

Question 11

What outcomes are defined in Signal Detection Theory?

Answer 11

1. Hit: Detect stimulus when present.
2. Miss: Fail to detect present stimulus.
3. False Alarm: Detect stimulus when absent.
4. Correct Rejection: Do not detect absent stimulus.

Question 12

What is adaptation in sensory systems?

Answer 12

Reduced sensitivity from continuous exposure to a stimulus (e.g., adapting to background noise).

Question 13

What are non-adapting stimuli?

Answer 13

Stimuli that do not lead to adaptation, such as sirens or emergency lights.

Question 14

What are the components of eye anatomy?

Answer 14

1. Cornea: Transparent covering.
2. Pupil/Iris: Controls light entry.
3. Lens: Focuses light on the retina.
4. Retina: Contains sensory cells (cones and rods).
5. Fovea: High concentration of cones for detailed vision.
6. Optic Nerve: Transmits signals to the brain.

Question 15

What is the role of cones and rods in vision?

Answer 15

Cones are color-sensitive and used in bright light; rods are monochrome-sensitive and used in dim light.

Question 16

What is visual chemistry?

Answer 16

Chemicals in rods and cones trigger action potentials sent to the occipital lobe.

Question 17

What is the Trichromatic Theory?

Answer 17

Red, green, blue cones combine to create colors.

Question 18

What is the Opponent-Process Theory?

Answer 18

Pairs of receptors (e.g., red/green) work in opposition.

Question 19

What are saccades?

Answer 19

Rapid movements of the eyes to scan the environment.

Question 20

What are the components of hearing anatomy?

Answer 20

1. Outer Ear: Guides sound waves.
2. Middle Ear: Vibrations of eardrum transfer to tiny bones (malleus, incus, stapes).
3. Inner Ear: Cochlea houses the Organ of Corti (sensitive hairs attached to nerve fibers).

Question 21

What theories explain pitch perception?

Answer 21

1. Place Theory: Specific parts of the basilar membrane vibrate for specific frequencies.
2. Frequency Theory: Frequency of sound waves matches the vibration rate of hair cells.

Question 22

How does smell (olfaction) work?

Answer 22

Molecules bind to receptors in a lock-and-key fashion to produce different smells.

Question 23

What are the four primary tastes?

Answer 23

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter.

Question 24

What is the function of taste buds?

Answer 24

Taste buds regenerate.

Question 25

What do touch (cutaneous senses) receptors detect?

Answer 25

Pressure, vibration, pain, warmth, and cold.

Question 26

What is the Gate Theory of pain?

Answer 26

Pain signals can be blocked by stimulating larger fibers (e.g., through heat or pressure).

Question 27

What do semicircular canals detect?

Answer 27

Body position and movement through fluid motion and hair cells.

Question 28

What is perception?

Answer 28

The interpretation of sensory input to make sense of the world.

Question 29

What causes illusions?

Answer 29

Caused by ambiguous stimuli or prior experiences.

Question 30

What are Gestalt principles?

Answer 30

Theories that explain how we group items to form coherent objects.