10 / 23 QUIZ Flashcards
Sensation
Process where sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimuli from the environment.
Psychophysics
Study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli (such as their intensity) and our psychological experience of them.
Sensory Receptors
cells that convert sensory stimuli into nerve impulses that are sent to the cns.
Signal Detection Theory
Theory predicts when we will detect a weak stimulus considering a person’s experience, expectations, motivations, and alertness.
Absolute Threshold
The minimum stimulation necessary to detect a stimulus 50% of the time (the point at which we become aware of a sensory stimulus).
Just Noticable Difference (Difference threshold)
The minimum difference a person can detect between any two stimuli half the time.
Weber’s Law
To be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage rather than a constant amount.
Sensory Adaptation
Diminished sensitivity as a result of constant stimulation.
Sensory Interaction
the process by which the five senses work together ti create a complete picture of the environment and help a person respond to stimuli.
Synesthesia
A neurological condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic/involuntary in a second sensory or cognitive pathway.
Embodied Cognition
The brain and body are closely linked in cognitive process
Subliminal
Stimuli below absolute threshold for conscious awareness. May lead to unconscious processing.
Priming
Activation of certain associations, predisposing perception and/or memory (often unconscious).
Transduction
Transforming sensory energy (light, sound waves) to neural impulses.
Perception
Process of organizing and interpreting sensory information.
Bottom-up processing
Starts at the sensory receptors and works up to higher levels of processing.
Top-down processing
Constructs perceptions from the sensory input by drawing on our experience and expectations.
Selective Attention
Focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus.
Inattentional blindness
Failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere.
Change Blindness
Failing to notice changes in the environment.
retina
light sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information.
blind spot/optic disk
there are no photoreceptors in front of the optic nerve
visual nerve/optic nerve
sends neural impulses from retina to brain.
lens
transparent structure that changes shape (accommodation) to focus images on the retina.
nearsightedness
visual image is focused in front of the retina.
farsightedness
visual image is focused behind the retina.
fovea
dip in the macula with highest visual acuity (high res)
photoreceptors
cells in the retina responsible for converting light into signals sent to the brain
cones
detect color, near center of retina, good for bright, daylight.
rods
detect light intensity; sensitive, good for low light and periphery.
(young-helmholtz) trichromatic theory
any color can be created by combining primary colors, the eye must have 3 corresponding types of color receptors.
opponent-process theory
afterimages
ganglion cells
dichromatism
two colors, two cones
monochromatism
one color, one cone
blindsight
cornea
transparent tissue in front of eye, protects underlying structures, bends and focuses light.
pupil
adjustable opening in the center of the eye allowing light to enter
iris
colorful ring of muscle tissue controlling the size of the pupil.
feature detectors
nerve cells in the visual cortex that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, movement.
prosopagnosia
damage to the right temporal lobe which results in face blindness
