AP Psych - Sensation and Perception Flashcards
Sensation
the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
Bottom-up processing
analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information
Thresholds
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
Absolute Threshold
the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time
Difference Threshold
the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time. (Just-noticeable difference)
Weber’s Law
the principle that to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount)
Psychophysics
the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them.
Reception
receive sensory stimulation, often using specialized receptor cells.
Transduction
conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains can interpret.
Transmission
deliver the neural information to our brain
Top-down processing
information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and exceptations.
Signal-detection Theory
a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person’s experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness.
Subliminal
below’s one absolute threshold for conscious awareness.
Priming
the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perceptions, memory or response.
Selective Attention
the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus
