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MCAT > Behavioral Sciences Ch 2. Sensation and Perception > Flashcards

Behavioral Sciences Ch 2. Sensation and Perception Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

Sensation

A

The conversion, or transduction, a physical, electromagnetic, auditory, and other information from the internal and external environment into electrical signals in the nervous system, performed by receptors in the PNS

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2
Q

Perception

A

The processing of sensory information to make sense of its significance, includes both external sensory experience and the internal actives of the brain and spinal cord

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3
Q

Sensory receptors

A

Nerves that respond to stimuli and trigger electrical signals, stimuli transmitted to projection areas in the brain

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4
Q

Sensory ganglia

A

Collections of cell bodies outside the central nervous system that are associated with sensory neurons

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5
Q

Projection areas

A

Areas in the brain that further analyze sensory input

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6
Q

Common sensory receptors

A

Photo receptors, hair cells, nociceptors, thermoreceptors, osmoreceptors, olfactory receptors, and taste receptors

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7
Q

Threshold

A

The minimum stimulus that causes a change in signal transduction, aka limina

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8
Q

Absolute threshold

A

The minimum of stimulus energy that is needed to activate a sensory system, may not be significant enough to be converted to an action potential through transduction

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9
Q

Threshold of conscious perception

A

The minimum of stimulus energy that will create a signal large enough in size and long enough and duration to be brought into awareness, can be tested with discrimination testing

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10
Q

Difference threshold

A

aka just noticeable difference, the minimum difference in magnitude between two stimuli before one can perceive the difference

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11
Q

Just-noticeable difference

A

jnd - aka difference threshold, the minimum difference in magnitude between two stimuli before one can perceive the difference

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12
Q

Weber’s Law

A

States that the just noticeable difference for stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the stimulus, and that this proportion is constant or most of the range of possible stimuli

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13
Q

Signal detection theory

A

Refers to the effects of non-sensory factors, such as experiences, motives, and expectations, and perception of stimuli, experiences allow us to look at response bias

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14
Q

Response bias

A

The tendency of subjects to systematically respond to a stimulus in a particular way due to non-sensory factors

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15
Q

Adaption

A

A decrease in response to a stimulus over time, one way the mind and body try to focus attention on only the most relevant stimuli

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16
Q

Eye

A

An organ specialized to detect light in the form of photons

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17
Q

Cornea

A

Gathers and filters incoming light, clear, domelike window in the front of the eye

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18
Q

Iris

A

Divides the front of the eye into the anterior and posterior chambers, it contains two muscles, the dilator and the constrictor pupillae, which open and close the pupil

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19
Q

Anterior chamber of the eye

A

Lies in front of the iris

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20
Q

Posterior chamber of the eye

A

Lies between the iris and the lens

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21
Q

Dilator pupillae

A

Muscle in the iris that is responsible for dilating the pupil during sympathetic stimulation

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22
Q

Constrictor pupillae

A

Muscle in the iris that is responsible for constricting the pupil during parasympathetic stimulation

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23
Q

Pupil

A

-

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24
Q

Lens

A

Refracts incoming light to focus it on the retina and is held in place by suspensory ligaments connected to the ciliary muscle, right behind the iris

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25
Q

Suspensory ligament

A

Connected to the ciliary muscle, holds the lens in place

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26
Q

Ciliary muscle

A

Connects to the suspensory ligaments in the eye that holds the lens in place, part of the ciliary body, under parasympethetic control, changes shape of lens when it contracts during accommodation

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27
Q

Aqueous humor

A

Produced by the ciliary body, drains through the canal of Schlemm, bathes the front part of the eye

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28
Q

Retina

A

Contains the actual photoreceptors that transduce light into electrical information the brain can process, most cones are in the macula, innermost layer of the eye, like a screen consisting of neural elements and blood vessels, considered part of the CNS and develops from an outgrowth of brain tissue

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29
Q

Rods

A

Detect light and dark, contain pigment called rhodopsin, low sensitivity to details, permit night vision

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30
Q

Cones

A

Come in three forms (short, medium, and long wave length) to detect colors, sense fine details, most effective in bright light

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31
Q

Macula

A

Corresponds to the central vision field, the center is the fovea, high concentration of cones

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32
Q

Fovea

A

Center of the macula, contains only cones, visual acuity is the best

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33
Q

Bipolar cells

A

Where rods and cones synapse, synapse themselves on ganglion cells

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34
Q

Ganglion cells

A

Where bipolar cells synapse, integration of the signals and those from horizontal and amacrine cells where edge-sharpening is performed, group together to form the optic nerve

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35
Q

Horizontal and amacrine cells

A

Receive input from multiple retinal cells in the same area, integrate signals before reaching ganglion cells, important for edge-sharpening

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36
Q

Vitreous

A

Supports the bulk of the eye on the inside, transparent gel that supports the retina

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37
Q

Sclera

A

Supports the bulk of the eye on the outside, thick structural layer, the white of the eye

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38
Q

Choroid

A

Supports the bulk of the eye on the outside, continuous with the iris and the ciliary body

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39
Q

Visual pathway

A

Starts at the eye, travels through the optic nerves, optic chiasm, optic tracks, lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus, and visual radiations to get to the visual cortex

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40
Q

Optic nerves

A

Forms by the grouping of ganglion cells, brings signal from eyes to brain

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41
Q

Optic chiasm

A

Fibers from the nasal half (temporal visual fields) of each retina crosses paths, temporal fibers do not cross, left visual field goes to right side of brain and vice versa

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42
Q

Optic tracks

A

Pathway of optical signal leaving the optic chiasm

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43
Q

Laternal geniculate nucleus

A

LGN - in the thalamus

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44
Q

Visual radiations

A

Vision path which runs through the temporal and parietal lobes

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45
Q

Visual cortex

A

Within the occipital lobe, where vision processing occurs

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46
Q

Parallel processing

A

The ability to simultaneously analyze and combine information regarding color, shape, and motion

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47
Q

Visual processing

A

Parallel processing:
Color is detected by cones
Shape is detected by parvocellular cells
Motion is detected by magnocellular cells

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48
Q

Parvocellular cells

A

Detect shape in vision, have high spatial resolution and low temporal resolution

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49
Q

Magnocellular cells

A

Detect motion in vision, with low spatial resolution and high temporal resolution

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50
Q

Ear divisions

A

Outer, middle, and inner ear

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51
Q

Outer ear

A

Consists of the pinna (auricle), external auditory canal, and tympanic membrane

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52
Q

Pinna

A

aka auricle, cartilaginous outside part of the ear, channels sound waves into the external auditory canal

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53
Q

External auditory canal

A

Pinna channels sound waves down this structure to the tympanic membrane (eardrum)

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54
Q

Tympanic membrane

A

aka eardrum, vibrates in phase with incoming sound waves and vibrates with an amplitude proportional to the volume of the sound, divides the outer and middle ear

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55
Q

Middle ear

A

Consists of the ossicles: malleus, incus, stapes, the footplate of the stapes rests on the oval window of the cochlea, the middle ears connected to the nasal cavity by the eustachian tube

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56
Q

Ossicles

A

Middle ear bones: malleus, incus, and stapes, smallest bones in the body, goal to transmit and amplify vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear

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57
Q

Malleus

A

hammer- affixed to the tympanic membrane, acts on the incus, transmit and amplifies vibrations

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58
Q

Incus

A

anvil - acts on the stapes, transmit and amplifies vibrations

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59
Q

Stapes

A

Stirrup - baseplate rests on the oval window of the cochlea where it transmits and amplifies vibrations to the inner ear

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60
Q

Oval window

A

Part of the cochlea, where the footplate of the stapes rests, entrance to the inner ear from the middle ear

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61
Q

Eustachian tube

A

Connects the middle ear to the nasal cavity, equalizes pressure between the middle ear and the environment

62
Q

Inner ear

A

Contains the bony labyrinth, within which is the membranous labyrinth

63
Q

Bony labyrinth

A

In the inner ear, filled with perilymph, surrounds the membranous labyrinth

64
Q

Membranous labyrinth

A

In the inner ear, filled with endolymph, surrounded by the bony labyrinth

65
Q

Cochlea

A

Spiral shaped organ divided into three parts called scalae, middle scala in membranous labyrinth, is tonotopically organized

66
Q

Utricle and saccule

A

Within the vestibule in the bony labyrinth, detects linear acceleration, have hair cells covered with otoliths, otoliths resist motion during acceleration, bending the hair cells, which generates an electrical signal

67
Q

Semicircular canals

A

Within the membranous labyrinth, detects rotational acceleration, canals arranged perpendicularly with ampullae on the ends with hair cells, hair cells detect rotation because endolymph resisting the movement bends hair cells, hair cells generate electrical signal

68
Q

Auditory pathway

A

Starts from the cochlea and travels through the vestibulocochlear nerve and medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus to get to the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe

69
Q

Vesibulocochlear nerve

A

aka auditory nerve, carries electrical signals from hair cells to the CNS

70
Q

Medial geniculate nucleus

A

MGN - within the thalamus, routes sound electrical signals

71
Q

Auditory cortex

A

In the temporal lobe, where sound is processed

72
Q

Superior olive

A

Some sound information also sent to here, localizes sound

73
Q

Inferior colliculus

A

Sound is also routed here, involved in the startle reflex

74
Q

Olfactory chemoreceptors

A

aka olfactory nerves, in the olfactory epithelium, detect smell, smell must bind to its respective chemoreceptor to cause a signal

75
Q

Olfactory pathway

A

Starts from the olfactory nerves and travels through the olfactory bulbs and olfactory tract to get to the higher order brain areas, such as the limbic system

76
Q

Smell

A

The detection of volatile or aerosolized chemicals, only sense that does not pass through the thalamus

77
Q

Pheromones

A

Chemicals given off by animals that have an affect on social, foraging, and sexual behavior in other members of that species

78
Q

Olfactory bulb

A

Place where smell signals are routed after receptor cells are activated

79
Q

Olfactory tract

A

Routes smell signals from the olfactory bulb to higher regions of the brain, including the limbic system

80
Q

Taste

A

The detection of dissolved compounds by taste buds in papillae, comes in five modalities, detected by chemoreceptors

81
Q

Five modalities of taste

A

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savory)

82
Q

Taste bubs

A

Receptors for taste, groups of cells found in little bumps on the tongue

83
Q

Papillae

A

Little bumps on the tongue where taste buds are

84
Q

Somatosensation

A

Refers to the four touch modalities: pressure, vibration, pain, and temperature, at least five different types of receptors

85
Q

Two-point threshold

A

The minimum distance necessary between two points of stimulation on the skin such that the points will be felt as two distinct stimuli

86
Q

Physiological zero

A

The normal temperature of the skin to which objects are compared to determine if they feel warm or cold

87
Q

Nociceptors

A

Possible for pain perception

88
Q

Gate theory of pain

A

States that there is a special “gating” mechanism that can turn pain signals on and odd, also that pain sensation is reduced when others somatosensory signals are present, not the best theory out there

89
Q

Proprioception

A

aka kinesthetic sense, refers to the ability to tell where one’s body is in three-dimensional space

90
Q

Kinesthetic sense

A

aka proprioception, refers to the ability to tell where one’s body is in three-dimensional space

91
Q

Bottom-up processing

A

aka data-driven, refers to recognition of objects by parallel processing and feature detection, it is slower but less prone to mistakes

92
Q

Top-down processing

A

aka conceptually driven, refers to recognition of an object by memories and expectations, with a little attention to detail, it is faster but more prone to mistakes

93
Q

Perceptual organization

A

Refers to our synthesis of stimuli to make sense of the world, including integration of depth, form, motion, and constancy

94
Q

Gestalt principles

A

The way the brain can infer missing pieces of a picture when a picture is incomplete, includes the law of proximity, the lost similarities, the law of good continuation, subjective contours, and the law of closure, governed by the law of pragnanz

95
Q

The law of proximity

A

States that elements close to one another tend to be perceived as a unit

96
Q

The law of similarity

A

States that elements that are similar appear to be grouped together

97
Q

The law of good continuation

A

States that elements that appear to follow the same path tend to be grouped together

98
Q

Subjective contours

A

First to the perception of nonexistent edges and figures, based on surrounding visual cues

99
Q

The law of closure

A

States that when a space is enclosed by a group of lines, it is perceived as a complete or closed line, also refers to the fact that certain figures tend to be perceived is more complete than they really are

100
Q

The law of pragnanz

A

Says that perceptual organization will always be as regular, simple, and as symmetric as possible, governs all Gestalt principles

101
Q

Distal stimuli

A

Stimuli that originate outside of the body

102
Q

Proximal stimuli

A

Directly interact with and affect the sensory receptors, and inform the observer about the presence of distal stimuli

103
Q

Psychophysics

A

Studies the relationship between physical nature stimuli in the sensations and perceptions that evoke

104
Q

Subliminal perception

A

Refers to the perception of a stimulus below a given threshold, usually the threshold of conscious perception

105
Q

Discrimination testing

A

aka psychophysical discriminating testing, tests thresholds of conscious perception

106
Q

Signal detection experiments

A

Use catch trials and noise trials, for outcomes include hits, misses, false alarms, and correct negatives

107
Q

Catch trials

A

Trial of a signal detection experiment, the signal is actually presented

108
Q

Noise trials

A

Trial of a signal detection experiment, the signal is not presented

109
Q

Hits

A

When a subject correctly identifies a catch trial

110
Q

Misses

A

When is subject incorrectly misses a catch trial

111
Q

False alarms

A

When is subject incorrectly assumes the signal was presented

112
Q

Correct negatives

A

When is subject to correctly identifies a noise trial

113
Q

Choroidal vessels

A

A complex intermingling of blood vessels between the sclera and the retina, provide the eye with nutrients

114
Q

Eye nutrients

A

From the choroidal vessels and the retinal vessels

115
Q

Retinal vessels

A

Provide the eye with nutrients

116
Q

Ciliary body

A

Produces aqueous humor, part of it is the ciliary muscle

117
Q

Accommodation vision

A

When the ciliary muscle contracts under parasympathetic control and pulls on the suspensory ligaments to change the shape of the lens

118
Q

Duplexity

A

aka duplicity theory of vision, states that the retina is composed of two kinds of photoreceptors: cones and rods

119
Q

Duplicity theory of vision

A

aka duplexity, states that the retina is composed of two kinds of photoreceptors: cones and rods

120
Q

Rhodopsin

A

Pigment found in rods

121
Q

Superior colliculus

A

Vision also routed here, controls some responses to visual stimuli and reflexive eye movements

122
Q

Feature detection

A

Similar idea to parallel processing in neuroscience

123
Q

Vestibular sense

A

Senses rotational and linear acceleration

124
Q

Ear

A

Complex organ responsible for hearing and vestibular sense

125
Q

Perilymph

A

Thin layer of fluid that suspends the membranous labyrinth within the bony labyrinth, simultaneously transmits vibrations from the outside world and cushions the inner ear structures

126
Q

Endolymph

A

Potassium rich fluid that bathes the membranous membrane

127
Q

Cochlea middle scala

A

aka the organ of Corti, the actual hearing apparatus, rests on the basilar membrane, composed of thousands of hair cells bathed in endolymph, above is the tectorial membrane

128
Q

Cochlea outside scala

A

Filled with perilymph, surround the hearing apparatus and are continuous with the oval and round windows of the cochlea

129
Q

Basilar membrane

A

Thin, flexible membrane where the organ of Corti (or middle scala) rests

130
Q

Organ of Corti

A

aka the cochlea middle scala, the actual hearing apparatus, rests on the basilar membrane, composed of thousands of hair cells bathed in endolymph, above is the tectorial membrane, stereocilia on hair cells sway back in forth because of sound vibrations, this opens ion channels, which generates an electrical signal

131
Q

Tectorial membrane

A

Relatively immobile membrane on the top of the organ of corti/middle scala, hair cells directly connected to this membrane are involved in sound amplification

132
Q

Round window

A

A membrane covered hole in the cochlea, permits the perilymph to actually move within the cochlea

133
Q

Hair cells

A

Receptors in the auditory system capable of generating electrical signals, covered in stereocilia on their top surface

134
Q

Stereocilia

A

On the top surface on of hair cells, sways in response to sound vibrations

135
Q

Vestibule

A

Portion of the bony labyrinth that contains the utricle and saccule

136
Q

Ampulla

A

Swellings at the ends of semicircular canals where the hair cells are located

137
Q

Place theory

A

States that the location of a hair cell on the basilar membrane determines the perception of pitch when that hair cell is vibrated

138
Q

Tonotopical

A

The way in which the cochlea is organized, means that which hair cells are vibrating gives the brain an indication of the pitch of the sound

139
Q

Taste pathway

A

Starts at taste buds, travels to taste center in the thalamus, travels then to higher-order brain regions

140
Q

Taste center

A

Part of the thalamus with the job of routing taste signals

141
Q

Pacinian corpuscles

A

Responds to deep pressure and vibration

142
Q

Meissner corpuscles

A

Responds to light touch

143
Q

Merkel cells (discs)

A

Respond to deep pressure and texture

144
Q

Ruffini endings

A

Respond to stretch

145
Q

Free nerve endings

A

Respond to pain and temperature

146
Q

Somatosensation pathway

A

Transduction in the receptors, signal travels to CNS and eventually to the somatosensory cortex

147
Q

Somatosensory cortex

A

Within the parietal lobe, where somatosensory information is processed

148
Q

Depth perception

A

Can rely on both monocular and binocular cutes

149
Q

Monocular cues

A

Involves one eye, include the relative size of objects, partial obscuring of the object by another, the convergence of parallel lines at a distance, position of an object in the visual field, and lighting and shadowing

150
Q

Binocular cues

A

Include two eyes and the slight differences in images projected on the two retinas and the angle required between the two eyes to bring an object into focus

151
Q

Form determination

A

Usually determined through parallel processing in feature detection

152
Q

Constancy

A

Refers to the idea that we perceive certain characteristics of objects to remain the same, despite differences in the environment

MCAT (67 decks)

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