Brain And Perception 1 Flashcards
How Many Senses do we Have?
1.Vision
2.Audition (hearing)
3.Touch
4.Taste
5.Smell
6.Proprioception/ Vestibular perception
Features of All Sensory Systems
energy into electricity/ require neurons/ have receptive field/ Sensory neurons react to environmental stimuli by
firing action potential/ create a sensory relay
Principles of sensation
1.Hierarchical organisation
2.Functional segregation
3. Parallel processing
4.Multisensory integration
Hierarchical organisation - principles of sensation
processing becomes more complex & specific the further up the sensory pathways we go
Functional Segregation - principles of sensation
Primary, secondary, and association cortex take care of different functions across all senses
Parallel Processing - principles of sensation
Signals are processed in parallel across multiple pathways – some pathways are in consciousness, some are not
Multisensory Integration - principles of sensation
Our brain can integrate information across two or more sensory systems
Sensation
the process of detecting the presence of stimuli
Perception
the higher-order process of integrating, recognising and interpreting complete patters of sensations
Visual sensation
Humans are vision-dominant.
Vision involves converting light energy into electricity for the brain to comprehend.
Humans can process lightwaves with a wavelength of 380-760nm.
Association Cortex
The association cortex, distributed across many brain parts, has its largest single section situated in the parietal lobe.
Secondary Visual Cortex
The secondary visual cortex consists of two areas, one surrounding the primary visual cortex in the occipital lobe and another in the temporal lobe.
Primary Visual Cortex
The primary visual cortex, responsible for initial visual processing, is located in the occipital lobe.
Brain Areas and Vision
Areas of the brain associated with vision are the occipital lobe (primary role), as well as the temporal and parietal lobes.
Vision Dominance
Humans are vision-dominant.
Vision Process
Vision involves converting light energy into electricity for the brain to understand.
Light Processing Range
Humans can process lightwaves with a wavelength of 380-760nm.
Cortical Neurons and Visual Field
Each point in your visual field has a corresponding cortical neuron that fires only when something appears in its visual field.
Pupil Adjustment
The pupil adjusts to the amount of light in the environment. In bright conditions, it constricts, providing great acuity (detail). In dim conditions, it dilates, resulting in lower acuity
Accomadation
The lens, situated behind the pupil, focuses light onto the retina through a process called accommodation.
Depth Perception
Allows us to perceive depth through binocular disparity. Monocular cues provide information about size and shape in depth perception.
Binocular Vision
Binocular vision compares input from both eyes to create the perception of depth, known as stereopsis.
Shape Constancy
Shape constancy enables seeing an object with a constant shape from different angles. Both eyes contribute, recognizing a single shape and creating stereopsis—the impression of depth.
How is depth perceived
Depth is perceived when visual stimuli from each eye are compared binocularly, using both eyes to assess factors such as distance, size, or shape.