Ch. 4 - Sensation and Perception Flashcards

1
Q

Absolute threshold

A

The minimum amount of stimulation that an organism can detect for a specific type of sensory input.

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2
Q

Adaptation

A

An inherited characteristic that increased in a population (through natural selection) because it helped solve a problem of survival or reproduction during the time it emerged.

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3
Q

Additive color mixing

A

Formation of colors by superimposing lights, putting more light in the mixture than exists in any one light by itself.

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4
Q

Afterimage

A

A visual image that persists after a stimulus is removed.

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5
Q

Binocular depth cues

A

Clues about distance based on the differing views of the two eyes.

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6
Q

Bottom-up processing

A

In form perception, progression from individual elements to the whole.

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7
Q

Cochlea

A

The fluid-filled, coiled tunnel in the inner ear that contains the receptors for hearing.

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8
Q

Color blindness

A

Deficiency in the ability to distinguish among colors.

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9
Q

Complementary colors

A

Pairs of colors that produce gray tones when added together.

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10
Q

Cones

A

Specialized visual receptors that play a key role in daylight vision and color vision.

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11
Q

Convergence

A

A cue to depth that involves sensing the eyes converging toward each other as they focus on closer objects.

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12
Q

Dark adaptation

A

The process in which the eyes become more sensitive to light in low illumination.

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13
Q

Depth perception

A

Interpretation of visual cues that indicate how near or far away objects are.

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14
Q

Farsightedness

A

A vision deficiency in which distant objects are seen clearly but close objects appear blurry.

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15
Q

Feature analysis

A

The process of detecting specific elements in visual input and assembling them into a more complex form.

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16
Q

Feature detectors

A

Neurons that respond selectively to very specific features of more complex stimuli.

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17
Q

Fovea

A

A tiny spot in the center of the retina that contains only cones; visual acuity is greatest at this spot.

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18
Q

Gustatory system

A

The sensory system for taste.

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19
Q

Impossible figures

A

Objects that can be represented in two-dimensional pictures but cannot exist in three-dimensional space.

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20
Q

Inattentional blindness

A

Failure to see visible objects or events because one’s attention is focused elsewhere.

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21
Q

Just noticeable difference (JND)

A

The smallest difference in the amount of stimulation that a specific sense can detect.

22
Q

Lens

A

The transparent eye structure that focuses the light rays falling on the retina.

23
Q

Light adaptation

A

The process whereby the eyes become less sensitive to light in high illumination.

24
Q

Monocular depth cues

A

Clues about distance based on the image from either eye alone.

25
Q

Nearsightedness

A

A vision deficiency in which close objects are seen clearly but distant objects appear blurry.

26
Q

Olfactory system

A

The sensory system for smell.

27
Q

Optic chiasm

A

The point at which the optic nerves from the inside half of each eye cross over and then project to the opposite half of the brain.

28
Q

Optic disk

A

A hole in the retina where the optic nerve fibers exit the eye.

29
Q

Perception

A

The selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory input.

30
Q

Perceptual constancy

A

A tendency to experience a stable perception in the face of continually changing sensory input.

31
Q

Perceptual hypothesis

A

An inference about which distal stimuli could be responsible for the proximal stimuli sensed.

32
Q

Perceptual set

A

A readiness to perceive a stimulus in a particular way.

33
Q

Phi phenomenon

A

The illusion of movement created by presenting visual stimuli in rapid succession.

34
Q

Pictorial depth cues

A

Clues about distance that can be given in a flat picture.

35
Q

Prosopagnosia

A

A cognitive disorder of face perception where the ability to recognize faces is impaired.

36
Q

Psychophysics

A

The study of how physical stimuli are translated into psychological experience.

37
Q

Pupil

A

The opening in the center of the iris that helps regulate the amount of light passing into the rear chamber of the eye.

38
Q

Receptive field

A

The retinal area that, when stimulated, affects the firing of that cell.

39
Q

Retina

A

The neural tissue lining the inside back surface of the eye; it absorbs light, processes images, and sends visual information to the brain.

40
Q

Retinal disparity

A

A cue to the depth based on the fact that objects within 25 feet project images to slightly different locations on the left and right retinas, so the right and left eyes see slightly different views of the object.

41
Q

Reversible figure

A

A drawing that is compatible with two different interpretations that can shift back and forth.

42
Q

Rods

A

Specialized visual receptors that play a key role in night vision and peripheral vision.

43
Q

Sensation

A

The stimulation of sense organs.

44
Q

Sensory adaptation

A

A gradual decline in sensitivity to prolonged stimulation.

45
Q

Subjective contours

A

The perception of contrours where none actually exist.

46
Q

Subliminal perception

A

The registration of sensory input without conscious awareness.

47
Q

Subtractive color mixing

A

Formation of colors by removing some wavelengths of light, leaving less light than was originally there.

48
Q

Tactile system

A

The sensory system for touch.

49
Q

Top-down processing

A

In form perception, a progression from the whole to the elements.

50
Q

Visual agnosia

A

An inability to recognize objects.

51
Q

Visual illusion

A

An apparently inexplicable discrepancy between the appearance of a visual stimulus and its physical reality.