Ch 6 Definitions: Vision Flashcards
transduction
the transformation of sensory information into neural signals
sensation
the process of obtaining information about the environment & transmitting it to the brain for processing
perception
the process of interpreting sensory signals sent to the brain
attention
a narrow focus of consciousness
bottom-up processing
the combining of simpler meanings to construct more complex meanings
top-down processing
the use of knowledge & expectation to interpret meanings
electromagnetic radiation
radiation emitted in the form of energy waves
wavelength
the distance between peaks of a wave; determines color in visible light
amplitude
the height of a wave; in vision, the source of the subjective experience of brightness
photons
individual, indivisible, very small particles that form waves of electromagnetic energy
nanometers
a unit of measurement equaling 10^-9m
used to measure light wave frequency
absorption
the ability to retain something rather than reflect or transmit it to another location
reflection
the bending back of light towards its source
refract
the deflection, or changing of direction, of light at a boundary such as that between air & water
orbit
the bony opening in the skull that houses the eyeball
blink
a rapid closing of the eyelids
sclera
the white outer covering of the eye
cornea
the transparent outer layer of the eye
anterior chamber
the area of the eye located directly behind the cornea, containing aqueous humor
aqueous humor
the fluid located in the anterior chamber that nourishes the cornea & lens
pupil
the opening in the front of the eye controlled by the iris
iris
the circular muscle in the front of the eye that controls the opening of the pupil
lens
the clear structure behind the pupil & iris that focuses light on the retina
accommodation
the ability of the lens to change shape to adjust to the distance of the visual stimulus