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Behavioral Science MCAT 2025 > CHAP 2 Sensation and Perception > Flashcards

CHAP 2 Sensation and Perception Flashcards

1
Q

What is the primary difference between sensation and perception?

A

Sensation is the conversion of physical stimuli into electrical signals; perception is the processing of these signals to understand their significance.

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2
Q

What are sensory receptors?

A

Nerves that respond to stimuli and trigger electrical signals.

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3
Q

What are sensory neurons associated with?

A

Sensory ganglia, which are collections of cell bodies outside the central nervous system.

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4
Q

What do projection areas in the brain do?

A

Further analyze the sensory input.

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5
Q

Name some common sensory receptors.

A
  • Photoreceptors
  • Hair cells
  • Nociceptors
  • Thermoreceptors
  • Osmoreceptors
  • Olfactory receptors
  • Taste receptors
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6
Q

What is a threshold in sensory perception?

A

The minimum stimulus that causes a change in signal transduction.

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7
Q

Define absolute threshold.

A

The minimum amount of stimulus energy needed to activate a sensory system.

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8
Q

What is the threshold of conscious perception?

A

The minimum stimulus energy that creates a signal large enough and long enough to be brought into awareness.

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9
Q

What is the difference threshold or just-noticeable difference (jnd)?

A

The minimum difference in magnitude between two stimuli before one can perceive this difference.

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10
Q

State Weber’s law.

A

The jnd for a stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the stimulus, and this proportion is constant over most of the range of possible stimuli.

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11
Q

What does signal detection theory examine?

A

The effects of nonsensory factors like experiences, motives, and expectations on the perception of stimuli.

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12
Q

What are the four possible outcomes in a signal detection experiment?

A
  • Hits
  • Misses
  • False alarms
  • Correct negatives
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13
Q

What does adaptation refer to in sensory perception?

A

A decrease in response to a stimulus over time.

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14
Q

Fill in the blank: Sensation is the conversion of physical, electromagnetic, and other information into _______.

A

[electrical signals in the nervous system]

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15
Q

True or False: The absolute threshold is the same as the difference threshold.

A

False

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16
Q

What is the primary function of the eye?

A

To detect light in the form of photons

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17
Q

What role does the cornea play in vision?

A

Gathers and filters incoming light

18
Q

What two muscles are contained in the iris?

A
  • Dilator pupillae
  • Constrictor pupillae
19
Q

What is the function of the lens in the eye?

A

Refracts incoming light to focus it on the retina

20
Q

What holds the lens in place?

A

Suspensory ligaments connected to the ciliary muscle

21
Q

What does the ciliary body produce?

A

Aqueous humor

22
Q

Where does aqueous humor drain?

A

Through the canal of Schlemm

23
Q

What are the two types of photoreceptor cells in the retina?

A
  • Rods
  • Cones
24
Q

What do rods detect?

A

Light and dark

25
Q

What are the three forms of cones and what do they detect?

A
  • Short-wavelength
  • Medium-wavelength
  • Long-wavelength
26
Q

What is the macula and what does it contain?

A

A region in the retina that contains mostly cones

27
Q

What is the fovea?

A

The center of the macula that contains only cones

28
Q

What is the sequence of cells that signals in the retina?

A
  • Rods and cones synapse on bipolar cells
  • Bipolar cells synapse on ganglion cells
29
Q

What are the functions of horizontal and amacrine cells in the retina?

A

Integration of signals from ganglion cells and edge-sharpening

30
Q

What supports the bulk of the eye?

A
  • Vitreous (inside)
  • Sclera and choroid (outside)
31
Q

What is the visual pathway from the eye to the visual cortex?

A
  • Eye
  • Optic nerves
  • Optic chiasm
  • Optic tracts
  • Lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)
  • Visual radiations
  • Visual cortex
32
Q

What is the function of the optic chiasm?

A

Contains fibers crossing from the nasal side of the retina

33
Q

Where is the visual cortex located?

A

In the occipital lobe

34
Q

What is parallel processing in the context of vision?

A

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

35
Q

Which type of cells detect color?

A

Cones

36
Q

Which type of cells detect form?

A

Parvocellular cells

37
Q

What are the characteristics of parvocellular cells?

A
  • High spatial resolution
  • Low temporal resolution
38
Q

Which type of cells detect motion?

A

Magnocellular cells

39
Q

What are the characteristics of magnocellular cells?

A
  • Low spatial resolution
  • High temporal resolution
40
Q

How is depth detected in vision?

A

By binocular neurons

Behavioral Science MCAT 2025 (12 decks)

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