chapter 1

Question 1

perceptual process

Answer 1

steps leading from a stimulus to a response

Question 2

7 steps of the perceptual process

Answer 2

1. stimulus in the environment
2. stimulus hits receptors
3. receptor processes
4. neural processing
5. perception
6. recognition (goes both ways with perception)
7. action (goes both ways with recognition)

Question 3

distal stimulus

Answer 3

stimulus in the environment - ex a tree

Question 4

proximal stimulus

Answer 4

is the result of the distal stimulus hitting receptors - is an internal representation of the distal stimulus
ex our perception of a tree isn’t based on getting it in our eye, its based on the light reflected from the tree entering the eye and reaching visual receptos

Question 5

principle of transformation

Answer 5

stimuli and responses created by stimuli are transformed, or changed, between the distal stimulus and perception

Question 6

principle of representation

Answer 6

everything we perceive is based on representations of stimuli formed on receptors and activity of our nervous system, not direct contact with stimuli

Question 7

steps 1 and 2

Answer 7

distal stimuli becomes proximal through transformation and representation

Question 8

step 3 receptor processes

Answer 8

sensory receptors transform environmental energy into electrical energy (transduction) and shape perception by the way they respond to different properties of the stimuli

Question 9

step 4 neural processing

Answer 9

neurons transmit signals from receptors to and within the brain and change (or process) these signals as they are transmitted

Question 10

frontal lobe and perception

Answer 10

receives signals from all senses - plays a role in perceptions that involve coordination of information received through two or more sense

Question 11

step 5 perception

Answer 11

conscious awareness

Question 12

step 6 recognition

Answer 12

placing an object in a category that gives it meaning

Question 13

step 7 action

Answer 13

motor activities in response to the stimulus

Question 14

three major components of the perceptual process (simplified)

Answer 14

stimulus, physiology, behaviour

Question 15

stimulus behaviour relationship

Answer 15

relates stimuli to behavioural responses like perception, recognition, and action

Question 16

psychophysics

Answer 16

method used to study stimulus behaviour relationship - measures relationships between stimulus and behaviour - ex oblique effect

Question 17

oblique effect

Answer 17

people have an easier time detecting gratings oriented vertically or horizontally as opposed to obliquely

Question 18

stimulus physiology relationship

Answer 18

relationship between stimuli and physiological responses, like neurons firing

Question 19

physiology behaviour relationship

Answer 19

physiological responses and behavioural responses

Question 20

absolute threshold

Answer 20

smallest stimulus level that can just be detected

Question 21

method of limits

Answer 21

measures a persons threshold - stimuli are presented in either ascending or descending order, person makes a judgement on whether or not they can identify them

Question 22

crossover point

Answer 22

change from detection to no detection (yes to no) - threshold comes from the average of all the crossover points taken from all the replications of the procedure

Question 23

method of constant stimuli

Answer 23

stimuli presented one at a time but in random order of intensity - most accurate

Question 24

method of adjustment

Answer 24

participant, rather than experimenter, adjusts the stimulus intensity - fastest

Question 25

difference threshold

Answer 25

smallest difference between two stimuli that enables us to tell the difference between them

Question 26

what are three ways to measure perceptual abilities

Answer 26

magnitude estimation, recognition testing and reaction time

Question 27

hard problem

Answer 27

how do the physical dimensions of the world turn into psychological experiences?

Question 28

what is perception?

Answer 28

the psychological dimension of experience - things like pitch, brightness, loudness, as opposed to sound waves, light, food particles

Question 29

knowledge

Answer 29

any information the perceiver brings to a situation - prior experience and expectations

Question 30

materialism/physicalism

Answer 30

there is no mind - everything is physical

Question 31

stimulus behaviour/perception relationship example oblique effect

Answer 31

measuring grating acuity - stimulus is oriented gratings and behavioural response is detecting it the grating’s orientation (and in turn detecting the lines)

Question 32

grating acuity

Answer 32

the smallest width of lines participants can detect

Question 33

stimulus physiology relationship- oblique effect

Answer 33

measuring grating acuity by looking at physiological responses of the brain (using metabolism and blood flow to record neuronal activity) in response to different orientations

Question 34

physiological behaviour/perception relationship - oblique effect

Answer 34

measuring grating acuity through measuring perception/detection and physiological responses - measured in same participants = more direct assessment of physiology behaviour relationship

Question 35

classical psychophysical methods

Answer 35

methods for measuring stimulus behaviour relationships using psychophysics

fechner - measures thresholds
- method of limits
- method of constant stimuli
- method of adjustment

Question 36

magnitude estimation and the power function

Answer 36

measures how stimulus intensity affects our estimations of its magnitude

Question 37

method for magnitude estimation

Answer 37

a standard stimulus gets assigned a value - participants are presented with varying intensities of the stimulus and rate it in proportion to the standard

Question 38

recognition test

Question 39

why is it important to make the distinction between the physical and the perceptual

Answer 39

because there isn’t a one-to-one relationship - our perceptual response to stimuli doesn’t line up exactly with physical intensity - there are also lots of physical things that exist that we can’t perceive