chapter 1: intro to perception Flashcards
what are the seven steps of perceptual process
- distal stimuli
- proximal stimuli
- receptor processes
- neural processing
- perception
- recognition
- action
what is the difference between distal and proximal stimuli in the perceptual process
distal stimuli: external stimuli in the environment
proximal: when stimuli get in contact with sensory receptors
define the principle of transformation
stimuli and responses created by stimuli are transformed, or changed, between the distal stimulus and perception
define the principle of representation
everything a person perceives is based not on direct contact with stimuli but on representations of stimuli that are formed on the receptors and the resulting activity in the person’s NS
what are sensory receptors
cells specialized to respond to environmental energy, with each sensory system’s receptors specialized to respond to a specific type of energy
what are the two things that happen after sensory receptors receive info from the environment
- transduction: transformation of environmental energy to electrical energy
- shape perception
what happens during neural processing
- signals are transmitted from receptors to brain
- signals are processed as they are transmitted
in which lobes are located the primary receiving areas for the sensory systems:
- vision
- hearing
- touch
vision: occipital
hearing: temporal
touch: parietal
differentiate between perception, recognition and action
perception: electrical signals transformed into a conscious experience
recognition: placing an object into a category
action: motor activity in response to the stimulus
what is the rat-man demonstration
prior knowledge can influence perception
- if you see the rat-like picture first, you’re more likely to see the rat
- if you see the man-like picture first, you’re more likely to see the man
what is the ability to categorize
place objects into categories
name the three relationships found in the perceptual process
- stimulus-behavior
- stimulus-physiology
- physiology-behavior
what are psychophysics
approach that measures the relationship between the physical and psychological
what is the oblique effect
people see vertical or horizontal lines better than lines oriented obliquely
explain how the oblique effect was used in research to demonstrate the relationship between stimulus/behavior/physiology
S-B: lines would get thinner and thinner until Ps couldn’t tell its orientation anymore
- grating acuity
S-P: brain’s response to vertical/horizontal lines were increased compared to oblique lines
B-P: Ps could detect orientations in smaller light-dark diff in hor/ver lines meaning they’re more sensitive to hor/vert lines
