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Behavioral Sciences > Chapter 2 - Sensation and Perception > Flashcards

Chapter 2 - Sensation and Perception Flashcards

1
Q

Sensation

A

Aligns with transduction; taking the physical, electromagnetic, auditory, and other information from our internal and external environment and converting this information into electrical signals in the nervous system
- Receptors in PNS
- Raw signals

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2
Q

Perception

A

Processing information within the CNS in order to make sense of the information’s significance

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3
Q

Sensory Receptors

A

Neurons that respond to stimuli by triggering electrical signals that carry information to CNS

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4
Q

Distal Stimuli

A

Physical objects outside the body
- Produce photons, sound waves, heat, pressure…

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5
Q

Proximal Stimuli

A

Sensory-stimulating byproducts

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6
Q

Psychophysics

A

Relationship between the physical nature of stimuli and the sensations and perceptions these stimuli evoke

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7
Q

Ganglia

A

Collections of neuron cell bodies found outside CNS

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8
Q

Photoreceptor

A

Respond to electromagnetic waves in the visible spectrum

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9
Q

Mechanoreceptor

A

Respond to pressure or movement

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10
Q

Nocioceptors

A

Respond to painful or noxious stimuli

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11
Q

Thermoreceptors

A

Respond to changes in temperature

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12
Q

Osmoreceptors

A

Respond to osmolarity of the blood

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13
Q

Olfactory Receptors

A

Respond to volatile compounds

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14
Q

Taste Receptors

A

Respond to dissolved compounds

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15
Q

Thresholds

A

Minimum amount of a stimulus that renders a difference in perception

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16
Q

Absolute Threshold

A

Minimum of stimulus energy that is needed to activate a sensory system
- Threshold in sensation

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17
Q

Threshold of Conscious Perception

A

Level of intensity a stimulus must pass in order to be consciously perceived by the brain

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18
Q

Difference Threshold

A

Minimum change in magnitude required for an observer to perceive that 2 stimuli are different

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19
Q

Subliminal Perception

A

Information received by the CNS but does not cross the threshold

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20
Q

Weber’s Law

A

Difference thresholds are proportional and must be computed as percentages

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21
Q

Signal Detection Theory

A

Studies how internal and external factors influence thresholds of sensation and perception

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22
Q

Sclera

A

Thick strucutral layer covering the exposed portion of the eye
- white of the eye

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23
Q

Choroidal Vessels

A

complex intermingling of blood vessels between sclera and retina

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24
Q

Retina

A

Innermost layer of the eye which contains photreceptors that transduce light into electrical information

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25
Cornea
clear, dome-like window in the front of the eye - Gathers and focuses incoming light
26
Anterior chamber
Chamber in front of the iris
27
Posterior chamber
Chamber between the iris and the lens
28
Iris
colored part of the eye
29
Dilator Pupillae
opens pupil under sympathetic
30
Constrictor Pupillae
Constrics pupil under parasympathetic
31
Choroid
Vascular layer of connective tissue that surrounds and provides nourishment to the retina
32
Ciliary Body
produces aqueous humor
33
Aqueous Humor
Bathes front part of the eye
34
Lens
Lies behind the iris and helps control refraction of incoming light
35
Vitreous Humor
Transparent gel that supports the retina
36
Cones
Color vision and fine details - short (s, blue) - medium (m, green) - Long (l, red)
37
Rods
Reduced illumination; light and dark - pigment rhodospin
38
Macula
Central section of retina with a high # of cones
39
Fovea
Centermost region of macula - only cones
40
Bipolar Cells
Highlight gradients between adjacent rods or cones
41
Ganglion cells
Axons form optic nerve
42
Amacrine and Horizontal Cells
Receive input from multiple retinal cells in the same area before info is passed on to ganglion cells - Accentuate differences between visual info in each bipolar cells
43
Visual Pathway
Retina ---> optic nerve ---> optic chiasm ---> optic tract ---> LGN of thalamus ---> optic radiations ---> visual cortical areas
44
Visual Parallel Processing
Brain's ability to analyze information regarding color, form, motion, and depth simultaneously
45
Parvocellular cells
Analyze form - High color spatial resolution (fine detail) - Low temporal resolution (stationary or slow-moving)
46
Magnocellular cells
Analyze motion - High temporal, low spatial resolution
47
Binocular Neurons
Analyze depth - Compare inputs to each hemisphere
48
Feature Detectors
Detects particular, individual feature of an object in the visual field
49
Vestibular Sense
Ability to detect both rotational and linear acceleration and to use this information to inform our sense of balance and spatial orientation
50
Ear is divided into 3 parts :
Outer, middle, and inner
51
Pinna/Auricle
Channel sound waves to external auditory canal
52
Tympanic Membrane (Ear drum)
Vibrates in phase with incoming sound waves - Divides outer and middle ear
53
Ossicles
Transmit and amplify vibrations from tympanic membrane to inner ear
54
3 bones of middle ear
Malleus (hammer, Incus (anvil), and Stapes (stirrup)
55
Oval window
Entrance to inner ear
56
Eustachian Tube
Helps equalize pressure between the middle ear and the environment
57
Bony Labyrinth
Hollow region of the temporal bone containing the cochlea, vestibule, and semicircular canals
58
Membranous Labyrinth
Contains receptors for equilibrium and hearing
59
Endolymph
Potassium-rich fluid
60
Perilymph
Simultaneously transmits vibrations from outside world and cushions inner ear
61
Cochlea
Spiral-shaped organ that contains receptors for hearing
62
Organ of Corti
Hearing apparatus - Rests on basilar membrane
63
Vestibule
Portion of the bony labyrinth that contains utricle and saccule
64
Semicircular Canals
Sensitive to rotational acceleration - End in ampullas
65
Place Theory
The location of a hair cell on the basilar membrane determines the perception of pitch when that hair cell is vibrated - High frequency ---> close to oval window - Low frequency ---> Away from oval window
66
Tonotopic
Which hair cells are vibrating gives brain indication of the pitch of sound
67
Smell
Chemical sense; Responds to volatile or aerosolized compounds
68
Olfactory pathway
Nasal passages ---> olfactory nerves ---> olfactory bulb ---> olfactory tract ---> brain (limbic system)
69
Chemoreceptors
Detect taste, sensitive to dissolved compounds
70
Taste buds
Receptors for taste located on papillae of tongue
71
Taste Pathway
Taste buds ---> brainstem ---> taste center in thalamus ---> brain
72
Pacinian corpuscles
Deep pressure and vibration
73
Meissner Corpuscles
Light touch
74
Merkel Cells (discs)
Deep pressure, texture
74
Ruffini endings
Stretch
75
Free nerve endings
Pain and temperature
76
Sensory pathway
Transduction in receptors ---> CNS ---> somatosensory cortex in parietal lobe
77
Two-point Threshold
Minimum distance necessary between 2 points of stimulation on the skin such that the points will be felts as 2 distinct stimuli
78
Gate theory of pain
A special "gating" mechanism can turn pain signals on or off
79
Proprioception
Ability to tell where one's body is in space
80
Proprioceptors
receptors fro kinesthetic sense
81
Bottom-up Processing
Object recognition by parallel processing and feature detection - Cohesive image before determining object - Data driven
82
Top-down Processing
Recognize whole object then their components based on expectations - Conceptually driven
83
Perceptual Organization
Ability to create a complete picture or idea by combining top-down and bottom-up processing with all other sensory clues
84
Monocular cues
Visual cues that only require one eye
85
Relative size
Objects appear larger the closer they are
86
Interposition
When 2 objects overlap, the one in front is closer
87
Linear perspective
Convergence of parallel lines at a distance : greater convergence, further the distance
88
Motion Parallax
Objects closer to us seem to move faster when we change our field of vision
89
Retinal Disparity
The slight difference in images projected on 2 retinas
90
Convergence
Brain detects the angle between the 2 eyes required to bring an object to focus
91
Constancy
Ability to perceive that certain characteristics of objects remain the same despite changes in environment
92
Gestalt principles Pic
Set of general rules that account for the fact that the brain tends to view incomplete stimuli in organzied, patterned ways
93
Law of proximity
Elements close to one another tend to be perceived as a unit
94
Law of Similarity
Objects that are similar tend to be grouped together
95
Law of Good Continuation
Elements that appear to follow in the same pathway tend to be grouped together
96
Subjective Contours
Perceiving contours, and shapes, that are not actually present in stimulus
97
Law of Closure
When space is enclosed by contour, space tends to be perceived as complete figure
98
Law of Pragnaz
Perceptual organization will always be as regular, simple, and symmetric as possible

Behavioral Sciences (13 decks)

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