Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Berkeley MCAT Psychology > Chapter 2 - The Human Senses > Flashcards

Chapter 2 - The Human Senses Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
MCAT flashcards Psychology 101 flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards AP® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

Absolute Threshold

A

the point at which energy from a stimulus becomes detectable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Difference Threshold

A

the minimum change in stimulus intensity needed for us to notice at least 50% of the time that a change has occurred

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Weber’s Law

A

the magnitude of a just noticeable difference is proportional to the intensity of the original stimulus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Signal Detection Theory

A

the detection of a stimulus depends not only on the intensity of that stimulus, but also the physical and psychological state of the individual

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Phasic (rapidly-adapting) Receptors

A

respond quickly and entirely to a stimulus, but stop responding even if the stimulus remains constant

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Tonic (slowly-adapting) Receptors

A

respond gradually to a stimulus and provide a continuous signal for the entire duration of the stimulus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Exteroceptors

A

located close to the body’s surface and are specialized to detect external stimuli (tactile, gustatory, visual, olfactory, and auditory)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Interoceptors

A

located within internal organs and are specialized to detect sensory info concerning the body’s internal environment (BP, pH, gas conc.)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Proprioceptors

A

located in joints, muscles, tendons, and vestibular structures of the inner ear; detect specific movement and positioning required for spatial reasoning and balance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Top-down Processing

A

the use of previous knowledge and contextual information in pattern recognition (explains why it is easier to understand messy handwriting when reading a sentence rather than a single word)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Bottom-up Processing

A

perception begins with the stimulus itself, using bits and pieces of sensory information to generate a larger picture (data-driven processing–hearing a big, seeing bug, then swatting bug)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Monocular Cues

A

2D cues that one eye can detect, include perceptions based on relative size, interposition, texture, shading, and height

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Binocular Cues

A

simultaneous input from both eyes and are more powerful interpreters of depth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Retinal Disparity (Binocular Disparity)

A

the difference in retinal images due to our eyes being 2.5 inches apart, so each eye receives slightly different info depending on its particular viewing angle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Convergence

A

shapes our perception of depth based on muscular feedback involved with eye rotation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Motion Parallax

A

explains why we perceive fast-moving objects to be closer than slow-moving objects

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Phi Phenomenon

A

apparent motion caused by the rapid succession of stationary stimuli

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Perceptual Constancy

A

the tendency to recognize familiar objects as having the same properties despite changes in their lighting, distance, or angle of perspective (top-down)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Color Constancy

A

allows recognition and perception of the color of an object as remaining relatively unchanged under different viewing or illumination conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Size Constancy

A

allows perception of an object’s true size despite its appearing to be larger or smaller, depending on changes in proximity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Shape Constancy

A

allows perception of an object’s true shape despite its being distorted by different viewing angles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Gestalt Principles

A

similarity (perceive similar stimuli to be a part of the same object, and to group them), proximity (perceive stimuli that are close to one another to be a part of the same object), continuity (affinity for spotting patterns and ability to differentiate between overlapping stimuli), and closure (mind’s inclination to recognize complete figures and fill in gaps, even if a pic is incomplete)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Cornea

A

transparent and protective membrane that functions as an outer lens, bending light to provide roughly 70% of the eye’s total focusing power

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Pupil

A

opening of adjustable diameter that is regulated by surrounding contractile tissue (iris)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Iris

A

colored muscle that constricts or dilates to maintain a balance between visual acuity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Retina

A

multi-layered, light-sensitive tissue that lines inner surface of the eye (similar to biconvex lens, eye’s lens focuses an image onto the retina that is smaller, inverted, and left-right reversed compared to the viewed object)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Ciliary Muscles

A

suspensory ligaments holding the lens in place to apply adjustable increments of tension necessary for focus (focusing on distance = relax, causing ligaments to become taut to flatten the lens to increase focal distance)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Sclera

A

visible, white portion of eye, fibrous, protective layer that covers the eye and provides rigidity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Aqueous Humor

A

a gelatinous fluid that maintain the intraocular pressure of the eye, supplies nutrients, and removes debris

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Vitreous Humor

A

gelatinous fluid found behind the lens, in the vitreous chamber, maintains eye’s shape and keeps retina in place by pressing it to the choroid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Choroid

A

a layer of connective tissue and blood vessels that nourishes the posterior structures of the eye

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Extraocular Muscles

A

control gross eye movement and eyelid elevation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Amacrine Cells and Horizontal Cells

A

synapse across the other neurons to communicate laterally and coordinate sensory input

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Bipolar Cells

A

relays inhibitory or excitatory responses to retinal ganglion cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Retinal Ganglion Cells

A

exit retina via optic nerve and carry visual sensory info to the brain

36
Q

Photoreceptor Cells

A

activated by light, a biochemical cascade results in decreased glutamate release to affect activity of bipolar cells

37
Q

Blind Spot

A

axon of each retinal ganglion cell exits thru the same point (optic nerve) there’s simply no room for photoreceptors in this region

38
Q

Fovea

A

an indentation at the center of the retina, which helps minimize distortion of light

39
Q

Cones

A

color vision

40
Q

Rods

A

peripheral vision, contrast and edge perception, and nighttime vision

41
Q

Photopic Vision

A

caused by cones, occurs under conditions of high illumination and generated colored perceptions with high acuity

42
Q

Trichromatic Theory of Color Vision

A

three types of cones, each with different spectral sensitivity–about 60% of cones are sensitive to red wavelengths, 30% to green, and 10% to blue; combos of these 3 colors of light can produce any color within the visible spectrum

43
Q

Scotopic Vision

A

caused by rods, conditions of low light, cones do not activate reliably, less finely detailed vision

44
Q

Rhodopsin

A

a pigment composed of opsin and retinal, absorbs incoming light, causing the chromophore retinal to change from the 11-cis form to the 11-trans form

45
Q

Phosphodiesterase (PDE)

A

cyclic GMP-specific enzyme–each activated PDE will hydrolyze roughly 1000 cGMP molecules into GMP

46
Q

Photopsin

A

main pigment in cones

47
Q

On-center, Off-surround Ganglion Cells

A

fire more strongly when light strikes the center of their receptive fields, but not surrounds

48
Q

Off-center, On-surround Ganglion Cells

A

fire more strongly when light strikes surrounds of their receptive fields, but not center

49
Q

Retina-geniculate-striate Pathway

A

conducts retinal signals through the lateral geniculate nuclei (LGN) of the thalamus to the primary visual cortex

50
Q

Primary Visual Cortex

A

located in posterior occipital lobe

51
Q

Temporal Hemiretina

A

outer portion of retina, receives visual signals from the opposite visual field and sends them ipsilaterally to the primary visual cortex

52
Q

Nasal Hemiretina

A

inner portion of retina, receives visual signals from its like-sided visual field and sends them contralaterally to the opposite primary visual cortex via the optic chiasm

53
Q

Parvocellular Pathway

A

a pathway of the retina-geniculate-striate pathway, about 80% of cells travel through the four top layers to form this pathway

54
Q

Magnocellular Pathway

A

includes remaining 20% of retinal ganglion cells that travel through bottom two layers of LGN

55
Q

Feature Detection

A

ability to identify the color, form, depth, and movement of an object (result of parvo/magnocellular pathways)

56
Q

Parallel Processing

A

brain’s ability to process different components of incoming stimuli simultaneously

57
Q

Pinna

A

visible, curved piece of cartilage that catches sound on outer ear

58
Q

Tympanic Membrane

A

eardrum, vibrates small bones known as ossicles

59
Q

Malleus

A

hammer, detects vibrations and relays them to the incus

60
Q

Incus

A

anvil, vibrates the stapes

61
Q

Stapes

A

stirrup shaped bone, amplifies sound vibrations and protects from loud, damaging noises

62
Q

Stapedius Muscle

A

triggered by prolonged exposure to loud sound, this muscle connects the eardrum and small bones, to contract and pull the tympanic membrane and ossicles in opposite directions creating rigidity to dampen vibrations

63
Q

Oval Window

A

thin membrane connecting the middle ear to inner ear, causing it to vibrate the fluid within the cochlea

64
Q

Round Window

A

relieves pressure as the oval window moves in and out, moves in the opposite direction

65
Q

Cochlea

A

long, snail-shaped tube that contains an internal membrane called the organ of Corti

66
Q

Organ of Corti

A

partitions the cochlea into a longer, narrower tube and is composed of two membranes

67
Q

Basilar Membrane

A

contains hair cells that convert pressure differences into neural signals that are sent to the brain via the auditory nerve

68
Q

Hair Bundle

A

exposed portion of the hair cells, composed of stereocilia

69
Q

Stereocilia

A

progressively increase in length toward one end; tallest one is called the kinocilium

70
Q

Tip Links

A

spring-like filaments connect tips of stereocilia to one another and are attached to gates of K+ channels

71
Q

Endolymph

A

unique fluid with an unusually high potassium conc. and unusually low sodium conc.

72
Q

Cochlear Nuclei

A

collections of neurons in the hindbrain where axons of each auditory nerve (one exiting from each cochlea) synapse ipsilaterally

73
Q

Auditory Processing

A

from the cochlear nuclei, info may decussate at the trapezoid bodies or travel ipsilaterally to synapse at the superior olivary complex –> axons from the olivary neurons travel thru the lateral lemniscus and synapse to neurons in the inferior colliculi of the tectum –> info travels to the medial geniculate nuclei of the thalamus –> relays info to the primary audio cortex for processing

74
Q

Heschl’s Gyrus

A

shallow region of the Sylvian fissure where low-frequency sounds project

75
Q

Utricle

A

located in the horizontal plane and is sensitive to horizontal movement

76
Q

Saccule

A

in the vertical plane, sensitive to vertical movement (acceleration against normal gravity)

77
Q

Meissner’s Corpuscles & Pacinian Corpuscles

A

fast-adapting receptors, fire immediately to inform you that something has hit your hand, but they stop firing just as quickly

78
Q

Merkel’s Discs & Ruffini Endings

A

slow-adapting receptors, slowly and continuously fire to inform you that something is still in your hand–still desensitize under prolonged exposure

79
Q

Free Nerve Endings

A

simply exposed dendrites that are particularly sensitive to temperature and pain

80
Q

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Receptors

A

embedded in membrane of thermoreceptors, temp causes conformational change that allows sodium and calcium to flow into the cell

81
Q

Anterolateral System

A

generally carries info regarding temp and pain

82
Q

Dorsal-column Medial-Lemniscus System

A

carries info regarding pressure, stretch, vibration, and proprioception

83
Q

Primary Olfactory Cortex

A

in the medial temporal lobes, info about smell is not relayed thru the thalamus before reaching the cortex

84
Q

Ion Channels

A

mediate salty (Na+) and sour (H+) tastes

85
Q

G-protein-linked Receptors

A

mediate sweet, bitter, and umami tastes

Berkeley MCAT Psychology (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions