Chapter 3: Introduction to Vision

Question 1

light is described by its _______

Answer 1

wavelength

Question 2

what are the 2 kinds of visual receptors?

Answer 2

rods and cones

Question 3

what is the key part of the rod for transduction?

Answer 3

outer segment

Question 4

what is lateral inhibition?

Answer 4

inhibition transmitted across the retina

Question 5

Mach Bands are:

Answer 5

illusory light and dark bands near a light/dark border, resulting in a ‘sharper border’

Question 6

What is simultaneous contrast?

Answer 6

occurs when our perception of the brightness/color of one area is affected by the presence of an adjacent or surrounding area

Question 7

the principle of representation is:

Answer 7

everything a person perceives is based not on direct contact with stimuli, but rather on representations of stimuli that are formed on the receptors and the resulting activity in the person’s nervous system

Question 8

the principle of transformation:

Answer 8

the representations of stimuli in our environment which we construct are transformed between the original distal stimulus and the eventual perception they give rise to

Question 9

sensory receptors:

Answer 9

cells that respond to environmental energy

Question 10

neural processing in volves changes that occur as:

Answer 10

signals are transmitted through neurons in the brain

Question 11

bottom-up processing is based on:

Answer 11

stimuli from the environment

Question 12

top-down processing is based on:

Answer 12

the perceiver’s previous knowledge

Question 13

the 3 relationships of perceptual processes

Answer 13

1 - stimulus/behavior
2 - stimulus/physiology
3 - physiologybehavior

Question 14

optic nerve carries information from the ____ to the ____

Answer 14

retina, brain

Question 15

the fovea consists of only what kind of visual receptor?

Answer 15

cones

Question 16

What is macular degeneration?

Answer 16

fovea and small surrounding area are destroyed, creating a “dead zone” on the retina

Question 17

Retinitis Pigmentosa is

Answer 17

the destruction of rods, followed by foveal cones (genetic link)

Question 18

Where is the blind spot?

Answer 18

where the optic nerve exits the eye

Question 19

Accommodation is:

Answer 19

tightening of the ciliary muscles, causing the lens to thicken

Question 20

another word for Myopia is

Answer 20

near-sightedness

Question 21

another word for Hyperopia is

Answer 21

far-sightedness

Question 22

Presbyopia is categorized by:

Answer 22

weakening of ciliary muscles and hardening of the lens

Question 23

visual transduction is facilitated by:

Answer 23

isomerization

Question 24

the dark adaptation curve is:

Answer 24

referring to the process of increasing visual sensitivity after switching from high to low level lighting conditions

Question 25

pigment bleaching refers to:

Answer 25

being blinded by a bright light

Question 26

spectral sensitivity:

Answer 26

differs across parts of the visual spectrum

Question 27

The Purkinje Shift:

Answer 27

enhanced sensitivity to short wavelengths during dark adaptation when the shift from cone to rod vision occurs