Chapter 3: Sensation and Perception Flashcards by Lucian Baylis

The stimulation of sensory receptors and the transmission of sensory information to the central nervous system (cns)

Sensation

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Perception

The process by which sensations are organized into an inner representation of the world.

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What is an absolute threshold?

The minimal amount of energy that can produce a sensation

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The highness or lowness of a sound, as determined by the frequency of the sound waves

Pitch

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Subliminal stimulation

Sensory stimulation below a person’s absolute threshold for conscious perception

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Difference threshold

The minimal difference in intensity required between two sources of energy so that they will be precieved as being different

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The fraction of the intensity by which a source of physical energy must be increased or decreased so that a difference in intensity will be perceived

Weber’s Constant

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Just noticeable difference (jnd)

The minimal amount by which a source of energy must be increased or decreased so that - difference in intensity will be perceived

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The view that the perception of sensory stimuli involves the interaction of physical, biological, and psychological factors.

Signal-detection theory

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Feature detectors

Neurons in the sensory cortex that five in response to specific features of sensory information such as lines or edges of objects

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Sensory adaption

The processes bywhich organisms become more sensitive to stimuli that are low in magnitude and less sensitive to stimuli that are constant or on going in magnitude

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Sensitization

The type of sensory adaption in whichwe become more sensitive to stimuli that are low in magnitude (AKA positive adaption)

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The type of sensory adaption in which we become less sensitive to constant stimuli (AKA negative adaptation)

Desensitization

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Visible light

The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that stimulates the eye and produces visual sensations

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A muscular-membrane whose dilation regulates the amount of light that enters the eye

Iris

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Pupil

The black-looking opening in the center of the iris through which light enters the eye

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A transparent body behind the Iris that focuses an image on the retina

Lens

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Retina

The area of the inner surfaceof the eye that contains rods and cones

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Cells that respond to light

Photoreceptors

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Bipolar cells

Neurons that conduct neural impulses from rods and cones to ganglion cells

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Ganglion cells

, Neurons whose axons form the optic nerve

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The nerve that transmits sensory information from the eye to the brain

Optic nerve

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Rods

Rod-shaped photoreceptors that are sensitive only to the intensity of light

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Cone-shaped photoreceptors that transmit sensations of color

Cones

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Fovea

An area near the center of the retina that is dense with cores and where vision is consequently most acute

The area of the retina where axons from ganglion cells meet to form the optic nerve

Blind spot

Visual acuity

Sharpness of vision

Hue

The colorof light as determined by its wave length

Transparent tissue forming the outer surface of the eyeball

Cornea

Presbyopia

A condition characterized by brittleness of the lens

The process of adjusting to conditions of lower lighting by increasing the sensitivity of rods and cones

Dark adaptation

Complementary

Descriptive of colors of the spectrum that when combined produce while or nearly while light

The lingering visual impression made by a stimulus that has been removed

After image

Trichromatic Theory

The theory that color vision is made possible by three types of cores some which respond to red light, some green, and some blue

The theory that color vision is made possible by three types of cores some of which respond to red or green light, to blue or yellow light, and some to the intensity of the light.

Opponent-process theory

Trichromat

A person with normal color vision

A person who is sensitive to black and while only and hence are color blind

Monochromat

Dichromat

A person who is sensitive to black- white and either red-green on blue-yellow and hence is partially color-blind

Closure

The tendency to perceive a broken figure as being complete or whole

The tendency to integrate perceptual elements into meaningful patterns

Perceptual organization

Proximity

Nearness - the perceptual tendency to group together objects that are near One another

Similarity

The perceptual tendency to group together objects that are similar in appearance

Tie tendency to perceive a series of points or lines as having unto

Continuity

Common fate

The tending to perceive elements that move together as belonging together

The use of contextual knowledge of a pattern in order to organize parts of the pattern

Top-down processing

Bottom-up processing

The organization of the parts of a pattern to recognize on form an image of the pattern they compose

Sensations that give rise to misperceptions

Illusions

Stroboscopic motion

A visual illusion in which the perception of motion is generated by a series of stationary images that are presented in rapid succession

Stimuli suggestive of depth that can be perceived with only one eye

Monocular cues

Perspective

A monocular cue for depth based on the convergence (coming-togerher ) of parallel lines as they recede into the distance

A monocular cue for depth based on the perception that closer objects appear to have rougher (more detailed) surfaces

Texture gradient

Motion parallax

A monocular cue for depthbased on the perception that near by objects appear to move more rapidly in relation to our own motion

Binocular cues

Stimuli suggestive of depth that involves simultaneous perception by both eyes

A binocular cue for depth based on the difference in the image cast by an object on the retinas of the eyes as the object moves closer or farther away

Retinal disparity

Convergence

A binocular cue for depth based on the inward movement of the eyes as they attempt to focus onan object that is drawing nearer

The tendency to perceive an object as being the same size even as the size of its retrial image changes according to the object’s distance

Size constancy

Color constancy

The tendency to perceive an object as being the same color even though lighting conditions changed its appearance

Brightness constancy

The tendency to perceive an object as being just as bright even though lighting conditions changed itsintensity

Shape constancy

The tendency to perceive an object as being the same shape even though the retinal image varies in shape as it rotates

Hertz (Hz)

A unit expressing the frequency of sound waves; one hertz equals one cycle per second

Decibels (dB)

A unit expressing the loudness of a sound

The inner ear; the boney tube that contains the basilar membrane and the organ of corti

Cochlea

Basilar membrane

A membrane that lies coiled within the cochlea

The receptor for hearing that lies on the basilar membrane in the cochlea

Organ of Corti

Auditory nerve

The axon bundle that transmits neural impulses from the organ of court to the brain

The theory that pitch of a sound is determined by the section of the basilar membrane which vibrates in response to the sound

Place theory

Frequency theory

The theory that pitch of a sound is reflected in the frequency of the neural impulses that are generated in response to the sound

Flavor

A complex qualify of food and other substances that is based on their odor, texture, and temperature as well as taste

The nerve that transmits information concerning odors from al factory receptors to the brain

Olfactory nerve

Taste cells

Receptor cells that are sensitive to taste

The sensory organs for taste; they contain taste cells and are located mostly on the tongue

Taste buds

Phantom limb pain

Perception of pain apparently "in" limbs that have been amputated, often because of activation of nerves in the stump of the missing limb

Melzack'S view that neurons in the spine can simultaneously transmit only a limited amount of information, so that stimulation of neurons from many regions can limit the perception of pain in one region.

Gate theory of pain

Acupuncture

Use of pins to diminish pain,possible because of stimulation of release of endorphins and cortisol

The sense that informs us about the positions and motion of parts of our bodies

Kinesthesis

Vestibular sense

The sense of equilibrium that informs us about our bodies’ positions relative to gravity

Extrasensory perception (ESP)

Perception of objects or events through means other than the recognized sensory organs