Chapter 3: Sensation and Perception Flashcards
The stimulation of sensory receptors and the transmission of sensory information to the central nervous system (cns)
Sensation
Perception
The process by which sensations are organized into an inner representation of the world.
What is an absolute threshold?
The minimal amount of energy that can produce a sensation
The highness or lowness of a sound, as determined by the frequency of the sound waves
Pitch
Subliminal stimulation
Sensory stimulation below a person’s absolute threshold for conscious perception
Difference threshold
The minimal difference in intensity required between two sources of energy so that they will be precieved as being different
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
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
The view that the perception of sensory stimuli involves the interaction of physical, biological, and psychological factors.
Signal-detection theory
Feature detectors
Neurons in the sensory cortex that five in response to specific features of sensory information such as lines or edges of objects
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
Sensitization
The type of sensory adaption in whichwe become more sensitive to stimuli that are low in magnitude (AKA positive adaption)
The type of sensory adaption in which we become less sensitive to constant stimuli (AKA negative adaptation)
Desensitization
Visible light
The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that stimulates the eye and produces visual sensations
A muscular-membrane whose dilation regulates the amount of light that enters the eye
Iris
Pupil
The black-looking opening in the center of the iris through which light enters the eye
A transparent body behind the Iris that focuses an image on the retina
Lens
Retina
The area of the inner surfaceof the eye that contains rods and cones
Cells that respond to light
Photoreceptors
Bipolar cells
Neurons that conduct neural impulses from rods and cones to ganglion cells
Ganglion cells
, Neurons whose axons form the optic nerve
The nerve that transmits sensory information from the eye to the brain
Optic nerve
Rods
Rod-shaped photoreceptors that are sensitive only to the intensity of light
Cone-shaped photoreceptors that transmit sensations of color
Cones
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
