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Psychology Unit 1 > Chapter 3: Sensation & Perception > Flashcards

Chapter 3: Sensation & Perception Flashcards

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1
Q

sensation

A

is the stimulation of sensory receptors and the transmission of sensory information to the central nervous system.

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2
Q

perception

A

is an active process in which sensations are organized and interpreted to form an inner representation of the world

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3
Q

absolute threshold

A

weakest level of a stimulus necessary to produce a sensation. detected 50% of the time. Some people might have a slightly different response at different times

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4
Q

pitch

A

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

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5
Q

subliminal stimulation

A

sensory stimulation below a person’s absolute threshold for a conscious perception.

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6
Q

difference threshold

A

the minimum difference in magnitude of two stimuli required to tell them apart, which is detected 50% of the time

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7
Q

auditory stimuli can be played

A

at a volume too low to consciously hear, backward.

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8
Q

visual stimuli flashed too briefly

A

can be processed

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9
Q

weber’s constant

A

fraction denoting the difference threshold for perceiving differences in the intensity of energy (fraction = 1/60th)

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10
Q

Just-noticeable difference (JND)

A

the minimum difference in stimuli that can be detected

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11
Q

signal-detection theory

A

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

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12
Q

feature detectors

A

the neurons in the sensory cortex that fire in response to specific features of sensory information such as lines of edges of objects

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13
Q

sensory adaptation

A

the processes by which organisms become more sensitive to stimuli that are low in magnitude and less sensitive to stimuli that are constant or ongoing in magnitude

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14
Q

sensitization (positive adaptation)

A

the type of sensory adaptation in which we become more sensitive to stimuli that are low in magnitude

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15
Q

desensitization (negative adaptation)

A

the type of sensory adaptation in which we become less sensitive to constant stimuli

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16
Q

visible light

A

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

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17
Q

hue

A

the color of light, as determined by its wavelength

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18
Q

cornea

A

the transparent tissue forming the outer surface of the eyeball

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19
Q

iris

A

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

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20
Q

pupil

A

the black opening in the center of the iris, through which light enters the eye

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21
Q

lens

A

changes thickness to adjust or accommodate an image, the image is projected onto the retina

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22
Q

retina

A

the area of the inner surface of the eye that contains rods and cones

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23
Q

photoreceptors

A

cells that respond to light

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24
Q

bipolar cells

A

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

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25
Q

ganglion cells

A

neurons whose axons form the optic nerve

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26
Q

optic nerve

A

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

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27
Q

rods

A

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

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28
Q

cones

A

cone-shaped photoreceptors that transmit sensations of color

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29
Q

fovea

A

an area near the center of the retina that is dense with cones, and where vision is mot acute

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30
Q

blind spot

A

the area of the retina where axons from ganglion cells meet to form the optic nerve, which is insensitive to visual stimulation.

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31
Q

visual acuity

A

sharpness of vision, connected to the shape of the eye (nearsightedness and far)

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32
Q

presbyopia

A

a condition characterized by the brittleness of the lens, difficult to perceive nearby visual stimuli

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33
Q

dark adaptation

A

the process of adjusting to conditions of lower lighting by increasing the sensitivity of rods and cones. Cones reach maximum adaptation in 10 min, rods continue to adapt up to 45 min.

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34
Q

amacrine cells and horizontal cells

A

make sideways connection at a level near the rods and cones and at another level near ganglion cells

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35
Q

value

A

degree of brightness or darkness

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36
Q

saturation

A

the intensity of color perceived

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37
Q

complementary

A

descriptive of colors of the spectrum that when combined produce white or nearly white light

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38
Q

afterimage

A

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

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39
Q

trichromatic theory

A

the theory that color vision is made possible by three types of cones, some of which respond to relight, some to green, and some to blue

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40
Q

opponent-process theory

A

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

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41
Q

trichromat

A

a person with normal color vision

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42
Q

monochromats

A

a person who is sensitive to black and white only, color-blind

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43
Q

dichromats

A

a person who is sensitive to black-white and either red-green or blue-yellow and is partially color-blind

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44
Q

visual perception

A

process used to organize sensory impressions caused by the light that strikes one’s eyes and involves our knowledge, expectations, and motivations.

45
Q

closure

A

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

46
Q

perceptual organization

A

the tendency to integrate perceptual elements into meaningful patterns

47
Q

figure-ground perception

A

ambiguous, or capable of being interpreted in various ways, relationships lead to unstable perceptions

48
Q

proximity

A

nearness, the perceptual tendency to group together objects that are near one another

49
Q

similarity

A

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

50
Q

continuity

A

the tendency to perceive a series of points or lines as having unity

51
Q

common fate

A

the tendency to perceive elements that move together as belonging together

52
Q

top-down processing

A

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

53
Q

bottom-up processing

A

the organization of the parts of a pattern to recognize, or form an image of, the pattern they compose

54
Q

Visual perception of motion

A

is based on a change of position relative to other objects

55
Q

illusions

A

sensations that give rise to misperceptions

56
Q

stroboscopic motion

A

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

57
Q

monocular cues

A

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

58
Q

perspective

A

a monocular cue for depth based on the convergence (coming together) of parallel lines as they recede into the distance

59
Q

relative size

A

the fact that distant objects look smaller than nearby objects of the same size

60
Q

clearness

A

can suggest the objects distance

61
Q

overlapping

A

the placing of one object in front of another

62
Q

shadowing

A

provides additional information about depth

63
Q

texture gradient

A

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

64
Q

motion parallax

A

a monocular cue for depth based on the perception that nearby objects appear to move more rapidly in relation to our own motion

65
Q

binocular cues

A

stimuli suggestive of depth that involve simultaneous perception by both eyes

66
Q

retinal disparity

A

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

67
Q

convergence

A

a binocular cue for depth based on the inward movement of the eyes as they attempt to focus on an abject that is drawing nearer

68
Q

perpectual constancies

A

enable us to recognize the characteristics of objects when their apparent size, color, brightness, and shape differ from the norm.

69
Q

size constancy

A

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

70
Q

color constancy

A

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

71
Q

brightness constancy

A

the tendency to perceive an object as being just as bright even though lighting conditions change its intensity

72
Q

shape constancy

A

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

73
Q

sound (auditory stimulation)

A

is the vibration of molecules in a medium such as air or water, compressing and expanding the molecules of the medium create pressures of vibrations

74
Q

hertz

A

a unit expressing the frequency of sound waves. One hertz equals one cycle per second

75
Q

decibels

A

a unit expressing the loudness of a sound

76
Q

pitch

A

determined by a sound’s frequency

77
Q

frequency

A

number of cycles per second expressed hertz

78
Q

the ear is

A

shaped and structured to capture sound waves, vibrate in sympathy with them, and transmit them to the brain.

79
Q

outer ear

A

funnels sound waves to the eardrum, which vibrates in response to sound waves

80
Q

eardrum

A

a thin membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves

81
Q

middle ear

A

contains the eardrum, hammer, anvil, and stirrup, acts as an amplifier, increasing the pressure of the air entering the ear

82
Q

the oval window and round window (thin membranes)

A

work in conjunction, which balance the pressure in the inner ear

83
Q

cochlea

A

(inner ear), the bony tube that contains the basilar membrane and the organ of Corti

84
Q

basilar membrane

A

a membrane that lies coiled within the cochlea, vibrations in the fluids within the chambers of the inner ear press against this

85
Q

organ of Corti

A

the receptor for hearing the lies on the basilar membrane

86
Q

auditory nerve

A

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

87
Q

perception of loudness and pitch

A

related to number of receptor neurons on the organ of Corti that fire and the firing frequency, sounds are perceived as louder when more sensory neurons fire

88
Q

place theory

A

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

89
Q

frequency theory

A

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

90
Q

volley principle

A

pitch is discriminated through the alternate firing of neurons

91
Q

conductive deafness

A

due to damage to the middle ear, hearing aids can help

92
Q

sensorineural deafness

A

due to damage to the structures of the inner ear or auditory nerve, cochlear implants made help but cannot adopt auditory nerve functions

93
Q

smell (one of the chemical senses)

A

contributes to the flavor of foods

94
Q

olfactory nerve

A

the nerve that transmits information concerning odors from olfactory receptors in the brain

95
Q

odors

A

sample molecules of substances in the air

96
Q

taste (one of the chemical senses)

A

sensed through taste cells which are receptor neurons on taste buds

97
Q

flavor

A

a complex quality of food based on its odor, texture, temperature, and taste

98
Q

taste qualities

A

sweet, sour, salty, bitter umami (savory)

99
Q

touch and pressure (skin senses)

A

sensory receptors embedded in the skin fire when the surface of the skin is touched

100
Q

active touching

A

continuously moving your hand along the surface of an abject so that you continue to receive sensory input from the object

101
Q

temperature (a skin sense)

A

receptoes are located beneath and skin. when skin temperature increases, the receptors for warmth fire, vice versa

102
Q

pain

A

occurs when neurons called nociceptors in the skin are stimulated, pain is usually sharpened where nerve endings are densely packed

103
Q

prostaglandins

A

facilitate the transmission of the pain message to the brain and heighten circulation to the injured area, causing the redness and swelling called inflammation.

104
Q

phantom limb pain

A

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

105
Q

gate theory of pain

A

the nervous system can process only a limited amount of stimulation at a time so rubbing the pained area competes for neural attention and presents many nerves from transmitting pain messages to the brain

106
Q

acupuncture

A

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

107
Q

kinesthesis

A

is the sense that informs you about the position and motion of parts of the body

108
Q

vestibular sense

A

informs the brain as to whether one is physically upright

109
Q

ESP

A

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

Psychology Unit 1 (3 decks)

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