Chapter 3- sensation- Terms/Vocabulary

Question 1

Sensation

Answer 1

the process by which we receive, translate, and perceive stimuli to form sensory experiences

Question 2

Sensory Receptors

Answer 2

Specialized cells that convert stimuli into neural impulses

Question 3

Psychophysics

Answer 3

the study of the intensity of stimuli (such as brightness and loudness) and the sensations we experience from them

Question 4

Absolute Threshold

Answer 4

the smallest amount of a stimuli one can sense

Question 5

Difference Threshold

Answer 5

minimal difference in the magnitude of energy for one to tell the difference between two stimuli

Question 6

Weber’s Law

Answer 6

The amount of change in a stimuli to tel the difference is directly proportional (constant) to the original stimuli. Different senses have different thresholds

Question 7

Signal-Detection Theory

Answer 7

the belief that a detection of a stimulus is reliant on these factors:

a) intensity of stimulus
b) level of background stimulation
c) biological and psychological factors of the individual

Question 8

Sensory Adaptation

Answer 8

Sensory receptors adaptively become less sensitive to constant stimuli

Question 9

cornea

Answer 9

transparent covering of the eye

Question 10

iris

Answer 10

pigmented part of the eye. muscle that controls the size of the pupil

Question 11

pupil

Answer 11

black opening that allows light to enter the eye

Question 12

lens

Answer 12

structure of the eye that focuses light on the retina

Question 13

accommodation

Answer 13

the process by which the lens changes its shape to focus more light on the retina

Question 14

retina

Answer 14

light-sensitive inner surface of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells

Question 15

photoreceptors

Answer 15

photosensitive cells that register light. rods and cones

Question 16

rods

Answer 16

light and dark sensitive photoreceptors

Question 17

cones

Answer 17

color sensitive photoreceptors

Question 18

bipolar cells

Answer 18

a layer of interconnecting cells in the eye that connect photoreceptors to ganglion cells

Question 19

ganglion cells

Answer 19

nerve cells in the back of the eye that send neural impulses in response to light. axons of these make up the optic nerve

Question 20

optic nerve

Answer 20

the nerve that carries visual stimuli information from the eye to the brain

Question 21

blind spot

Answer 21

where the optic nerve leaves the eye and there are no photoreceptor cells

Question 22

fovea

Answer 22

point of focus. center of the retina that contains only cones and has the clearest vision

Question 23

sclera

Answer 23

white part of the eye