Chapter 3 - Sense and Perception Flashcards
Sensation
process through which senses pick up auditory, visual, and other sensory stimuli and transmit info to the brain
Perception
process by which sensory information is actively organized and interpreted by the brain
Absolute threshold
minimum amount of sensory stimulation that can be detected 50% of the time i.e. how far away can you detect a light?
Difference threshold
smallest increase or decrease in a stimulus that is required to produce a noticeable difference 50% of the time. I.e. can you notice a change in weight if something is heavy/light?
Sensory adaptation
process of becoming less sensitive to an unchanging stimulus over time. I.e. do you notice odors after you’ve been around them for a while
Parts of the eye
cornea, lens, pupil, iris, vitreous humor, retina, fovea, blind spot, optic nerve, rods and cones
Parts of ear
outer ear–pinna and auditory canal
middle ear– hammer, anvil, stirrup (ossicles)
inner ear–cochlea, hair cells, semicircular canals
Describe the process of Smell (olfaction)
The chemical sense referred to as olfaction provides the sensation of smell. Molecules from odor-emitting objects in our environment make their way into our nostrils up through the nose or mouth. The olfactory receptor neruons, which provide receptors for odor molecules. When enough odor molecules bind to the receptor neuron, a signal is sent to the brain.
Taste (gustation)
taste buds
The receptor cells for taste are located in the taste buds, which are located on the tongue, the roof of the mouth, and the lining of the cheeks.
Touch (tactile sensations)
gate-control theory
this theory of pain suggests that the perception of pain can either increase or decrease through the interaction of biopsychosocial factors. Signals are sent to open or close the ‘gates’ that control the neurological pathways for pain. When large myelinated fibers are active, the gates are more likely to close, which then inhibits pain messages from being sent. With a sore shoulder, applying ice to the injured area can stimulate the temperature and pressure receptors of the large fibers. This activity closes the gates, temporarily interfering with the pain message that would have been sent to the brain.
kinesthetic sense
detected by receptors in joints, ligaments, and muscles – helps detect position and movement of body
Vestibular sense
located in semicircular canals and vestibular sacs in inner ear–fluid movement helps sense rotation of the head; movement, orientation
perceptual constancy
the tendency to perceive familiar objects as having a standard shape, size, color, or location, even when the angle of perspective, distance, or lighting changes
depth perception
the ability to perceive and interpret the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the world, including the distance between objects and their relative positions in space
binocular cues
visual depth perception cues that rely on the slightly different images received by each eye
perceptual set
a person’s tendency to notice some aspects of sensory data while ignoring others. It’s also known as perceptual expectancy.
explain how hearing works
The pinna funnels sound waves into the auditory canal, focusing them twoard the eardrum. Vibrations in the eardrum cause the malleus to push the incus, which moves the stapes, which presses on the oval window, amplifying waves. Pressure on the oval window causes fluid in the cochlea to vibrate and bend the hair cells on the basilar membrane. If the vibration is sufficiently strong, the hair cells bend enough to initiate the firing of nearby nerve cells. The auditory nerve carries signals to the auditory cortex in the brain where sounds are given meaning.
rods
photoreceptors help us see with peripheral vision,
in dim light, black and whites and shades of gray
cones
Detect color and provide detailed vision in bright light conditions.
