Chapter 3 SG Flashcards
Sensation
happens when special receptors in the sense organ (eyes, ears, nose, skin, and taste buds) are activated by outside stimuli such as light or sound
Just Noticeable Difference
the smallest difference between 2 stimuli that is detectable 50 percent of the time. Also known as Weber’s Law
Sensory Adaptations
process by which constant, unchanging information from the sensory receptors is effectively ignored
The retina
contains photoreceptor cells
Rods
sensitive to changes in brightness but not to a variety of wavelength, so they only see in black and white and shades of gray
Cones
lot more light to function than the rods do, so cones work best in bright light, which is also when people see things more clearly
Dark Adaptation
occurs as the eye recovers its ability to see when going from a brightly lit state to a dark state (rods)
Light Adaptation
adapt tot he increased level of light, (cones)
Trichromatic Theory
proposed three types of cones: red cones, blue cones, and green cones. Different shades of colors correspond to different amounts of light received by each of these three types of cones. These cones then dire their message to the brain’s vision centers. It is the combination of cones and the rate at which they are firing that determine the color that will be seen
Opponent Process Theory
Afterimages
Nerve hearing implants
the problem lies either in the inner ear or in the auditory pathways and cortical areas of the brain; cochlear implants work best
5 primary taste
sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami
Olfaction
Ability to smell odors
the kinesthetic sense
the body sense of movement and position in space
-proprioceptors: special receptors that tell you about joint movement or the muscles stretching or contracting
Top-Down
the use of preexisting knowledge to organize individual features into a unified whole
