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Psychology > Chapter 4 > Flashcards

Chapter 4 Flashcards

1
Q

Sensation

A

The process of receiving stimulus energies from the environment

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2
Q

Perception

A

The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information to give it meaning

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3
Q

Sensory receptors

A

Specialized cells that detect and transmit information about a sensory stimulus to sensory neurons and the brain

They are selective and have different pathways

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4
Q

Absolute threshold

A

The minimum amount of energy that people can detect

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5
Q

Difference threshold

A

Smallest difference in a stimulation required to discriminate one stimulus from the other

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6
Q

Signal detection theory

A

Focuses on decision making about stimuli in the presence of uncertainty

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7
Q

Perception is influenced by

A

Attention, beliefs, and expectations

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8
Q

Sensory adaptation

A

A change in responsiveness of the sensory system (our senses will begin to ignore a specific stimulus due to how long it has been around because we have gotten used to it)

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9
Q

Light can be described in terms of?

A

Wavelengths

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10
Q

The three characteristics of light waves

A
  1. Wavelength (hue)
  2. Amplitude (brightness)
  3. Purity (saturation)
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11
Q

Light passes through?

A

The cornea, then to the lens, and then to the retina

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12
Q

Retina

A

The light sensitive surface in the back of the eye that houses light receptors called rods

Rods function in low illumination

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13
Q

Cones react to?

A

Color

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14
Q

The fovea of the retina contains?

A

Cones and sharpens detail in image

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15
Q

The optic nerve

A

Transmits neural impulses to the brain. There it diverges into the optic chiasm

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16
Q

Optic chiasm

A

What we see in the left visual field is registered in the right side if the brain and vise versa

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17
Q

Information of the eye is integrated in the?

A

Occipital lobes of the cerebral cortex

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18
Q

The trichromatic theory

A

Three type of color receptors in the retina allow us to perceive three colors (green, red, and blue)

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19
Q

The opponent process theory

A

Cells in the visual system respond to red-green and blue-yellow colors

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20
Q

The eye and brain use what two methods to code colors?

A

The trichromatic theory and the opponent process theory

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21
Q

Shape perception

A

The ability to distinguish shapes from their background

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22
Q

Depth perception

A

The ability to perceive objects three dimensionaly and also depends on binocular (two) and monocular (one) cues.

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23
Q

Motion perception depends on

A

Specialized neurons, feedback from the body, and environmental cues

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24
Q

Perceptual constancy

A

The recognition that objects are stable despite changes that we see in them

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25
Q

Sound waves

A

Vibrations in the air that are processed by the auditory system

The variation of these waves influence what we hear

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26
Q

Perceptual interpretation of wavelength is?

A

Pitch (how high or low in tone a sound is)

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27
Q

Amplitude of wavelengths

A

Measured in decibels
The height of a wave
Is perceived as loudness

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28
Q

Complex sounds involve?

A

A blending of frequencies

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29
Q

Timbre

A

Tone saturation or perceptual quality of a sound

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30
Q

The outer ear consists of ?

A

The pinna and external auditory canal

31
Q

The outer ear acts to?

A

Funnel sound to the middle ear

32
Q

Middle ear

A

Hammer, anvil, and stirrup. They vibrate in in response to sound and transfer vibrations to the inner ear

33
Q

The inner ear is

A

Fluid filled

34
Q

Important parts of the inner ear

A

Oval window, cochlea, and basilar membrane

35
Q

What generates nerve impulses (auditory)?

A

The movement of hair cells between the basilar membrane and the tectoral membrane

36
Q

Place theory

A

Each frequency produces vibrations at a particular spot on the basilar membrane

The theory explains high frequency sounds but not low frequency

37
Q

Frequency theory

A

Sounds frequency depends on how often auditory nerves fire

38
Q

Volley principle

A

A cluster of neurons can fire impulses in rapid succession, producing a volley of impulses

39
Q

Information regarding sound moves from?

A

The hair cells, to the auditory nerve, which carries information to the brain’s auditory areas

40
Q

Cortical destination of most fibers is the?

A

Temporal lobes of the cerebral cortex

41
Q

Localizing sound involves?

A

Both the timing and intensity of the sound

42
Q

The skin senses include?

A

Touch, temperature, and pain

43
Q

Touch is the detection of?

A

Mechanical energy, or pressure against the skin

44
Q

Touch information travels through?

A

The spinal cord, brain stem, and thalamus, and on to the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes

45
Q

What responds to the increase and decrease in temperature?

A

Thermoreceptors under the skin

46
Q

What sensation warns us about damage to the body?

A

Pain

47
Q

The chemical sense of taste AND smell enable us to?

A

Detect and process chemicals in the environment

48
Q

What is papillae?

A

Bumps on the tongue that contain taste buds. These are the receptors for tatse

49
Q

The olfactory epithelium contains?

A

A sheet of receptor cells for smell in the roof of the nose

50
Q

The kinesthetic senses provide information about?

A

Movement, posture, and orientation

51
Q

What gives us information about balance and movement?

A

The vestibular sense

52
Q

Receptors for the kinesthetic sense are embedded in?

A

Muscle fibers and joints

53
Q

The semicircular canals in the inner ear contain?

A

The sensory receptors that detect head motion

54
Q

How can we protect our sense organs?

A

Eating a low fat diet rich in vitamins and beta carotene

Wearing protective lenses for the eyes when we are out in the sun

Avoiding loud sounds

Experiences in nature can reduce stress and enhance well being

55
Q

Sound at how many decibles is damaging to hearing if heard for a prolonged period?

A

80

56
Q

Bottom-Up Processing

A

First time information and is sent to the brain. Is initiated by sensory input

57
Q

Top-Down Processing

A

Initiated by cognitive process (higher level). Starts in the brain and occurs with information a person is already familiar with

58
Q

Sensory receptors are also called

A

Afferent

59
Q

Photoreception

A

Vision. Detection of light

60
Q

Mechanoreception

A

Touch. Detection of pressure, vibrations, and movement

61
Q

Chemoreception

A

Detection of chemical stimuli (smell and taste)

62
Q

Synesthesia

A

Senses can become confused. One sense induces a sense into another

63
Q

Weber’s law

A

To be perceived different two stimulus must differ by a constant minimum percentage

64
Q

Subliminal perception

A

Influence of information below the level of consciousness

65
Q

Rods

A

Sensitive to even dim light but not color

66
Q

Trichomatic theory can not explain?

A

After images

67
Q

Noise

A

Irrelevant and competing stimuli

68
Q

Amplitude

A

Height of wave

69
Q

Purity

A

Mixture of wavlengths

70
Q

Wavlength

A

Distance between peaks

71
Q

Blind spot

A

Where the optic nerve leaves the eye

72
Q

Pathway of visual processing

A
  1. Retina
  2. Optic nerve
  3. Optic chiasm (divides)
  4. Thalamus
  5. Visual cortex
73
Q

Color blindness

A

One or more cone type is inoperative

74
Q

Pathway of auditory information

A
  1. Cochlea
  2. Auditory nerve
  3. Brain stem
  4. Temporal lobe

Psychology (13 decks)

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