Chapter 4

Question 1

Sensation

Answer 1

The stimulation of sensory receptors and the transmission of sensory information to the brain

Question 2

Perception

Answer 2

The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information

Question 3

Absolute threshold

Answer 3

The smallest amount of particular stimulus that can be detected

Question 4

Difference Threshold

Answer 4

The minimum difference that an individual can detect between two stimuli

Question 5

Signal-detection theory

Answer 5

The idea that distinguishing sensory stimuli takes into account not only the strength of the stimuli but also such elements as setting and one’s physical state, mood, and attitudes

Question 6

Sensory Adaptation

Answer 6

The process by which an organism becomes more sensitive to stimuli that are low in magnitude and less sensitive to stimuli that are constant

Question 7

Pupil

Answer 7

the opening in the center of the eye that adjusts to allow light to enter

Question 8

Lens

Answer 8

the transparent structure of the eye that focuses light on the retina

Question 9

Retina

Answer 9

The light-sensitive inner surface of the eye that contains the rods, cones, and neurons that process visual stimuli

Question 10

Photoreceptors

Answer 10

neurons that respond to light

Question 11

Blind Spot

Answer 11

the part of the retina that contains no photoreceptors

Question 12

Visual Acuity

Answer 12

Keenness or sharpness of vision

Question 13

Complementary

Answer 13

the colors across from each other on the color circle

Question 14

Afterimage

Answer 14

The visual sensation that occurs after the original stimulus has been removed

Question 15

Cochlea

Answer 15

The fluid-filled structure of the inner ear that transmits sound impulses to the auditory nerve

Question 16

Auditory Nerve

Answer 16

The cranial nerve that carries sound from the cochlea of the inner ear to the brain

Question 17

Conductive deafness

Answer 17

hearing loss caused by damage to the middle ear, thus interfering with the transmission of sound waves to the cochlea

Question 18

Sensorineural Deafness

Answer 18

Deafness that results from damage to the auditory nerve

Question 19

Olfactory Nerve

Answer 19

the nerve that transmits information about odors from the olfactory receptors to the brains

Question 20

Gate Theory

Answer 20

the suggestion that only a certain amount of information can be processes by the nervous system at a time

Question 21

Vestibular sense

Answer 21

The sense that provides information about the position of the body

Question 22

Kinesthesis

Answer 22

The sense that provides information about the position and movement of individual body parts

Question 23

Closure

Answer 23

The tendency to perceive a complete of whole figure despite gaps in sensory information

Question 24

Similarity

Answer 24

The perceptual tendency to group together elements that seem alike

Question 25

Continuity

Answer 25

the perceptual tendency to group stimuli into continuous patterns

Question 26

Common Fate

Answer 26

the tendency to perceive objects that are moving together as belonging together

Question 27

Stroboscopic motion

Answer 27

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

Question 28

Monocular Cues

Answer 28

Cues for distance that may be available to either eye alone

Question 29

Binocular cues

Answer 29

visual cues for depth that require the use of both eyes

Question 30

Retinal Disparity

Answer 30

A binocular cues for perceiving depth based on the difference between the two images of an object that the retina receives as the object moves closer or farther away