Chapter 4 & 5 Test Flashcards
Transduction
sensory organs absorb stimuli from the environment
“Bottom Up” Processing
interpreting sensory information in real-time
(data driven, focuses on incoming sensory data, takes place real time)
Sensation
sensory receptors respond to light, sound, odor, taste and texture and transmit that information back to the brain
“Top Down” Processing
processing information through cognition
Perception
process where brain activity selects, organizes, and assigns meaning to incoming neural messages sent from sensory receptors
Threshold
the minimum strength of a stimuli that is needed to invoke a response
Absolute Threshold
the lowest amount of the stimuli required to detect it 50% of the time
Difference Threshold
the minimum amount of change to a stimulus that is required before a person will sense a change
a.k.a. -> just noticeable difference (JND)
Weber’s Law
the larger or stronger a stimulus the more change is required to notice a difference
Signal Detection Theory
the detection of a stimulus depends on both the intensity of the stimulus and the physical and psychological state of the individual
(stimulus intensity, background noise, physical condition, bias, level of motivation)
Stimulus Adaptation
the gradual decline in sensitivity to prolonged exposure to a stimulus
Attention
concentration of awareness on one or more stimulus to the exclusion of another stimuli
Selective Attention
the process of directing our awareness to relevant stimuli while ignoring irrelevant stimuli in the environment
Inattentional Blindness
failure to notice a fully visible, but unexpected, object, because attention was engaged on another task
Auditory System
the auditory system transduces sound waves into neural messages, which is what we hear
Pinna
flap of skin & cartilage attached to head
Auditory Canal
where sound waves travel and bounce into ear drum
Eardrum (tympanic membrane)
tightly stretched membrane at end of canal, vibrates when hit by sound waves
Hammar, Anvil, Stirrup
three tiny bones in middle ear
Oval Window
small membrane separating middle ear from inner ear; relays vibration to the cochlea
Cochlea
spiral-shaped, fluid-filled structure that contains basilar membrane and hair cells
Basilar Membrane
holds hair cell receptors for hearing
Hair Cells
sensory receptors embedded in basilar membrane
Role of Brain
auditory nerve carries neural messages to the thalamus, then the auditory cortex in the temporal
Vestibular Sense
sense of balance and equilibrium
Inner Ear
contains receptors important for maintaining balance
Semicircular Canals
fluid-filled and lined with hair-like structures that shift response to motion
-provide brain with information about posture and head position
Pitch
how high a sound is a how low a sound is
(as you get older the high pitch becomes less acute)
Light
a form of electromagnetic radiation that travels as a wave
Amplitude
brightness
Wavelength
hue or color
Purity
saturation
Light enters through the….
cornea
Order for the Eyes
cornea -> pupil -> iris -> lens -> retina
Nearsightedness
close objects are seen clearly, and far objects are blurry