Chapter 5 Flashcards
Sensation
Detection and transmission of stimuli (physical) goes to brain eg, sound, color
Perception
Interpretation of sensory input, conscious perception of the world eg, green means go (process)
Bottom-up processing
Starts with the individual elements that make up an object, put them together, and interpret them as a whole. eg, looking for waldo you look for the color red
Top-down Processing
Interpret sensory information w with existing knowledge, expectations, and experience. eg, mentally filling in gaps in text
Transduction
process of translation of stimuli whereby the sensory information is converted to neural signals for the brain to interpret, eg. the brain has steps to interpret what a green light means.
Stimulus
any detectable input from the environment
Absolute Threshold
the minimum amount of stimulation that can be detected 50% of the time, eg. how loud you need to be to hear anything, like a car moving distantly
Sensory Adaption
A decline in sensitivity due to constant stimulation eg. noseblind
Sound as a Stimulus
sound waves are vibrations of molecules that travel through a medium, such as air
Amplitude
Sounds can be described in amplitude(loudness), measured in decibels
Frequency
Sounds can be described in terms of their frequency which is measured in cycles per second or hertz, pitch depends on frequency
Gustatory System
sensory system for taste, receptors are clusters of taste cells found in taste buds. Thalomos gets the signals
The Olfactory System
Receptors are olfactory cilia(hair) to olfactory bulb to other parts of the brain
The Tactile System
Anything that comes in contact with skin = tactile stimulation. 2 types of receptors, warm and cold. Senses pain to avoid danger. Higher order processes matter. Signals to thalamus - parietal lobe.
The Visual System
sensory system for sight, stimulus is light, measured in nanometers
The Eye
Light enters through the cornea
Behind the pupil is the elastic lens
Retina multilayered tissue at rear
Optic nerve to brain
Visual Receptors
rods : receptors with key role in night vision and peripheral vision
cones : receptor with key role in daylight vision and color vision
Gestalt psychology
humans have basic tendencies to actively organize what they see, for human perception, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts
Gestalts Laws of Organization
Law of Similarity (grouping)
Law of proximity (eg. 3 sets of lines OR 6 lines)
Law of closure (eg. circle, or open circle)
Law of continuity (eg. a-b or d-c)
Shape constancy
friends face has a different shape when you look at it their side profile rather than face on. Has the friend’s face changed?
Size constancy
walk to you car, imagine your retina gets larger, do you perceive your car to be growing?
Brightness constancy
colour of your jacket may be different in full sunlight than in shade
