CHAPTER 5 Flashcards
Sensation
stimulate senses
Transduction
converting
outside world into
neural impulses
Perception
process
interpreting, organizing
and experiencing
sensation
Frequency
number of waves that pass a given
point in a given time period
Depth Perception
ability to
perceive 3D relationship
Binocular depth cues -
a) Binocular disparity
Use 2 eyes
a). each eye gets
difference image
Monocular depth cues
Use 1 eye
Congenital deafness
born without hearing
Conductive hearing loss
trouble delivering sound to
cochlea
Sensorineural hearing loss
can be caused by many
factors
* Aging, head trauma, infections, medications, environmental factors,
tumors, and toxins
Olfactory receptors
like parts that extend from
olfactory bulb into mucous membrane of nasal cavity
Olfactory bulb
:a bulb-like structure at the tip of frontal lobe
where olfactory nerves begin
Meissner’s corpuscles
respond to pressure and lower frequency
vibrations
Pacinian corpuscles
detect transient pressure and higher frequency
vibrations
Merkel’s disks
respond to light pressure
Ruffini corpuscles
detect stretch
Good continuation (continuity)
perceive shapes as
smooth continuous lines
E.g., two overlapping lines, rather than four lines
meeting in center
absolute threshold
minimum amount of stimulus energy that must be present for the stimulus to be detected 50% of the time
bottom-up processing
system in which perceptions are built from sensory input
top-down processing
interpretation of sensations is influenced by available knowledge, experiences, and thoughts
trichromatic theory of color perception
color vision is mediated by the activity across the three groups of cones
wavelength
length of a wave from one peak to the next peak
temporal theory of pitch perception
sound’s frequency is coded by the activity level of a sensory neuron
signal detection theory
change in stimulus detection as a function of current mental state
rod
specialized photoreceptor that works well in low light conditions
pupil
small opening in the eye through which light passes
retina
light-sensitive lining of the eye
place theory of pitch perception
different portions of the basilar membrane are sensitive to sounds of different frequencies
pinna
visible part of the ear that protrudes from the head
opponent-process theory of color perception
color is coded in opponent pairs: black-white, yellow-blue, and red-green
optic chiasm
X-shaped structure that sits just below the brain’s ventral surface; represents the merging of the optic nerves from the two eyes and the separation of information from the two sides of the visual field to the opposite side of the brain
optic nerve
carries visual information from the retina to the brain
Pacinian corpuscle
touch receptor that detects transient pressure and higher frequency vibrations
lens
curved, transparent structure that provides additional focus for light entering the eye
fovea
small indentation in the retina that contains cones
cornea
transparent covering over the eye
cone
specialized photoreceptor that works best in bright light conditions and detects color
cochlea
fluid-filled, snail-shaped structure that contains the sensory receptor cells of the auditory system
a.)binaural cue
b.)binocular cue
a.)two-eared cue to localize sound
b.) cue that relies on the use of both eyes
basilar membrane
thin strip of tissue within the cochlea that contains the hair cells which serve as the sensory receptors for the auditory system
