Chapter 5 Flashcards
Perception
The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events
Sensation
The process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
Bottom up processing
Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration sensory information
Top down processing
Information processing guided by higher level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations
Psychophysics
The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity and our psychological experience of them
Absolute threshold
The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time
Signal detection theory
A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background stimulation. Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends
Partly on a persons experience expectations motivation and level of fatigue
Subliminal
Below ones absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Priming
The activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing ones perception, memory, or response
Difference threshold
The minimum difference between two stimuli requires for detection 50 percent of the time, we experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference
Webers law
The principle that to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage
Sensory adaptation
Diminished sensitivity s a consequence of constant stimulation
Transduction
Conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies into neural impulses our brains can interpret
Wavelength
The distance from the leak of one light or sounds save to the peak of the next. Electromagnetic wavelengths vary from the short blips orphaned cosmos rash to the long holes of radio transmission
Hue
The dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light, we know it as the colors
Intensity
The amount of energy in a light or sounds wave which we perceive as brightness or kindness as determined by a waves amplitude
Pupil
The adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters
Iris
A ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening
Lens
The transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina
Accommodation
The process by which the eyes lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina
Retina
The light sensitive inner surface of the eye containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information
Acuity
The sharpness of vision
Nearsightedness
A condition in which nearby objects are seen more clearly than distant objects because distant objects focus in front of the retina
Farsightedness
A condition in which far away objects are seen more clearly than Near objects because the images of near I nears objects focused behind the retina
Rods
Retinal receptors that detect black white and gray necessary for peripheral and twilight vision when cones don’t respond
Cones
Retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in ayah light or in well lit conditions. The cones detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations.
Optic nerve
The nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
Blind spot
The point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a blind slot because no receptor cells are located there
Fovea
The central focal point in the retina, around which the eyes cones cluster
Feature detectors
Nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shale angle or movement
Parallel processing
The processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously, the brains natural mode of information processing for many functions including vision. Contrasts with a step by step processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving
Young-helmholtz trichromatic theory
The theory that the retina contains three different color receptors, red green blue, that when stimulated in Combination can produce the perception of any color
Opponent process theory
The theory that opposing retinal processes (red green, yellow blue, white black) enable color vision
Color constancy
Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color even if changing illumination alters the wave lengths reflected by the object
Frequency
The number if Cinderella wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
Pitch
A tones experienced highness or lowness, depends on frequency
Middle ear
The chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones( hanger anvil stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochleas oval window
Cochlea
A coiled bony fluid filled tune in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses
Inner ear
The innermost part of the ear containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
Place theory
In hearing, the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochleas membrane is stimulated
Frequency theory
In hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve I holes traveling oh the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense it’s pitch
Conduction hearing loss
Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea
Sensorineural hearing loss
Hearing loss caused by damage to the cochleas receptor cells or to the auditory nerves, also called nerve deafness
Cochlear implant
A device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
Gate-control theory
The theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological gage that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. The gate is opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers or by information coming from the brain
Sensory interaction
The principle that one sense may influence another, was when the smell of food influences it’s taste
Vestibular sense
The sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance
Prosopagnosis
Failure of oerception, losing mortal lobe area essential to recognizing faces
Bipolar cells
Activated by the chemical changes that generate neural signals and activate the ganglion cells
Ganglion cells
Activated by bipolar cells, converge to form optic nerve
Blindsight
Losing portion of brains visual cortex to stroke or surgery, blindness in part if vision
Audition
The sense or act of hearing
Cilia
The tiny hair in the ear
McGurk Effect
If we hear a speaker saying one syllable while hearing another, we may perceive a third syllable that blends both inputs, Henry McGurk
Olfaction
Experiences if smell
Kinesthesis
The system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
Synesthesia
Neurological phenomenon in which stimulation on one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic involuntary experiences Ina second sensory or cognitive pathway
