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 of sensory information
Top down processing
Information processing guided by higher level mental processes as when we construct perceptions drawing in our experience and expectations
Prosopagnosia
Damage to the left frontal lobe resulting in a person being unable to recognize faces
Psychophysics
The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli (ie intensity) and our psychological experience of them
Absolute threshold
The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimuli 50% of the time
Signal detection theory
Predicts how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background stimulation (stimulation depends partly on a persons experiences, expectations, motivation etc)
Subliminal
Below ones absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Priming
The activation of certain associations, thus predisposing ones perception, memory, or response
Difference threshold
The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time (just noticeable difference)
Weber’s Law
The principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than amount)
Sensory adaptation
Dismissed sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Transduction
Conversion of one form of energy into another, stimulus energies into neural impulses
Wavelength
The distance form peak of one light or sound wave to the next, vary from short (cosmic rays) to long (radio transmission)
Hue
The dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light (blue, green, etc)
Intensity
The amount of energy in a light/sound wave (brightness or loudness) determined by 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 eye that changes shape to help focus images on the retina
Accommodation
The process by which the eyes lens changes shape to focus near and far objects on the retina
Retina
The light sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin processing visual information
Acuity
The sharpness of vision
Nearsightedness
Nearby objects seen more clearly than distant objects (distant objects focus in front of the retina)
Farsightedness
Far away objects seen more clearly than near objects (near objects focus 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 receptors concentrated near the center of the retina that function in daylight/ well lit conditions, detect fine detail and color sensations
Bipolar Cells
Light energy activates them
Ganglion Cells
Activated by bipolar cells, axons of ganglion cells form the optic nerve
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” spot where there are no receptors
Fovea
The central focus point in the retina around which the cones cluster
Feature detectors
Nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of stimulus such as shape, angle or movement
Parallel processing
The processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously- the brains natural mode of info processing for many functions including vision
Blindsight
Visual cortex damaged, unable to consciously see objects but able to sense movement
Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory
The retina contains 3 color receptors (blue, red, green) which combine to produce all colors
Opponent- process theory
Opposing retinal processes (contrasting colors) create color vision
Color constancy
Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color even if changing illumination alters the wavelength reflected by the object
Audition
The sense or act of hearing
Frequency
The number of complete wavelengths that pass a certain point in a given time (for example, per second)
Pitch
A tones experienced highness or loweness, depends on frequency
Middle ear
The chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlear oval window
Cochlea
A coiled, bony, fluid filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerveimpulses
Cilia
Tiny, hairlike structures
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 (higher pitches)
Frequency theory
The rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense it’s pitch
Conduction hearing loss
Caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea
Sensorineural hearing loss
Caused by damage to 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
Spinal cord contains neurological gate that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass onto the brain
Sensory interaction
One sense may influence another (smell of food influences its taste)
McGurk Effect
Sight and hearing different produces different perception
Olfaction
Sense of smell
Synesthesia
One sense producing another (smell cookies- see blue)
Kinesthesis
System for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
Vestibular sense
The sense of body movement and position including the sense of balance
