Chapter 5: Sensation and Perception Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

sensation

A

the act of using our sensory systems to detect environmental stimuli

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

perception

A

the conscious recognition and identification of a sensory stimuli

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

sensory receptor cells

A

specialized cells that convert a specific form of environmental stimuli into neural impulses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

sensory transduction

A

the process of converting a specific form of environmental stimuli into neural impulses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

absolute threshold

A

the minimal stimulus necessary for detection by an individual

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

difference threshold/just noticeable difference

A

the minimal difference between two stimuli necessary for detection of a different between the two

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

sensory adaption

A

the process whereby repeated stimulation of a sensory cell leads to a reduced response

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

olfactory adaptation

A

occurs when a change in sensitivity to a particular odour reaches a point where the odour cannot be distinguished after a prolonged exposure to it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

how can sensory adaption be overcome?

A

by providing a stronger stimulus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

bottom-up processing

A

perception that proceeds by transducing environmental stimuli into neural impulses that move into successively more complex brain regions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

top-down processing

A

perception processes led by cognitive processes, such as memory or expectations. involves previously acquired knowledge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

perceptual set

A

readiness to interpet a certain stimulus in a certain way AKA “perceptual expectation”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

perceptual sets or expectations come into ambiguous stimuli which is:

A

stimuli that can be interpreted in different ways

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

perception involves:

A

bottom-up and top-down processing occurring at the same time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

kinesthetic sense

A

provides info about body’s movement, posture, and position

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

vestibular sense

A

provides info about the head’s position and movement in space, stabilizing gaze as well as maintaining balance and posture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

proprioceptive feedback

A

unconscious awareness of the self and spatial orientation arising from stimulation within the body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

chemical senses

A

involve responses to particular chemicals: includes olfactory and gustatory sense

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

olfactory sense

A

our sense of smell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

gustatory sense

A

our sense of taste

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

odorants

A

airborne chemicals that are detected as odours

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

olfactory receptor neurons

A

sensory receptor cells that convert chemical signals from odorants into neural impulses that travel to the brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

odorants bind to specific receptors on:

A

olfactory receptor neurons in a “lock-and-key” model

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

continuous binding of certain odorants will result in:

A

the fatigue of the olfactory receptor neurons, cell will stop responding to odorant until recovered

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

if a stimulus is continuously present, the only way the olfactory receptor neuron will respond again is if…

A

the stimulus increases in magnitude

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

papillae

A

bumps on the tongue that contain clumps of taste buds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

taste buds

A

clusters of sensory receptor cells that convert chemical signals from food into neural impulses that travel to the brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

what are the five major kinds of taste receptors?

A

sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami; all use a slightly different mechanism for transduction of the food chemicals into neural impulses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

taste buds are not evenly distributed:

A

most are located on the top of the tongue

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

what is capsaicin?

A

a chemical that activates pain receptors in tongue (associated with spicy foods)

31
Q

what is special about olfactory and gustatory sensory receptors?

A

they can regenerate after being burned or harmed

32
Q

olfactory bulb

A

the first region were olfactory information reaches the brain on its way from the nose

33
Q

the brain is able to recognize/detect certain odours because:

A

cortex is able to recognize patterns of inputs from a variety of olfactory receptors

34
Q

taste receptor cells don’t have:

A

axons, they connect directly with sensory neurons in the tongue to send info to the brain-thalamus-then cerebral cortex

35
Q

all sensory systems have a main pathway through the thalamus except:

A

olfaction

36
Q

which part of the cortex is associated with the emotion of disgust?

A

the insula

37
Q

many developmental changes are the result of:

A

learning, and the gustatory system changes from infancy to adulthood (number of taste buds decline)

38
Q

exposure to particular odours during childhood lessens the:

A

reaction to those odours in adulthood

39
Q

functional differences due to :

A

differences in concentration of taste buds on the tongue

40
Q

anosmia

A

inability to smell

41
Q

ageusia

A

inability to taste

42
Q

what is the leading cause of anosmia and ageusia?

A

head trauma

43
Q

reflex epilepsy

A

will experience a seizure only after exposure to a specific odour

44
Q

tactile

A

touch

45
Q

free nerve endings

A

located mostly near the surface of the skin and detects touch, pressure, pain, and temperature

46
Q

Meissner’s corpuscles

A

transduce information about sensitive touch and are found in the hairless regions of the body, such as fingertips, lips, and palms

47
Q

Merkel’s discs

A

transduce info about light to moderate pressure on the skin

48
Q

Ruffini’s end-organs

A

located deep in the skin. Register heavy pressure and movement of the joints

49
Q

Pacinian corpuscles

A

buried deep in the skin and respond to vibrations and heavy pressure

50
Q

tactile sensory receptors are:

A

free nerve endings

51
Q

skin is not equally sensitive to tactile stimuli due to:

A

different densities of free nerve endings

52
Q

can tactile sensations experience sensory adaptation?

A

yes, reduced tactile sensation from depression of the skin that continues for a period of time

53
Q

touch info is first received in the:

A

thalamus before being sent to the somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe

54
Q

tactile information is processed:

A

contralaterally

55
Q

somatosensory cortex does not have:

A

equal representation of all parts of the body

56
Q

how does pain travel to the brain?

A

2 different types of pain fibres: fast pathway and slow pathway

57
Q

describe the fast pathway of pain:

A

along myelinated axons, associated with sharp, localized pain, “withdrawal reflex”

58
Q

describe the slow pathway of pain:

A

occurs along unmyelinated axons, input to brain regions that are also involved with emotions, associated with burning pain

59
Q

can pain system be subjected to adaption?

A

yes unless it is associated with tissue damage or an abnormality in the pain system

60
Q

after birth, the ability to recognize and respond to different somatosensory stimuli is dependent on:

A

further brain development as well as learning

61
Q

describe reaction to tickling:

A

activation of somatosensory pathways in an uneven, uncontrollable, and unexpected manner

62
Q

sensory systems are organized to detect change and are most-tuned to:

A

stimuli that is unexpected and surprising, doesn’t really notice stimuli that is expected

63
Q

there is a difference in tactile thresholds with:

A

age (becomes less sensitive to touch with age)

64
Q

wat plays a role in the sensation and perception of pain?

A

learning and physical differences

65
Q

neuroimaging revealed that people’s brains react differently depending on :

A

their sensitivity to pain

66
Q

gat control theory of pain

A

theory suggesting that certain patterns of neural activity can close a “gate” to keep pain information from travelling to parts of the brain where it is perceived

67
Q

what are two types of opiates that reduce the feeling of pain?

A

endorphins and enkephalins

68
Q

what are endorphins and enkephalins?

A

naturally occurring pain killing chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the brain

69
Q

endogenous opiates

A

opiates that naturally present in the nervous system. Released by neurons after intense physical exercise, stress, and sexual experience

70
Q

based on gate-control theory, touch sensations on fast fibres can help prevent some:

A

pain sensations travelling on the slow pathways from reaching areas of the brain where they are perceived. this is because the brain only processes so much input and another stimulus can “distract” the brain

71
Q

pain is important for:

A

preventing physical damage to the body

72
Q

familial dysautonomia

A

genetic condition associated with an inability to detect pain or temperature

73
Q

familial dysautonomia can be acquired through:

A

neuropathies or nerve dysfunction

74
Q

why do phantom limb sensations occur?

A

abnormal activity in the somatosensory cortex, somatosensory inputs from intact body parts expand to occupy regions on cortex of the “phantom limbs”