Chapter 5 Vocab Flashcards
The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events
Perception
The process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
Sensation
Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works way up to the brains integration of sensory information
Bottom-up processing
Information processing guided by higher level mental processes as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations
Top-down processing
The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli such as their intensity and out psychological experience of them
Psychophysics
The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time
Absolute threshold
A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of fain stimulus amid background stimulation assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on persons experience expectations motivation and level of fatigue
Signal detection theory
Below ones absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Subliminal
The activation often unconsciously of certain associations thus predisposing ones perceptions memory or response
Priming
The minimum difference between toe stimuli required for detection 50’percent of the time we experience the divergence threshold as a just noticeable difference
Difference threshold
The principle that to be perceived as different two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage
Webers law
Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Sensory adaptation
Conversion of one form of energy into another in sensation the transforming of stimulus energies such as sights sounds and smells into neural impulses in our brain
Transduction
The distance from the break do one light or sound wavs to the peak of the next
Wavelength
The dimension of color that is determined by wavelength of light
Hue
The amount of energy in a light or sound wave which we perceive as brightness or loudness
Intensity
The adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters
Pupil
A ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening
Iris
Transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on retina
Lens
Process by which the eyes lens changes shape to help focus near or far objects on retina
Accommodation
Light sensitive inner surface of the eye contains the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information
Retina
Sharpness of vision
Acuity
Condition in which nearby objects are seen more clearly than distant because distant objects focus in front of the retina
Nearsightedness
Condition in which faraway objects are seen more clearly than near because the image near objects is focused behind the retina
Farsightedness
Retinal receptors that direct black white and gray necessary for peripheral and twilight vision when it cones don’t respond
Rods
Retinal receptor tells the that are concentrated near the center if the retinal and function in daytime and weep lit conditions detect fine details and give rise to color and sensation
Cones
Nerve that carries neural impulses from eye to brain
Optic nerve
Point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye creating a blind spot because no receptor cells are located there
Blind spot
The central focal point in the retina around which the eyes cones cluster
Fovea
Nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features if the stimulus
Feature detection
Processing of several aspects of problem simultaneously brain natural mode if the processing for many functions
Parallel processing
Theory that the retina contains three different color receptors which when stimulated in combination can produce the perception of any color
Young helmholtz trichromatic theory
Theory that opposing retina processes enable color vision
Opponent process theory
Color will remain roughly contrast as lighting and wave length sift
Color constancy
The sense or act of hearing
Audition
The number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
Frequency
A tones experienced highness or lowness depends on frequency
Pitch
The chamber between eardrums and cochlea contains three tiny bones the concentrate the vibration of eardrum on cochlea’s oval window
Middle ear
Coiled bony fluid filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses
Cochlea
The innermost ear containing the cochlea semicircular canals and vestibular sacs
Inner ear
In hearing the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place the cochlea’s membrane is stimulated
Place theory
In hearing the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of tone thus enabling us to sense pitch
Frequency theory
Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea
Conduction hearing loss
Pleading loss caused by damage to the cochlea’s receptor cells or to auditory nerves
Sensorineural hearing loss
A device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
Cochlear implant
Theory that spinal cord contains neurological gate that blocks pain signals or allows them to lads on to the brain
Gate control theory
The principle that one sense may influence another as when the smell of food influences it’s taste
Sensory interaction
The system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
Kinesthesis
The sense of body movement and position including the sense of balance
Vestibular sense
