chapter 6 Flashcards
perception
The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events (interpreting)
Sensation
The process by which are sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment (SENSORY SENSATION)
bottom-up processing
analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration of sensory information(works it way up)
psychophysics
The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli such as their intensity and our psychological experience of them (psychooooo relations)
absolute threshold
The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time ( minimum
Signal detection theory
a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background stimulation. Assumes that is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person’s experience, expectations, motivation, and level of fatigue
subliminal
below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness(
priming
The activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perception, memory, or response.
difference threshold
The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time. We experience the difference threshold as a just a noticeable difference
webster’s law
The principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage
sensory adaptation
diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
transduction
conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains can interpret
wavelength
The distance from the peak of one light or soundwave to the peak of the next. Electromagnetic wavelengths vary from short blips of cosmic rays to the long pulses of radio transmission
hue
The dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light; what we know as the color names blue, green, and so forth
intensity
The amount of energy in a light or soundwave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, as determined by the 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 people that changes shape to help focus images 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
accommodation
The process by which the eyes lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina
rods
retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, and when cones don’t respond.
cones
retinal reception cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight 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 spot because no receptor cells are located there
fovea
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 shape, angle or movement
parallel processing
The processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously ; the brains natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. contrast with the step-by-step processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving
Young-Helmholtz trichromatic (three-color) theory
The theory that the retina contains three different color receptors – one most sensitive to read, one to green, one to blue – which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color
opponent–process theory
The theory that opposing retinal processes enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others say inhibited by red and inhibited by green
Frequency
The number of complete 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 that concentrate the vibrations of the year jam on the cochlea’s oval window
cochlea
a coiled, bony, fluid – filled tube in the inner ear through which soundwaves trigger nerve impulses
inner ear
The innermost part of the ear containing the chochlea, semicircular canals and vestibular sacs
Place theory
in hearing, the theory that links the pitch we here with the place where the cochlea’s membrane is stimulated
frequency theory
in hearing, the theory that 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
hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts soundwaves to the cochlea
sensorineural hearing loss
hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea’s receptor cells or to the auditory nerve; 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
kinesthesis
The system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
vestibular sense
the sense of the body movement and position, including the sense of balance.
Gate-control theory
The theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological gate that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. the gate is open by activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers or by information coming from the brain
sensory interaction
The principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste
gestalt
an organized whole. Gestalt psychologist emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes
figure – ground
The organization of the visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings
grouping
The perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups
depth perception
The ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two dimensional; allows us to judge distance
Visual cliff
A laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals
binocular cues
depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two eyes
retinal disparity
a binocular cue for perceiving depth: by comparing images from the retina in the two eyes, the brain computes distance – the greater the disparity between the two images, the closer the object
monocular cues
depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone
phi phenomenon
an illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
perceptual constancy
perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change
Color consistency
perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object
perceptual adaptation
in Vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field
perceptual set
A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not the other
human factors psychology
A branch of psychology that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use
extrasensory perception
The controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input; includes Telepathy clairvoyants and precognition
parapsychology
The study of paranormal phenomena including ESP and psychokinesis
