Chapter 6 - Sensation, Perception, and Action

Question 1

constructivist (3) vs nativists (2) on issues of nurture and nature debate

Answer 1

Constructivist

• perception constructed by learning over time (nurture)
• at birth, equipped with sensory systems
• more popular theory

Nativists

• born equipped with innate capabilities, allowing us to perceive the world in a meaningful way (nature)
• infants equipped with sensory systems but refined through innate plan

Question 2

what did Williams James say bout perception and sensation for infants? (2)

Answer 2

• state of “blooming, buzzing, and confusion”

- infants have great perceptual skills

Question 3

preferential looking (2)

Answer 3

• infants look longer at one of the 2 stimuli

- may indicate discrimination (liking one better)

Question 4

vision in newborn infants (8)

Answer 4

• can detect brightness
• track slow-moving objects
• at 4 months blurry objects; poor visual acuity (ability to perceive detail)
• at 4 months can see color
• organizes the world as light/dark (like a check board)
• fixation on moms face
• understands size constancy
• recognition of depth and does not walk across a visual cliff (experiment, p171)

Question 5

What can be done if vision impaired?

Answer 5

can have cataract surgery if not working properly, but later risk for eye problems

Question 6

process of hearing (3)

Answer 6

moving air molecules enter the ear and vibrate the eardrum. vibration transmitted to cochlea in inner ear. Then sends signals that the brain interprets as sound

Question 7

hearing in infants (7)

Answer 7

• can hear better than can see
• startled with sounds
• at 3 mo can hear things outside the womb
• discriminate loudness, direction, duration, and frequency
• distinguish phonemes
• biologically prepared to any language
• prefers the female voice

Question 8

What can be done if an infant’s hearing is impaired? (2)

Answer 8

• can have cochlear implants if not working correctly

- infant struggles to understand signal input to brain but learns how to

Question 9

What are the 4 basic tastes

Answer 9

bitter, sweetness, salty, sour

Question 10

taste in infants (2)

Answer 10

• prefers sweet (amniotic fluid is sweet)

- smile with sweet, purse lips with bitter

Question 11

What is smelling also called? What is its process?

Answer 11

• called olfaction

- receptors in nasal passage

Question 12

smell in infants (1)

Answer 12

-recognizes mom’s milk (while mom recognizes baby smell)

Question 13

touch in infants (3)

Answer 13

• reflexive touch
• sensitive to warm/cold
• sensitive to pain
• all skin receptors somewhat functional at birth*

Question 14

What do infants require for normal perceptual development?

Answer 14

normal perceptual experience

Question 15

Gibson’s 3 phases of exploratory behavior

Answer 15

1. 0-4 mo: explore by looking/listening
2. 5-7 mo: voluntary grasping and closer attention
3. 8-9 mo: crawl, explore, examine

Question 16

perception in children (7)

Answer 16

• gross motor skills (movement involving large muscles and limbs)
• dynamic action (senses experiences then adapt to them)
• move with rhythm (rocking, swaying)
• grasping, reaching
• more direct attention
• longer attention span
• cross-modal perception (perception that involves interactions of different senses, Ex, touch and hearing)

Question 17

perception in adolescents (2)

Answer 17

• better attention span

- can ignore irrelevant stimuli

Question 18

what leads to hearing impairment in adolescents? what is the specific disease called? What should they do to minimize damage? What can we do?

Answer 18

• loud music leads to hearing loss
• tinnitus (ringing in ear)
• should wear hearing protection but not “cool”
• educate the danger of loud noises and reduce stigma

Question 19

taste in adolescent (2)

Answer 19

• add umami/savory

- influenced by cognition

Question 20

smell in adolescents (1)

Answer 20

females more sensitive than males due to hormones

Question 21

perceptual changes in adults (1)

Answer 21

gradual and usually minor

Question 22

vision in adults (6)

Answer 22

• need of corrective lenses
• more attentive in reading people’s faces
• smaller pupils
• less responsive to changes in lighting condition and to dim light
• more susceptible to falls because less able to see well
• lens denser & yellowed

Question 23

problems with vision in adults (3)

Answer 23

• have cataracts (clouding of lens)
• macular degeneration: vision fades from center of eye
• glaucoma: vision fades from peripherals

Question 24

touch in adults (2)

Answer 24

• somaesthetic senses

- less sensitive to temperature change

Question 25

hearing in adults (1)

Answer 25

progressively gets worse

Question 26

problems with hearing in adults (2)

Answer 26

• in the inner ear, decline in cochlear cells and neurons leading to brain
• prebycusis: decrease sensitivity to high-frequency sounds

Question 27

speech in adults (1)

Answer 27

problems with understanding conversation due to background noise

Question 28

taste in adults (1)

Answer 28

gradual decline in sensitivity, foods taste bland

Question 29

smell in adults (1)

Answer 29

ability to detect odor declines

Question 30

How do sensory impairments impact adult life?

Answer 30

most older adults still are living full quality lives