Chapter 7- Sensation And Perception

Question 1

Sensation

Answer 1

The process by which our sense organs and receptors detect and respond to sensory information that stimulates them

Question 2

Perception

Answer 2

The process by which we give meaning to sensory information.

Question 3

What do sensory receptors do?

Answer 3

Receive and process sensory information

Question 4

Reception

Answer 4

Process of detecting and responding to incoming sensory information

Question 5

Receptive field

Answer 5

The area of space in which a receptor can respond to a stimulus

Question 6

Transduction

Answer 6

The process by which the receptors change the energy of the detected sensory information into a form which can travel along neural pathways as action potentials.

Question 7

Transmission

Answer 7

The process of sending sensory information to the relevant areas of the brain for interpretation to occur

Question 8

Interpretation

Answer 8

Incoming sensory information is given meaning so that it can be understood

Question 9

Function of the cornea

Answer 9

Protects the eye and helps to focus light rays onto the retina

Question 10

Function of the pupil

Answer 10

Controls the amount of light that enters the eye

Question 11

Function of the iris

Answer 11

Expands and contracts to control size of pupil

Question 12

Function of lens

Answer 12

Adjusts its shape according to the distance of the object being viewed in order to focus light onto the retina

Question 13

Function of retina

Answer 13

Receives and absorbs light and processes images

Question 14

Process of optic nerve

Answer 14

Transmits visual information from the retina to the primary visual cortex

Question 15

What is the function of the rod photoreceptors?

Answer 15

Respond to low levels of light and assist in night vision

Question 16

Function of cone photoreceptors

Answer 16

Respond to high levels of light, detect colour and fine details and assist sight in well lit conditions

Question 17

Gestalt principles

Answer 17

The ways in which we organise the features of a visual scene by grouping them to perceive a whole, complete form

Question 18

Figure-ground organisation

Answer 18

When an image can be divided by a contour where the main aspect of the image stands out from its surroundings

Question 19

Closure

Answer 19

The tendency to mentally fill in or ignore gaps in an image to perceive it as completed

Question 20

Similarity

Answer 20

The tendency to visually group images according to similar features

Question 21

Proximity

Answer 21

The tendency to perceive parts of a visual image which are positioned close together as belonging together in a group

Question 22

When does camouflage occur?

Answer 22

When the figure and ground cannot be easily separated

Question 23

Depth perception

Answer 23

The ability to accurately estimate the distance of objects and therefore perceive the world in three dimensions

Question 24

Depth cues

Answer 24

Sources of information from the environment or from within the body that help to perceive how far away objects are from ourselves

Question 25

Binocular depth cues

Answer 25

Require the use of both eyes.

Convergence
Retinal disparity

Question 26

Convergence

Answer 26

Brain detects greater tension in the eye muscles when the image is closer

Question 27

Retinal disparity

Answer 27

Where difference between the location of the images on both retinas provide information about how far the object is from the viewer

Question 28

Monocular depth cues

Answer 28

Require the use of only one eye

Accommodation
Pictorial cues

Question 29

Accommodation

Answer 29

Where the lens automatically bulges to perceive close images and elongate to perceive images that are far away

Question 30

Pictorial cues

Answer 30

A visual perception depth cue that can be represented pictorially on a two dimensional surface

Linear perspective 
Interposition 
Texture gradient
Relative size
Height in the visual field

Question 31

Linear perspective

Answer 31

Apparent convergence of parallel lines as they recede into the distance

Question 32

Interposition

Answer 32

When an object partially covers another so that the covered object looks further away

Question 33

Texture gradient

Answer 33

Gradual reduction in fine detail as it recedes into the distance

Question 34

Relative size

Answer 34

The tendency to perceive the object that produces the largest image on the retina as closer and vice versa

Question 35

Height in the visual field

Answer 35

Objects located closer to the horizon are perceived as being more distant

Question 36

Perceptual Constancies

Answer 36

The tendency to perceive an object as remaining stable despite any changes that may occur to the images cast on the retina

Question 37

Size constancy

Answer 37

Recognising that an object is the same size although the image is different

Question 38

Shape constancy

Answer 38

Depending on what angle the object is viewed at, it can appear to change its shape although it hasn’t really

Question 39

Brightness constancy

Answer 39

Perceiving objects as remaining the same colour although the variance of light makes it appear like a different colour

Question 40

Perceptual set

Answer 40

The predisposition to perceive something in accordance with what we expect it to be

Question 41

Context

Answer 41

The setting or environment in which a perception is made that takes into account the relevance of the object to the setting

Question 42

Motivation

Answer 42

Internal processes which activate behaviour that we direct towards achieving a particular goal

Question 43

Emotional state

Answer 43

Different emotions can set us to perceive information in a particular way which is consistent with the emotion being experienced

Question 44

Past experience

Answer 44

Personal experiences throughout our lives that can predispose us to perceive information in a particular way

Question 45

Culture

Answer 45

Experience within a specific culture can influence perception