Chapter 8-10 Flashcards
absolute threshold
The smallest amount of sitmulation that can be detected by an organism
adequate stimulation
Stimulation to which a sense modality is maximally sensitive
Bell, Charles (1774-1842)
Discovered, in modern times, the distinction between sensory and motor nerves.
Bell-Magendie law
There are two types of nerves: sensory nerves carrying impulses from the sense receptors to the brain and motor nerves carrying impulses from the brain to the muscles and glands of the body.
Broca’s area
The speech area on the left frontal lobe side of the cortex (the inferior frontal gyrus).
Broca, Paul (1824-1880)
Found evidence that part of the left frontal lobe of the cortex is specialized for speech production or articulation.
clinical method
The technique that Broca used. It involves first determining a behavior disorder in a living patient and then, after the patient had died, locating the part of the brain responsible for the behavior disorder.
differential threshold
The amount that stimulation needs to change before a difference in that stimulation can be detected.
doctrine of specific nerve energies
Each sensory nerve, no matter how it is stimulated, releases an energy specific to that nerve.
Du Bois-Reymond, Emil (1818-1896)
Is considered the father of electrophysiology. Like Helmholts he measure the speed of nerve impulse. He also discovered the electrical nature of the action potential.
Fechner, Gustave Theodor (1801-1887)
Expanded Weber’s law by showing that, for just noticeable differences to vary arithmetically, the magnitude of a stimulus must vary geometrically.
Ferrier, David (1843-1928)
Created a more detailed map of the motor cortex ahdn Fritsch and Hitzig had. He also mapped cortical areas corresponding to the cutaneous senses, audition, olfaction, and vision.
Flourens, Pierre (1794-1867)
Concluded that the cortical region of the brain acts as a whole and is not divided into a number of faculties, as the phrenologists had maintained.
formal discipline
The belief that the faculties of the mind can be strengthened by practicing the functions associated with them. Thus, one supposedly can become better at reasoning by studying mathematics or logic.
Fritsch, Gustav
along with Hitzig, discovered motor areas on the cortex by directly stimulating the exposed cortex of a dog.
Gall, Franz Joseph (1758-1828)
Believed that the strengths of mental faculties varied from person to person and that they could be determined by examining the bumps and depressions on a person’s skull. Such an examination came to be called phrenology.
Helmholtz, Hermann von (1821-1894)
a monumental figure in the history of science who did pioneer work in the areas of nerve condution, sensation, perception, color vision, and audition
Hering, Ewald (1834-1918)
offered a nativistic explanation of space perception and a theory of color vision based on the existence of three color receptors, each capable of a catabolis process and an anabolic process. Hering’s theory of color vision could explain a number of color experiences that Helmholtz’s theory could not.
Hitzig, Eduard (1838-1907)
along with Fritsch, discovered motor areas on the cortex by directly stimulating the exposed cortex of a dog
just noticeable difference (jnd)
The sensation that results if a change in stimulus intensity exceeds the differential threshold.
kinesthesis
the sensations caused by muscular activity
Ladd-Franklin, Christine (1847-1930)
proposed a theory of color vision based on evolutionary principles
Magendie, Francois (1783-1855)
discovered, in moern times, the distinction bertween sensory and motor nerves.
method of adjustment
an observer adjusts a variable stimulus until it appears to be equal to a standard stimulus
method of constant stimuli
a stimulus is presented at different intensities along with a standard stimulus, and the observer reports if it appears to be greater than, less than, or equal to the standard.
method of limits
a stimulus is presented at varying intensities along with a standard (constant) stimulus to determine the range of intensities judged to be the same as the standard.
Muller, Johannes (1801-1858)
Expanded the Bell-Magendie law by demonstrating that each sense receptor, when stimulated, releases and energy specific to that particular receptor. This finding is called the doctrine of specific nerve energies.
negative sensations
according to Fechner, sensations that occur below the abolute threshold and are therefore below the level of awareness.
panpsychism
The belief that everything in the universe experiences consciousness.
perception
according to Helmholtz, the mental experience arising when sensations are embellished by the recollection of past experiences
personal equations
mathematical formulae used to correct for differences in reaction time among observers
phrenology
the examination of the bumps and depressions on the skull in order to determine the strengths and weaknesses of various mental faculties.
physiognomy
the attempt to determine a person’s character by analyzing his or her facial features, bodily structure, and habitual patterns of posture and movement
principle of conservation of energy
the energy within a system is constant; therefore, it cannot be added to or substracted from but only transofrmed from one form to another
psychophysics
the systematic study of the relationship between physical and psychological events.
reaction time
the period of time between presentation of and response to a stimulus
resonance place theory of auditory perception
the tiny fibers on the basilar membrane of the inner ears are stimulated by different frequencies of sound; the shorter the fiber, the higher the frequency to which it responds
sensation
the rudimentary mental experience caused when sense receptors are stimulated by an environmental stimulus.
Spurzheim, Johann Kaspar (1776-1832)
a student and colleague, who did much to expand and promote phrenology.
two-point threshold
the smallest distance between two points of stimulation at which the two points are experienced as two points rather than one
unconscious inference
according to Helmholtz, the process by which the remnants of past experience rae added to sensations, thereby converting them into perceptions
Weber’s law
just noticeable differences correspond to a constant proportion of a standard stimuls.
Weber, Ernst Heinrich (1795-1878)
Using the two-point threshold and the just noticeable difference, was the first to demonstrate systematic relationships between stimulation and sensation
Wernicke’s area
The area on the left temporal lobe of the cortex associated with speech comprehension
Wernicke, Carl (1848-1905)
discovered an area on the left temporal lobe of the cortex associated with speech comprehension
Young-Helmholtz theory of color vision
separate receptor systems on the retina are responsive to each of the three primary colors; red, green, and blu-violet - also called the trichromatic theory
