Exam 1/Chapter 3- Sensation and Perception Flashcards
Sensation
messages from the senses
Perception
process of making sensations into meaningful experiences
Sensory Receptors
specialized cells that detect sensory stimuli
Transduction
translation of physical properties into electrical signals to be sent to the brain
List the general 4 steps from sensation–>perception.
- Stimulus energy (light, sound, smell, etc.) - Sensation
- Sensory receptors (eye, ears, nose, etc.)- Sensation
- Neural impulses- Sensation
- Brain (visual, auditory, olfaction areas)- Perception
Absolute Threshold
the smallest amount of a stimulus that can be detected (50% of the time)
Who came up with absolute threshold?
Gustav Fechner
Difference Threshold
the amount of difference between two stimuli required for detection (Just noticeable difference (JND))
Who came up with difference threshold?
Weber
State Weber’s Law.
the amount of change in stimulation needed to produce a noticeable difference is a constant proportion of the original stimulus
What is the unit for Weber’s Fraction for Different Stimuli?
(K)
Subliminal perception
below the threshold of awareness
Sensory Adaptation
sensitivity decreases over time
Habituation
ignoring a stimulus
Do the receptors change in sensory adaption?
YES
Do the receptors change in habituation?
NO
What is stimulation for vision?
electromagnetic radiation
Is visible light a small or large part of the spectrum?
Small
What are the properties of light waves?
- Wavelength
- Amplitude
- Saturation
Wavelength can be described as what?
Color/Hue
Amplitude can be described as what?
Brightness
Saturation can be described as what?
Purity
On a diagram, wavelength would determine the _____ of the line.
Color/Hue
On a diagram, aptitude would determine the _____ of the line.
height of the waves on the line (higher amplitude= higher waves)
Pure colors have how many wavelengths?
1
Impure colors have how many wavelengths?
Many
What controls accommodation?
Tiny muscles in the lens
To focus on distance objects the lens will do what?
Lessens curvature (flatten)
To focus on close objects the lens will do what?
Increases curvature
In normal vision where is vision focused?
On the retina
What is myopia?
Nearsightedness
What is hyperopia?
Farsightedness
In nearsightedness (myopia) where is the image focused?
Infront of the retina
In farsightedness (hyperopia) where is the image focused?
Behind the retina
What does the retina consist of?
- Photoreceptors (rods & cones)
- Bipolar cells
- Ganglion cells
Rods and cones are considered to be what?
Photoreceptors
From front to back, who are the cells of the retina arranged?
- Ganglion Cells
- Bipolar cells
- Photoreceptors
What 3 cell types are within the bipolar layer?
- Amacrine cells
- Bipolar cells
- Horizontal cells
Where does transduction occur with vision?
In photoreceptor cells
Where are cone cells found?
The fovea of the retina
Where are rod cells found?
the rest of the retina (besides the fovea)
What are cone cells used for?
- Day vision
- Color vision
- Fine discrimination
What are cone rod cells used for?
Primarily for night vision
Describe the general steps that the path of light takes.
- Light enters the eye: triggering changes in photoreceptor cells (rods and cones)
- Neural impulse travels back through bipolar cells and then ganglion cells
- Axon from each ganglion cell becomes one fiber in optic nerve
- Neural impulse travels to brain (occipital lobe- visual processing center)
Define dark adaptation.
Increase in light sensitivity when illumination decreases (gets dark)
How do rods and cones adapt to darkness?
Rods & cones adapt to darkness at different rates, to different degrees
What part of the brain processes visual information?
Visual cortex (occipital lobe)
Each eye is connected to _____ hemispheres.
BOTH
What is the point of crossover in the brain of our eyes called?
Optic Chiasm
What does the optic chiasm allow for?
3D perception
Feature Detectors
Neurons that respond to specific features of the visual stimulus
What are the theories for color perception?
- Trichromatic Theory
2. Opponent-Process Theory
Who was the trichromatic theory developed by?
Developed by Young & Helmholtz
The trichromatic theory suggest that the eyes have how many types of color receptors?
3
What are the 3 types of color receptors suggested by the trichromatic theory?
Primary colors:
- Red
- Green
- Blue (blue-violet)
What are color receptors now called?
Cones
What does the trichromatic theory suggest allows us to see different colors?
A response pattern
What does the trichromatic theory fail to account for?
afterimages
What are afterimages?
Persistence of a visual sensation after the stimulus is gone
What does the opponent-process theory suggest about color receptors?
Instead of having 3 color receptors, it suggest we have 3 PAIRS OF OPPOSING COLOR RECEPTORS
What are the 3 pairs of opposing color receptors suggested by the opponent-process theory?
- Red-Green
- Blue-Yellow
- Black-White
What does the opponent-process theory suggest about seeing these colors?
When one color is activated, other is inhibited
Which theory is correct the trichromatic theory or opponent-process theory?
Both theories are needed to account for the complexity of
visual sensations of color
What are the 3 types of color vision/blindness?
- Trichromats
- Monochromats
- Dichromats
What can trichromats see?
any hue (not color blind)
What can monochromats see?
totally color blind
What can dichromats see?
partially color blind
How many % of men and women are dichromats?
- Men- 8%
2. Women- 1%
When talking about perception, and “putting it all together”, what is the bottom-up analysis?
start with basic elements
When talking about perception, and “putting it all together”, what is the Top-down analysis?
Start at more complex levels (may use previously learned information)

What are Gestalt’s principles?
Figure (shapes) and Ground (backdrop)
Perceptual constancy
Stable in size, shape, & brightness
What are the 3 types of constancies?
- Size constancy
- Shape constancy
- Brightness constancy
Size constancy
remain the same size (despite retinal image)
Shape constancy
normal shape regardless of the angle
Brightness constancy
maintain brightness
What is depth perception?
Perception of the relative distance of objects
What is the development of depth perception?
Visual cliff
Binocular cues require input from _____ eye(s).
Both
Define Retinal disparity.
Degree of difference between two retinas
Define Convergence.
Degree eyes turn inward
Monocular cues require input from _____ eye(s).
One
What are the types of binocular cues?
- Retinal disparity
2. Convergence
What are the types of monocular cues?
- Accommodation
- Motion Parallax
- Interposition
- Relative size
- Linear perspective
- Elevation
- Texture gradient
Define motion parallax.
tendency to perceive ourselves going in…
What direction is motion parallax for close objects?
Opposite direction
What direction is motion parallax for farther objects?
Same direction
Define Interposition.
Overlap
Give 2 examples of relative size.
- Big things = closer
2. Small things = farther away
Give an example of elevation.
Higher = farther
Give an example of texture gradient.
Closer = more detail
What is an illusion?
A perception of a physical stimulus differing from measurable reality or what is commonly expected