Exam 2 Flashcards
Sensation
It is the physical effect of an environmental stimulus on a sensory organ receptor. Unprocessed, unorganized
Perception
the brain’s organization & interpretation of that physical effect. The brain will “fill in” information. Usually adaptive, but perception may not match reality
Transduction
the process through which sensory organs transform mechanical, chemical, or light energy into neural impulses
What is an absolute threshold, and how is it different from a “just noticeable difference”?
Absolute threshold: lowest level (minimum physical intensity) of a stimulus we can detect (50% of the time. Just Noticeable Difference (JND): Smallest amount of change in a stimulus we can detect
What two psychophysicists were known for groundbreaking research in this area? (absolute threshold, JND)
Ernst Weber & Gustav Fechner
Weber’s law
Stronger the stimulus, the larger the JND
What is “sensory adaptation”?
Sensory receptors are most active when a stimuli is first detected; reduced response to continual exposure
What is the point of the “Monkey Business Illusion”?
Failure to detect stimuli that are in plain sight when our attention is focused elsewhere
What are the five types of senses that we examined in lecture and in the textbook?
hearing, taste, smell, vision, and touch
What role does the thalamus play in sensation and perception?
The thalamus relays sensory impulses from receptors in various parts of the body to the cerebral cortex.
What sense is not relayed through the thalamus to the cortex?
information related to smell
What are the three properties of light that we studied?
Brightness, saturation, and hue
Brightness
intensity, as in number of photons
Saturation
how colorful the light is, as in proportion of colored to non-colored light
Hue
the color of light, as in wavelength
Major structures of the eye
pupil, iris, cornea & lens, retina, fovea
two types of light receptors and where in the eye they are located
Cones and rods. Located in the retina.
Where does transduction of light occur?
The cones and rods
What are the three properties of sound that we studied?
Pitch, loudness, and timbre
Pitch
wave frequency
Loudness
amplitude of the soundwaves
Timbre
quality or complexity
What are the major structures of: the outer ear?
pinna and ear canal
What are the major structures of: the middle ear?
Ossicles: Three bones—hammer, anvil, stirrup
What are the major structures of: the inner ear?
Cochlea. Hair cells- Organ of Corti & Basilar Membrane, Contain cilia
Where exactly does transduction of sound occur?
in the mechanoreceptive hair cells anchored in the organ of Corti
What are the two chemical senses?
taste and smell
What are considered to be the five basic tastes?
Salty, Sweet, Umami, Bitter, Sour
Which three basic tastes are understood to have evolved because they promoted fitness ancestrally, and why?
salty, sweet, umami
Which two tastes are understood to have evolved because they helped identify fitness threats ancestrally?
bitter and sour
What fitness threats correspond to which tastes?
bitter- plant toxins sour- bacteria/pathogens/micro-organisms
What do we know about sex differences in gustation?
women have more taste buds than men
Why do psychologists argue that there is no single “skin sense?”
The skin contains receptors for multiple sensations
What kinds of different receptors are found in the skin?
Merkel’s Disks (touch)Meissner’s Corpuscle (touch)Ruffini Endings (temperature)Pacinian corpuscle (pressure)Free nerve endings AKA nociceptors (pain)
What are the body senses and how do they differ from one another?
Kinesthesis and Equilibrium
