Exam 3 (Final) Flashcards
what is sensation?
elementary components (building blocks) of an experience
what is perception?
collection of processes used to make meaningful interpretation of sensations
what are the 3 steps of creating internal interpretation of external world?
- translate
- identify
- interpret
what happens in each step of internally interpretating external world?
- translate - stimuli comes in many forms and brain translates and communicates with electrochemicals
- identify - components of translated neural messages are extracted and sent to processing stations
- interpret - principles of organization + existing knowledge are used to reconstruct world
what is light?
form of electromagnetic energy processed by visual system
what are wavelengths (light)?
physical distances between one energy cycle to next
what are hues (light)?
dimension of light that produces color
what is intensity/amplitude (light)?
- amount of light falling on an object
- brightness - changes in intensity
what is purity?
- determined by mix of wavelengths present
- influences saturation (richness of perceived color)
how do wavelengths influence the light we see?
- light we see is the combination of the wavelengths reflected by a material
- which wavelengths are absorbed/reflected determines color
what is the function of the cornea and lens?
help focus light to back of eye
what is the function of the pupil?
hole in eye that allows light to enter
what is the function of the iris?
- colored part of eye
- muscles around iris change pupil size to control amount of light that enters eye
what happens to the pupil in dim and bright light?
- dim light = large pupil
- bright light = small pupil
what is accomodation (in visual processing)?
process where lens changes shape to temporarily help focus light on retina
what is the retina?
- thin layer on back of eye that contains sensory receptors
- area of translation
what are rods?
- receptors located on sides of retina
- useful at night because more sensitive to light
what are cones?
- receptors located in fovea (middle of retina)
- process color/fine details (visual acuity)
how do visual signals enter brain?
rods/cones collect info then send to brain via optic nerve
how are left and right visual fields processed?
- left visual field → right side of eyes → optic nerve →optic chiasm → right hemisphere
- right visual field → left side of eyes → optic nerve →optic chiasm → left hemisphere
where is the visual cortex located?
occipital lobe
what are feature detectors?
cells that detect specific visual events
what is prosopagnosia?
inability to recognize faces due to brain injury
what are the 2 theories of color vision?
- trichromatic theory
- opponent processes
* there’s evidence for both!