Hnggg Chapter 5 First Half Flashcards
Sensation
Process where our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from environment
Perception
Process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, lets us recognize meaningful objects and events
Bottom up processing
Analysis that begins with sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration of sensory information
Top down processing
Information processing guided by higher level mental processes, when we construct perceptions drawing on our experiences and expectations
Prosopagnosia
Temporal lobe damage that allows sensation but not perception
Recognize that it is a face but not who’s face, even own…not top down processing
Psychophysics
Study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, our psychological experience of them
Absolute threshold
The minimum stimulus needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time
Signal detection theory
A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise)
Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a persons experiences, expectations, motivation, and level of fatigue
Subliminal
Below ones absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Priming
The activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing ones perception, memory or response
Difference threshold
The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time
We experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference
Webers law
The principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by constant minimum percentage rather than a constant amount
Sensory adaptation
Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Transduction
Conversion of one form of energy into another
In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains can interpret
Wavelength
The distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next
short causes blue colors and high pitches and long causes red colors and low pitch
Hue
The dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light (blue, green, and so forth)
Intensity
Amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, determined by waves amplitude
Pupil
The adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters
Iris
A ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and and controls the size of the pupil opening
Lens
The transparent structure of the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina
Accommodation
The process by which the eyes lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina
Retina
The light sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information
Acuity
The sharpness of vision
Rods
Retinal receptors that detects black, white, and grey, necessary for peripheral and twilight vision when cones don’t respond
Nearsightedness
A condition in which nearby objects are seen more clearly than distant objects because distant objects focus in front of the retina
Farsightedness
A condition in which faraway objects are seen more clearly than near objects because the image of near objects is focused behind the retina
Cones
Retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and help us perceive color
