Intro to Psychology Flashcards
Define Psychology
The science of behaviour and mental processes
What is the most complex physical object known to man?
The human brain is by far the most complex physical object known to us in the entire cosmos
What is the other name for hindsight-bias?
The I-knew-it-all-along-phenomenon
Explain hindsight-bias
Hindsight bias is when, after an event occurs, we feel we already knew what was going to happen. Hindsight bias is also sometimes called the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon. This bias is a common occurrence for all of us. (Urgh I knew that was gonna happen!)
Everything psychological is…..
Biological
What is Prosopagnosia?
Prosopagnosia is a neurological disorder that impairs a persons ability to perceive or recognise faces, also known as face blindness (the senses are in tact but perception is not functional)
Define sensation?
Sensation is the bottom-up process by which our senses, like vision, hearing and smell, receive and relay outside stimuli
Define Perception?
Perception is the top-down way our brains organise and intercept that information and put it into context
What is the absolute threshold of sensation?
Absolute threshold of sensation is the minimum stimulation needed to register a paticular stimulus fifty percent of the time
What is signal detection theory?
Signal detection theory is a model for predicting how and when a person will detect a weak stimuli; partly based on context
What is sensory adaptation?
Sensory adaptation is when senses adjust to compensate for constant stimulation (the reason you have to check if your wallet is there when it’s in your right pocket but when its in your left pocket it feels like a big uncomfortable lump)
What does Weber’s law say?
(Ernst Heinrich Weber) Weber’s Law says we perceive differences on a logarithmic not linear scale. It’s not the amount that changed, it’s the percentage of the change that matters
How many hues can the average person distinguish?
The average person can distinguish a million different hues
