lecture 5: sensory processes

Question 1

sensation

Answer 1

detection of physical energy by sense organ which sends that information to the brain

Question 2

perception

Answer 2

brain’s interpretation of raw sensory input

Question 3

key principles of sensation

Answer 3

• transduction
• absolute threshold
• weber’s law

Question 4

transduction

Answer 4

external stimulus is converted to electrical impulses within the brain (sound, light, etc.)

Question 5

absolute threshold

Answer 5

lowest level of a stimulus need to the nervous system to detect 50% of the time

Question 6

weber’s law

Answer 6

constant proportional relationship between the smallest change we can detect and the original stimulus intensity

Question 7

stimuli for senses

Answer 7

• sight: light through eyes
• hearing: soundwaves (vibrating air) through ears
• touch: cutaneous sense, pressure, temp, pain through skin
• smell: odourant molecules in air interactingw with chemicals in nose
• taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami, receptors in tongue

Question 8

sensory capabilities of an infant

Answer 8

vision and hearing develop first but infants have all senses. develop slowly, have to learn proprioception and location of objects in space. touch is vital to relationship development

Question 9

somatosensory and body senses

Answer 9

• pain for response to harm
• vestibular for balance and spatial orientation
• proprioception/kinasthetic for body position relative to itself

Question 10

concussion

Answer 10

plays with balance, light sensitivity, hearing

Question 11

conditions that can impact senses

Answer 11

• touch: burns, diabetes, frostbite, autism
• hearing: adjustment to loud environments, tinnitus, mental experiences, viruses
• vision: cataracts, hallucinogens, diabetes
• smell: cold, toxic smells, radiation, smoking
• taste: cold, smoking, bell’s pallsy