MCAT Psychology Sensation/Perception & Cognition Flashcards

1
Q

The theory that dreams are simple byproducts of brain activation during REM sleep

A

Activation-synthesis theory

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2
Q

The inability to recognize objects through sensory mechanisms despite intact function of the underlying sense itself

A

Agnosia

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3
Q

Low amplitude, high frequency brain waves present in a relaxed state

A

Alpha waves

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4
Q

Model of selective attention in which the mind has an attenuator, like a volume knob, that tunes up attended inputs and tunes down unattended inputs, rather than eliminating them

A

Attenuation model of selective attention

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5
Q

The area of the temporal lobe responsible for processing sound information

A

Auditory cortex

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6
Q

Functions to ewualize middle ear pressure with atmospheric pressure so that pressure on both sides of the TM is equal

A

Auditory (Eustachian) Tube

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7
Q

Mental shortcut of making judgments on the frequency of something occurring based on how readily it is available in our memories

A

Availability heuristic

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8
Q

Membrane in the cochlea that supports the organ of Corti, which contains hearing receptors

A

Basilar membrane

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9
Q

A tendency to draw conclusions based on what one already believes rather than sound logic

A

Belief bias

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10
Q

The maintenance of beliefs even in the face of evidence to the contrary

A

Belief perseverance

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11
Q

Waking EEG waves seen during alert focus with oscillations between 12.5 Hz and 30 Hz

A

Beta waves

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12
Q

Sensory processing that begins with sensory receptors and works up to complex integration of information in the brain

A

Bottom-up processing

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13
Q

Region in the left hemisphere of the frontal lobe involved in language production

A

Broca’s area

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14
Q

Part of working memory that controls the visuospatial sketchpad, phonological loop, and episodic buffer

A

Central executive

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15
Q

The curled structure in the inner ear that contains the membranes and hair cells used to transduce sound waves into action potentials

A

Cochlea

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16
Q

Language dysfunction characterized by poor speech repetition despite intact comprehension and fluent speech

A

Conduction aphasia

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17
Q

Photoreceptors in the retina of the eye that respond to bright light and provide color vision

A

Cones

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18
Q

A tendency to search only for information that confirms a preconceived conclusion

A

Confirmation bias

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19
Q

Awareness of self; internal states, and the environment

A

Consciousness

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20
Q

The clear portion of the tough outer layer of the eyeball, found over the iris and the pupil

A

Cornea

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21
Q

The minimum noticeable difference between any two sensory stimuli 50% of the time

A

Difference threshold

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22
Q

Disorders that involve abnormalities in the amount, quality, or timing of sleep

A

Dyssomnias

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23
Q

Part of wokring memory that interacts with information in long-term memory

A

Episodic buffer

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24
Q

A theory of visual perception that proposes that certain neurons fire for specific features of a visual stimulus, such as shape, color, movements, etc.

A

Feature detection theory

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25
Q

Sensory receptors found in the inner ear that respond to vibrations in the cochlea caused by sound waves and changes in position and acceleration (used for balance)

A

Hair cells

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26
Q

Mental shortcuts used for problem-solving; sometimes sacrifices accuracy for speed

A

Heuristic

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27
Q

Models that use computers as an analogy for understanding cognitive processes such as attention, perception, and memory

A

Information-processing models

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28
Q

A pigmented membrane found just in front of the lens of the eye. The __ regulates the diameter of the pupil in response to the brightness of light

A

Iris

29
Q

Large and slow wave with a duration of half second that occurs during Stage 2 sleep

A

K-complex

30
Q

Innate feature unique to humans that allows mastery of language from limited exposure during childhood

A

Language Acquisition device

31
Q

Asserts that the language one speaks determines their thoughts and perceptions of the world

A

Linguistic relativity hypothesis

32
Q

A tendency to fixate on ideas and solutions that have worked in the past, even if they may not apply to the current situation

A

Mental set

33
Q

Occurs during Stage 3 when an individual appears terrified and may sit up or walk around

A

Night Terror

34
Q

The understanding that an object continues to exist once they are out of sight

A

Object permanence

35
Q

The structure in the cochlea of the inner ear made up of the basilar membrane, the auditory hair cells, and the tectorial membrane

A

Organ of Corti

36
Q

The portion of the ear consisting of the pinna and the external auditory canal

A

Outer ear

37
Q

The membrane that separates the middle ear from the inner ear

A

Oval window

38
Q

An overestimation of the accuracy of one’s knowledge and judgments

A

Overconfidence

39
Q

A system whereby many aspects of a stimulus are processed simultaneously instead of in a step-by-step or serial fashion

A

Parallel processing

40
Q

Abnormal behaviros during sleep, including somnambulism and night terrors

A

Parasomnia

41
Q

Part of the working memory that allows for repetition of verbal information to aid with encoding

A

Phonological loop

42
Q

Region of the brain responsible for the production of melatonin, a hormone that influences sleep/wake cycles and seasonal functions

A

Pineal gland

43
Q

A receptor that responds to changes in the body position, such as stretch on a tendon, or contraction of a muscle

A

Proprioceptor

44
Q

A hole in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to enter the eyeball

A

Pupil

45
Q

Bursts of quick eye movements present in the last stage of sleep

A

Rapid eye movement (REM)

46
Q

Final stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movement and Beta waves, which are seen in individuals when they are awake

A

REM stage

47
Q

A mental shortcut in which one judges the likelihood of things based on typical mental representations or examples of those things

A

Representativeness heuristic

48
Q

States that if multiple tasks exceed the limit of attention, they cannot be done simultaneously

A

Resource model of attention

49
Q

Structures in the brainstem that are important for alertness and arousal (as in wakefulness)

A

Reticular Formation, also known as the Reticular Activating System

50
Q

The innermost layer of the eyeball. The__ is made up of photoreceptors, bipolar cells, and a layer of ganglion cells

A

Retina

51
Q

Photoreceptors in the retina that respond to dim light and provide black and white vision

A

Rods

52
Q

Mental frameworks or blueprints that shape and are shaped by experience

A

Schemas

53
Q

The white portion of the tough outer layer of the eyeball

A

Sclera

54
Q

The process by which one input is selected out of the field of environmental stimuli

A

Selective attention

55
Q

Predisposition to observe something because it has previously been encountered frequently

A

Selective priming

56
Q

Three loop-like structures in the inner ear that contain sensory receptors to monitor balance

A

Semicircular canals

57
Q

A theory that attempts to predict how and when someone will detect the presence of a given sensory stimulust amidst all of the other sensory stimuli in the background

A

Signal detection theory

58
Q

Sleepwalking

A

Somnablusim

59
Q

Model for visual attention, with a spotlight representing one’s attention and its ability to move focus onto different targets

A

Spotlight model

60
Q

A receptor that responds to changes in temperature

A

Thermoreceptor

61
Q

Waves of low to moderate intensity and intermediate frequency present during stage 1 of sleep

A

Theta waves

62
Q

A type of information processing that occurs when the brain applies experience and expectations to interpret sensory information

A

Top-down processing

63
Q

The membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. The __ is also known as the eardrum

A

Tympanic membrane

64
Q

The area of the occipital lobe responsible for processing visual information

A

Visual cortex

65
Q

Allows for the repetition of visuospatial information (images) to aid with encoding it into memory

A

Visuospatial sketchpad

66
Q

This law pertains to sensory perception and dictates that two stimuli must differ by a constant proportion in order for their differences to be perceptible

A

Weber’s Law

67
Q

The area of the brain, located in the posterior section of the temporal lobe, that is involved with the comprehension of speech and written language

A

Wernicke’s Area

68
Q

Short-term memory for information in immediate awareness, consisting of four components: a central executive, a phonological loop, a visuospatial sketchpad, and an episodic buffer

A

Working memory