Module #18 Vocab Flashcards
Sensation
the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
Sensory Receptors
sensory nerve endings that respond to stimuli
Perception
the process by which our brain organizes and interprets sensory information, enabling us to recognize objects and events as meaningful
Bottom-Up Processing
information processing that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information
Top-Down Processing
information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations
Transduction
conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of physical energy, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brain can interpret
Psychophysics
the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them
Absolute Threshold
the minimum stimulus energy 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)
Subliminal Stimulation
presenting something below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Difference Threshold
the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time
Weber’s Law
the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount)
Sensory Adaptation
diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Perceptual Set
a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another
