module 5

Question 1

what is sensation

Answer 1

detection/representation of info through sensory receptor (bottom up)

Question 2

what is perception

Answer 2

organization and interpretation in the brain (top down)

Question 3

what is vision?

Answer 3

eyes transferring light energy into electrical energy
wavelength: colour
amplitude: brightness

Question 4

what is the iris

Answer 4

coloured muscles that controls diameter of pupil

Question 5

what is the pupil?

Answer 5

the hole in iris for light to enter

Question 6

what is the lens

Answer 6

bends light to focus on retina accommodations

Question 7

what is the ciliary muscles

Answer 7

contract to change lens shape

Question 8

what is your retina

Answer 8

photoeceptors to transduce light to neural impulse

Question 9

what is your optic nerve

Answer 9

transmits signals to visual cortex

Question 10

optic disc

Answer 10

blind spot caused by blood vessels

Question 11

In what order does this happen within your retina
1. bipolar cells activate ganglion cells, the axons of which converge to form optic nerve. This nerve transmits info to the visual cortex.
2.Light enters eye triggering photochemical reaction rods and cones at back of retina
3. chemical reaction in turn activates bipolar cells

Answer 11

2,3,1

Question 12

are cones located in the center or the peripheral of retina?

Answer 12

center

Question 13

are rods located in the center or the peripheral of retina?

Answer 13

peripheral

Question 14

how man rods do we have? how many cones?

130 million. 6 million
125 million; 6 million
6 million;125 million
6 million; 130 million

Answer 14

125 million; 6 million

Question 15

do cones like bright light or dim light? good acuity (direct line to optic nerve) or poor acuity (shared line to optic nerve)?

Answer 15

bright lights, good acuity (direct line to optic nerve)

Question 16

do you see rods in colour or black and white

Answer 16

black and white

Question 17

what color does red or green shoes look for someone with red/green color blindness

Answer 17

yellow

Question 18

what are the three colours our cones use to see light?

Answer 18

red/blue/green

Question 19

3 opponent processes in retina and thalamus

Answer 19

red/green, blue/yellow,
white/black
* Some cells are turned on
by each colour in the
pair, others are turned
of

Question 20

certain areas of the brain recognize types of stimuli which recognizes faces?

Answer 20

Fusiform face area/fuisform gyrus

Question 21

how does hearing work?

Answer 21

Sound waves enter the
ear and cause
vibrations. These get
transformed into neural
(electrical) signals.

Amplitude: loudness
- measured in decibels
Frequency: pitch
(high/low

Question 22

steps on how we hear

Answer 22

Sound → vibrates tympanic
membrane → vibrates
ossicles → vibrates oval
window → vibrates fluid in
cochlea → bends hair cells
on basilar membrane→
transmits impulses to
cochlear nerve → thalamus
→ auditory cortex

Question 23

Loudness coding perception

Answer 23

– Number of activated hair cells
* Louder = more cells

Question 24

pitch coding perception

Answer 24

Place theory: location on basilar membrane that
codes frequency
* High: beginning; Low: end (sort of)
– Frequency theory: brain codes frequency (rate) of
impulses coming up auditory nerve
* Works for low frequency sounds but neurons can’t fire that
fast in succession for high frequency sounds (so they trade
off with one another

Question 25

how do we localize sound

Answer 25

Sound must travel farther to reach right ear as
opposed to left ear. Difference in time of arrival gives a cue to localization

Question 26

what happens when sounds doesn’t originate from behind you

Answer 26

we turn our heads

Question 27

what cause hearing loss

Answer 27

Sensorineural (hair cells, auditory nerve,
cortex)
Loud noises
* Don’t listen to your music on max!!
Conductive
– Age, ear infection, ruptured ear drum, wax build-u

Question 28

is taste electrical or chemical? How often do our taste buds reproduce?

Answer 28

Reproduce every 7-14 days

Question 29

why do humans have enhanced taste?
to help with hunger cues
sensitivity allows for better nutrition and toxin avoidance
to taste if food is healthy

Answer 29

sensitivity allows for better nutrition and toxin avoidance

Question 30

why do we have preferences

Answer 30

Preferences result of genetic and environmental factors

Question 31

Taste nerve pathways
Hypothalamus (emotions)
Amygdala (conscious perception)
Hippocampus (hunger)
Frontal cortex, somatosensory cortex
(memory)

Answer 31

– Hypothalamus (hunger)
– Amygdala (emotions)
– Hippocampus (memory)
– Frontal cortex, somatosensory cortex
(conscious perception)

Question 32

Taste and expectations

Answer 32

Top-down control
– ‘Have a drink of milk’ (OJ)
– Wrapping on chocolates
– Price of wine
* Label on wine study

Question 33

for smell Pathway links to
– Frontal cortex (hunger,
basic drives)
– Amygdala (emotions)
– Hypothalamus (conscious
perception)
– Hippocampus (memory)

Answer 33

– Frontal cortex (conscious
perception)
– Amygdala (emotions)
– Hypothalamus (hunger,
basic drives)
– Hippocampus (memory)

Question 34

smell

Answer 34

Olfactory bulb
* Size of a postage stamp
* Old, chemical sense
– Cells respond to chemicals
dissolved in mucous

Question 35

Smell and taste interact

Answer 35

Sense of taste worse with a cold or with your
nose plugged