Modules 18-19 Vocab Flashcards
the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next
wavelength
the dimension of color that is determined by wavelength of light; what we know as the color names blue,green, and so forth
hue
the amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, as determined by the wave’s amplitude
intensity
the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters
pupil
a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening
iris
the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina
lens
the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information
retina
the process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina
accommodation
retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don’t respond
rods
retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. Detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations
cones
the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
optic nerve
the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a ‘blind’ spot because no receptor cells are located there
blind spot
the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye’s cones cluster
fovea
nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement
feature detectors
the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain’s natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving
parallel processing
the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors- one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue- which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color
Young-Helmholtz trichromatic (three-color) theory
the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision
opponent-process theory
an organized whole. Psychologists emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes
Gestalt
the organization of the visual field into objects (the figures) that stand out from their surroundings (the ground)
figure-ground
the perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups
grouping
the ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional; allows us to judge distance
depth perception
a laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals
visual cliff
depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two eyes
binocular cues
a binocular cue for perceiving depth: By comparing images from the retinas in the two eyes, the brain computes distance- the greater the disparity (difference) between the two images, the closer the object
retinal disparity
depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone
monocular cues
an illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
phi phenomenon
perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent shapes, size, brightness, and color) even as illumination and retinal images change
perceptual constancy
Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object
color constancy
in vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field
perceptual adaption
