Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

psych 1/2 > outcome 5 > Flashcards

outcome 5 Flashcards

1
Q

Sensation

A

Sensation is the process by which our sensory receptors are activated by stimuli in the environment in order for the nervous system to receive and represent stimulus energy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Steps within the process of sensation

A

Sensory organs contain receptors that transduce sensory energy, converting it into nerve impulses that transmit information from the outside world to the brain.

Environment –> Distal stimulus –> Detection/Reception –> Proximal stimulus –> Transduction –> Transmission –> Brain –> Perception

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Distal stimulus

A

The energy produced or emitted by environmental sources

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Proximal stimulus

A

The environmental energy at the site of the receptors which trigger a response in them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Reception

A

Specialised receptor cells for each sense respond to a particular form of energy, thereby receiving information from external sources

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Transduction

A

The process of converting energy from one form to another (environmental energy into electrochemical energy)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Transmission

A

The process of sending the information along the neural pathways to the brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Perception

A

Perception is the process of organising and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognise and comprehend meaningful objects and events
Perceptions can differ among people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Steps within the process of perception

A

Selection –> Organisation –> Interpretation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Selection

A

The detection of particular features of a stimulus; can occur anywhere in the neural pathway, from the receptors to the brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Organisation

A

The grouping of elements or features of a stimulus to form a whole

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Interpretation

A

The process whereby the whole is given meaning; relies on the influence of mental processes which vary such as one’s attitude, memory, intelligence, motivation, emotional state and personality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Bottom-up processing

A

Analysis that begins with the sense receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information
Puts together the features encoded from environmental stimuli to construct the final percept

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Top down processing

A

Information processing guided by higher level mental processes, such as representations in our long term memory, drawing on our experience, expectation and schemas
Form a holistic percept and then check that the details match

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Gestalt Principles

A
  • figure ground
  • closure
  • similarity
  • proximity
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Figure ground organisation

A

The tendency to organise the visual image by separating the important aspects of interest within the visual image (figure) such as it stands out from its surroundings/the context in which it occurs (ground)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Reversible (ambiguous) figures

A

Figures within which the figure and ground can be reversed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Figure qualities

A
  • shape
  • contoured
  • nearer
  • identified
  • meaning
  • remembered
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Ground qualities

A
  • shapeless
  • continuous
  • far
  • not identified
  • meaningless
  • forgotten
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Camouflage

A

Related to figure-ground organisation
When the contours are not clearly visible, it is difficult to separate the figure from the backdrop

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Closure

A

The tendency to fill in any gaps to complete a figure so that it has a consistent overall form
Involves illusory or subjective contours

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Similarity

A

A Gestalt principle where stimuli that are similar in size, shape, colour, or form tend to be grouped together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Proximity

A

A Gestalt principle that states that stimuli that are near each other tend to be grouped together.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Depth Perception

A

The ability to decode the information within the two dimensional retinal images in order to gain a three dimensional impression of our environment, including an idea of how far away objects are spatially located

25
Q

Depth cues

A

Depth cues are physiological or environmental indications that help one establish a perception of depth and/or distance

  • Primary depth cues
  • Secondary depth cues
  • Monocular depth cues
  • Binocular depth cues
26
Q

Primary depth cues

A

Internal bodily cues which collectively involve the lens, muscles and ligaments within and attached to the eye which provide information about depth and distance.
Binocular (with the exception of accommodation which is monocular)

27
Q

Secondary depth cues (‘Pictorial cues’)

A

Features in the environment which provide information about depth and distance
Monocular

28
Q

Monocular depth cues

A

Allow the judgement of distance and depth using one eye
Cues of this type occur in each eye and can operate independently of the other eye

(e.g. accommodation, height in the visual field, interposition, linear perspective, relative size, texture gradient)

29
Q

Binocular depth cues

A

Require the combined use of two eyes

(e.g. convergence. retinal disparity

30
Q

Accommodation

A

The process by which the eye’s ciliary muscles expand or contract to adjust the shape of the lens to help focus the image of near or far objects on the retina

31
Q

Convergence

A

Both eyes turning inward in order to keep objects in close range within our central, focused field of vision

32
Q

Retinal disparity

A

As our eyes are 6-7cm apart, each eye receives slightly dissimilar impressions that have objects at different locations within each image. The brain combines the two images.

33
Q

Linear perspective

A

Parallel lines appear to converge to a focal point as they recede into the distance (/)
Other times, lines will appear to converge towards two focal points within the image (\/)

34
Q

Relative size

A

Larger objects are perceived to be close to the observer when compared to smaller ones which are perceived to be further away

35
Q

Interposition

A

An object that block out all or part of the view of another object is perceived as being closer

36
Q

Visual angle

A

Closer objects produce larger retinal images as the visual angle is larger
The angle decreases as distance increases

37
Q

Texture gradient

A

Aspects that are closer to the observer are perceived in more detail, whereas the texture gradually becomes more uniform, smooth and fine-grained as things stretch away into the distance

38
Q

Height in the Visual Field

A

Objects which are more distant when looking over a flat expanse appear to be closer to the horizon
Objects which are closer to the observer appear to be further away from the horizon

39
Q

Perceptual Constancies

A

Principles that keep our perception of environmental stimulus stable despite changes to its retinal image

  • size
  • shape
  • brightness/ colour
  • orientation
40
Q

Size constancy

A

Principle that keeps our perception of the actual size of an environmental stimulus stable despite changes to the size of the image it casts on the retina

e.g. a balloon floating off into the sky does not appear to shrink

41
Q

Shape constancy

A

Principle that keeps our perception of the actual shape of an environmental stimulus stable despite changes to the shape of the image it casts on the retina

42
Q

Brightness (colour) constancy

A

Principle that keeps our perception of the actual colour of an environmental stimulus stable despite changes to the colour of the image it casts on the retina

e.g. the colour of your page in shadow or dim light

43
Q

Orientation Constancy

A

Principle that keeps our perception of an environmental stimulus stable despite changes to it’s orientation within the retinal image

e.g. tilting your head

44
Q

Attention

A

Attention refers to actively focusing on particular information while simultaneously ignoring other information

45
Q

Types of attention

A
  • Sustained attention
  • Divided attention
  • Selective attention
46
Q

Internal stimuli

A

Information or sensations that originate from within the body
(e.g. hunger, fatigue, temperature, pain)

47
Q

External stimuli

A

Information or sensations that originate from outside the body

48
Q

Sustained attention

A

Focusing on one stimulus or task across a prolonged, continuous period of time

Focuses attention on stimulus –> Maintains attention on that stimulus –> Releases sustained attention

E.g. watching a video from start to finish, completing a simple maths questions, holding a conversation for a few minutes

49
Q

Distractions

A

Internal or externa stimuli that draw attention away from the current task

50
Q

Divided attention

A

Splitting attention across two or more stimuli at one time
e.g. Passing the time on a long drive by listening to a podcast

51
Q

Selective attention

A

Exclusively focusing attention on a specific stimulus or task while ignoring all other stimuli or tasks

e.g. at a crowded party, tuning attention into conversation you are having with one person

52
Q

Perceptual Set

A
  • A mental predisposition or readiness to perceive one thing and not another.
  • Past experience, motives, contexts, or suggestions prepare us to perceive stimuli in a certain way
53
Q

Positive and negative side of perceptual set

A

PRO: Perception becomes a faster process as you are predisposed to perceive stimuli in a certain manner
CON: You may perceive what you expect to perceive in a subjective, biased or prejudicial manner rather than what is actually there

54
Q

Prior Experience

A

Life experience which have significant personal meaning can provide knowledge and memories which form the basis of our interpretation of various stimuli

55
Q

Positive and negative side of prior experience

A

PROS: Values, interests and attitudes formed by prior experience may enable one to perceive important information quickly
CONS: These experiences may predispose us to perceive a stimulus according to what is familiar rather than according to its actual features

56
Q

Context

A

The setting within which a visual stimulus occurs that then provides a basis or framework for interpretation such that the meaning attached is consistent in comparison with its surrounds.

57
Q

Positive and negative side of context

A

PROS: The setting within which a visual stimulus occurs provides us with a basis or framework for interpretation such that the meaning attached is consistent in comparison with its surroundings
CONS: Comparing the stimulus to the other elements around it may cause us to misjudge its features, thereby causing a fallible percept, especially in the case of ambiguous stimuli

58
Q

Motivation

A

An increased state of arousal which activates, directs and sustains our behaviour towards a desired goal

59
Q

Positive and negative side of motivation

A

PROS: An adaptive function enabling one to focus on stimuli to fulfil one’s needs, interests and desires rather than attending to irrelevant stimuli
CONS: It can make us see what we want to see rather than the actuality of the stimulus

psych 1/2 (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions