PSY 1101 - Chapter 05: Sensation & Perception (Pt. 1)

Question 1

What are the Three Musts of Sensation?

Answer 1

1. Detection
2. Transduction
3. Transmission

Question 2

Why is Detection Essential for Sensation?

Answer 2

We must be able to detect the stimulation and the energy that is out there in the natural world

we as humans can only detect a tiny portion of this stimulation

Question 3

Why is Transduction Essential for Sensation?

Answer 3

the brain can only understand electrochemical messages,
- does not understand the physical simulation / energy that is out there
- The physical energy felt by our senses must be transduced (it must be translated into an electrochemical message)

Question 4

Why is Transmission Essential for Sensation?

Answer 4

this information must be transmitted to the brain for further processing

Question 5

What are Sensory Receptors?

Answer 5

Are highly specialized receptors
- don’t respond to neurotransmitters,
- responds to the physical energy/stimulation from the external world or within our bodies

*Sensory Receptors are the ones Detecting, Transducing, and Transmitting

Question 6

What is Bottom-Up Processing?

Answer 6

sensation is a bottom up process
- with sensation, we start from scratch
- our bodies collect raw data from the world from our bodies and we send it to the brain

*Sensation is the raw data

Question 7

What are the Four Methods of Measuring Senses?

Answer 7

1. Psychophysics
2. Absolute Threshold
3. Difference Threshold (JND)
4. Signal Detection Theory

Question 8

What is Psychophysics?

Answer 8

the scientific study of how the physical characteristics of the physical world turn into physiological experiences

Question 9

What is Absolute Threshold?

Answer 9

the minimal amount of energy that must be there in order for us to detect it 50% of the time

Question 10

What is Difference Threshold?

Answer 10

Difference threshold is the minimum amount of change in stimulation that must take place in order for us to detect it 50% of the time

• just noticeable difference
• its essential for survival to detect changes in stimulation

Question 11

What is Signal Detection Theory?

Answer 11

our ability to detect a stimulation does not depend only on how strong this stimulation is, rather a large number of different factors could be at play.

Ex: how healthy we are could make a difference
Ex: our motivation / moods can make a difference
Ex: how tired we are can make a difference

Question 12

What is Perception?

Answer 12

the brain taking the raw data, analyzing it, organizing it, and interpreting it in a meaningful way

Question 13

What is Top-Down Processing?

Answer 13

perception is a top-down process
- the brain is going to use its existing knowledge, expectations, and assumptions, in order to interpret the information

Question 14

What is Prosopagnosia?

Answer 14

we can see, but we have no idea who’s face we’re looking at
- Have sensation but no perception

Question 15

Is it possible to have Perception but no Sensation?

Answer 15

Yes, schizophrenia
- hallucination or because we’ve taken drugs

Question 16

What is the Stimulus for Vision?

Answer 16

there must be light

Question 17

What is Electromagnetic Radiation?

Answer 17

light is a form of electromagnetic radiation
- it travels in the form of a wave

Question 18

What is the Electromagnetic Spectrum?

Answer 18

The full range of electromagnetic radiation
- We can only detect a portion of it (visible light)

Question 19

What is the Range for Visible Light that Humans can detect?

Answer 19

we can only detect light rays ranging between 400 nm to 700 nm between the UV and the infrared

Question 20

What is Visible Light?

Answer 20

the light visible to our eyes

Question 21

What are the Two Characteristics of Light?

Answer 21

1. Wavelengths
2. Amplitude

Question 22

What are Wavelengths?

Answer 22

the distance between the peaks of the wave
- Physical characteristics translate into psychological experience
- Color doesn’t exist, color is an experience created by our brain its only psychological

Question 23

What are the Three Hues?

Answer 23

Long waves = psychological experience of red
Med waves = green
Short waves = blue

Psychological experience all depends on the length of the waves

Question 24

What is Amplitude?

Answer 24

physical characteristic of the height of the wave
- translate into the psychological experience of brightness

Question 25

What is Brightness?

Question 26

What must occur for us to see?

Answer 26

in order for us to see, light must enter the eye and it must reach the retina

Question 27

What are the different Structures of the Retina?

Answer 27

1. Rods & Cones
2. Bipolar C.
3. Ganglion C.
4. Optic Nerve
5. Blind Spot
6. Fovea

Question 28

What is the Retina?

Answer 28

The innermost layer of the eye
- as thin as a piece of paper
- contains rods and cones

Question 29

What are Cones & Rods?

Answer 29

these are the sensory receptors of our eyes (for our vision)

Question 30

What are Bipolar Cells?

Answer 30

the rods and the cones are connected to bipolar cells

Question 31

What are Ganglion Cells?

Answer 31

bipolar cells are connected to ganglion cells

Question 32

What are Optic Nerves?

Answer 32

the axons of ganglion cells bunch on together to form the optic nerve
- optic nerve is the one that carries information to the brain

Question 33

What is the Blind Spot?

Answer 33

where the optic nerve leaves the eye
- no rods & cones, no sensory receptors to detect the light

Question 34

What is the Fovea?

Answer 34

in the center of our retina… responsible to visible acuity (allows us to see fine details)

Question 35

What are Photoreceptors?

Answer 35

Rods and cones are known as photoreceptors
- The sensory receptors in our eyes
- They detect the light, transduce it and transmit t it for further processing

Question 36

What are the characteristics of Rods & Cones?

Answer 36

• they differ in shape
• they differ in number (we have significantly more rods than we have cones)

Question 37

Where are Rods & Cones located? (revisit)

Answer 37

they differ in terms of their location
- there are no rods in the fovea
- the rods are found in the periphery while the cones are highly concentrated in the fovea and few in the periphery

Question 38

What are the Connections of Rods & Cones to Bipolar Cells?

Answer 38

• Cones have a one to one connection to bipolar cells
• Multiple rods connect to one bipolar cell

Question 39

What is the Function of Rods?

Answer 39

• super sensitive to light
• very little light can activate them
• we use them when its dark/dim
• only see black white and grey shades (cannot see other colors)
• quite involved in peripheral vision (visual stimuli in periphery)

Question 40

What is the Function of Cones?

Answer 40

• are not very sensitive to light
• they need a lot of light to activate
• used during day time or in well lit environments
• responsible for our ability to see color (fine details)