PSY111 - ch4 Flashcards
the brains interpretation of raw sensory inputs
perception
detection of physical energy by sense organs, which then send information to the brain
sensation
the process of converting an external energy or substance into electrical activity within neurons
transduction
specialized cell responsible for converting external stimuli into neural activity for a specific sensory system
sene receptor
lowest level of a stimulus needed for the nervous system to detect a change 50% of time
absolute threshold
the smallest change in the intensity of a stimulus that we can detect
just noticeable difference (JND)
theory regarding how stimuli are detected under different conditions
signal detection theory
the ability to attend to many sense modalities simultaneously
parallel processing
processing in which a whole is constructed from parts
bottom-up processing
conceptually driven processing influenced by beliefs and expectancies
top-down processing
set formed when expectations influence perceptions
perceptual set
the process by which we perceive stimuli consistently across varied conditions
perceptual constancy
process of selecting one sensory channel and ignoring or minimizing others
selective attention
parapsychologists - investigators who study __ and related psychic phenomena. There are 3 major types.
extrasensory perception (ESP)
predicting events before they occur through paranormal means (mechanisms that lie outside of traditional science)
precognition (ESP)
Reading other peoples minds
telepathy (ESP)
detecting the presence of objects or people that are hide from view
clairvoyance (ESP)
closely related to ESP is ___
psychokinesis
As we reach a group size of 23 people, the probability that at least 2 people share the same birthday exceeds 0.5 or 50 percent. Research demonstrates that most people markedly underestimate the likelihood of this and other coincidences, sometimes leading them to attribute these coincidences to paranormal events.
The “Birthday Paradox” (ESP)
rules governing how we perceive objects as wholes within their overall context
- german word meaning “whole”
- help to explain why we see much of our world as consisting of unified figures or forms rather than confusing jumbles of lines and curves
- these principles provide a road map for how we make sense of our perceptual worlds
- THERE ARE 3 PRINCIPLES
Gestalt principles
sparked interest in this subjective contours in 1955
Gaetano Kanizsa
when our brains provide missing information about outlines
subjective contours
the idea that color vision is based on our sensitivity to 3 primary colors
trichromatic theory
theory that we perceive colors in terms of 3 pairs of opponent colors; either red or green, blue or yellow, or black or white
opponent process theory
ability to judge distance and 3D relations. Uses 2 kinds of cues.
depth perception
stimuli the enable us to judge depth using only one eye
- 7 pictorial cues help us to perceive depth
monocular depth cues
- relative size
- texture gradient
- interposition
- linear perspective
- height in plane
- light and shadow
stimuli that enable us to judge depth using both eyes
binocular depth cues
specific place along the basilar membrane matches a tone with a specific pitch
complementary place/ place theory
rate at which neurons fire the action potential reproduces the pitch
frequency theory
a variation of frequency theor that works for tones between 100 and 5000Hz
- sets of neurons fire at their highest rate slightly out of sync with each other to reach overall rates up to 5000 Hz
volley theory
idea that pain is blocked or gated from consciousness by neural mechanisms in spinal cord
gate control theory
pain or discomfort felt in ann amputated limb
phantom pain
our sense of body position
proprioception
our sense of equilibrium or balance
vestibular sense
