psych ch 4 Flashcards
Sensation
the process of detecting external events with sense organs and turning those stimuli into neural signals
Perception
involves attending to, organising, and interpreting stimuli that we sense
Transduction
when specialised receptors transform the physical energy of the outside world into neural impulses - which travel into the brain and influence activity
Doctrine of specific nerve energies
the idea that the different senses are separated in the brain, was proposed in 1826 by Johannes Muller (german scientist)
Sensory adaptation
the reduction of activity in sensory receptors with repeated exposure to a stimulus
Psychophysics
the field of study that explores how physical energy (light, sound) and their intensity relate to psychological experience
Absolute threshold
the minimum amount of energy or quantity of a stimulus required for it to be reliably detected at least 50% of the time it is presented
Difference threshold
the smallest different between stimuli that can be reliably detected at least 50% of the time
Weber’s law states that…
the just noticeable difference between two stimuli changes as proportions of those stimuli
Signal detection theory states that…
whether a stimulus is perceived depends on both the sensory experience and the judgement made by the subject
Priming
technique in which previous exposure to a stimulus can influence that individuals later responses
Sclera
the white, outer surface of the eye
Cornea
the clear layer that covers the front portion of the eye and also contributes to the eyes ability to focus
Pupil
regulates the amount of light that enters the eye by changing its size; it dilates (expands) to allow more light to enter and constructs (shrinks) to allow less light into the eye
Lens
a clear structure that focuses light onto the back of the eye
Retina
lines the inner surface of the back of the eye and consists of specialised receptors that absorb light and send signals related to the properties of light to the brain
Optic nerve
a dense bundle of fibres that connect to the brain
Dark adaptation
the process by which the rods and cones become increasingly sensitive
Trichromatic theory (Young-Helmholtz theory)
maintains that colour vision is determined by three different cone types that are sensitive to short, medium, and long wavelengths of light
Opponent-process theory
colour perception, which states that we perceive colour in terms of opposing pairs: red to green, yellow to blue, and white to black
The ventral stream extends…
from the visual cortex to the lower part of the temporal lobe
The dorsal stream extends…
from the visual cortex to the parietal lobe
Perceptual constancy
the ability to perceive objects as having constant shape, size, and colour despite changes in perspective
Binocular depth cues
distance cues that are based on the differing perspectives of both eyes
Place theory of hearing
how we perceive pitch is based on the location (place) along the basilar membrane that sound stimulates
The vestibular system
a sensory system in the ear that provides information about spatial orientation of the head as well as head motion
The vestibular sacs
structures that influence your ability to detect when your head is no longer in an upright position
Gustatory system functions…
in the sensation and perception of taste
Olfactory system
involved in smell - the detection of airborne particles with specialised receptors located in the nose.
Olfactory epithelium
a thin layer of cells that are ruined by sensory receptors called cilia - tiny hair-like projections that have proteins that bind with molecules entering the nasal cavity
Olfactory bulb
serves as the brain’s central region for processing smells
Gate-control theory
explains our experience of pain as an interaction between nerves that transmit pain messages and those that inhibit these messages
Haptics
the active, explanatory aspect of touch sensation and perception
Multimodal integration
the ability to combine sensation from different modalities such as vision and hearing into a single integrated perception
Nociception
the activity of nerve pathways that respond to uncomfortable stimulation
Kinesthesis
the sense of bodily motion and position
