Psych ch5

Question 1

sensation

Answer 1

the sense organs’ detection of external physical stimuli and the transmission of information about these stimuli to the brain

Question 2

perception

Answer 2

the processing, organization and interpretation of sensory signals in the brain; these processes result in your conscious experience of the world

Question 3

Sensory receptors

Answer 3

Specialized cells in the sense organs that detect physical stimulation from the external world and change that stimulation into information that the brain can process.

Question 4

Transduction

Answer 4

The process by which sensory receptors change physical stimuli into neural signals that the brain can understand.

Question 5

Absolute threshold

Answer 5

The smallest amount of physical stimuli required to detect a sensory input half of the time it is present.

Question 6

Difference threshold

Answer 6

The minimum difference in physical stimulus required to detect a difference between sensory inputs.

Question 7

Sensory adaptation

Answer 7

A decrease in sensitivity to a constant level of stimulation of sensory receptors.

Question 8

Lens

Answer 8

The adjust able, transparent structure behind the pupil; together with the cornea, the lens focuses light on the retina, resulting in a crisp visual image.

Question 9

Retina

Answer 9

The thin inner surface of the back f the eyeball; this surface contains the sensory receptors

Question 10

Rods

Answer 10

Sensory receptors in the retina that detect light waves and transduce them into signals that are processed in the brain as vision; rods respond best to low levels of illumination and, therefore, they do not support color vision or seeing fine detail.

Question 11

Cones

Answer 11

Sensory receptors in the retina that detect light waves introduce them into signals that are processed in the brain as vision cones respond best to higher levels of illumination and therefore they are responsible for seeing color in fine detail

Question 12

trichromatic theory

Answer 12

the idea that three types of cone receptor cells in the retina are responsible for color perception; each type responds optimally to different but overlapping ranges of wavelengths.

Question 13

opponent-process theory

Answer 13

the idea that ganglion cells in the retina receive excitatory input from one type of cone and inhibitory input from another type of cone, creating the perception that some colors are opposites.

Question 14

grouping

Answer 14

the visual systems organization of features and regions to create the perception of a whole unified object.

Question 15

bottom up processing

Answer 15

perception based on the physical features of the stimulus.

Question 16

top down processing

Answer 16

perception based on knowledge expectations or past experiences.

Question 17

perceptual set

Answer 17

tendencies to perceive stimuli in specific ways that make sense given prior experiences and expectations.

Question 18

binocular depth cues

Answer 18

cues of depth perception that are based on input from both eyes together.

Question 19

monocular depth cues

Answer 19

cues of depth perception that are based on input from one eye alone.

Question 20

object constancy

Answer 20

correctly perceiving objects as staying the same in their size, shape, color, and brightness across viewing conditions that yield different physical input to the eyes.

Question 21

eardrum

Answer 21

a thin membrane that marks the beginning of the middle ear; sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate.

Question 22

cochlea

Answer 22

a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear that houses the sensory receptors (hair cells)

Question 23

hair cells

Answer 23

sensory receptors located in the cochlea that detect sound waves and transduce them into signals that ultimately are processed in the brain as sound.

Question 24

Temporal coding

Answer 24

The encoding of relatively low frequencies in the auditory system; sound waves are coded by matching the frequency of the waves with the speed (timing) of the firing of the auditory nerve. At higher frequencies, temporal coding is maintained by hair cells firing in volleys.

Question 25

Place coding

Answer 25

The encoding of different frequencies in the auditory system by hair cells in different locations on the basilar membrane.

Question 26

Taste buds

Answer 26

Structures located in papillae on the tongue that contain the taste receptors

Question 27

Papillae

Answer 27

Structures on tongue that contain taste buds.

Question 28

Olfactory epithelium

Answer 28

A thin layer of tissue, deep within the nasal cavity, containing the olfactory receptors; these sensory receptors produce information that is processed in the brain as smell.

Question 29

Olfactory bulb

Answer 29

A brain structure above the olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity; from this structure, the olfactory nerve carries information about smell to the brain.

Question 30

Warm receptors

Answer 30

Sensory receptors in the skin that detect the temperature of stimuli and transduce it into information processed in the brain as warmth.

Question 31

Cold receptors

Answer 31

Sensory receptors in the skin that detect the temperature of stimuli and transduce it into information processed in the brain as cold.

Question 32

Pressure receptors

Answer 32

Sensory receptors in the skin that detect tactile stimulation and transduce it into information processed in the brain as different types of pressure on the skin.

Question 33

Fast fibers

Answer 33

Sensory receptors in skin, muscles, organs, and membranes around bones and joints; these myelinated fibers quickly convey intense sensory input to the brain, where it is perceived as sharp, immediate pain.