Psych Chapter 3 Flashcards
to learn
Sensation
The process of detecting a sound, physical stimulus, such as light, sound, heat or pressure
Perception
The process of integrating, organizing, and interpreting sensations
Sensory Receptors
Specialized cells unique to each organ that respond to a particular form of sensory stimulation.
Absolute Threshold
The smallest possible strength of a stimulus that can be detected half the time.
Transduction
The process by which physical energy is converted into a coded neural signal that can be processed by the nervous system.
Difference Threshold
The smallest possible difference between 2 stimuli that can be detected half the time. Also called “Noticeable Difference”.
sensory adaptation
The gradual decline in sensitivity ti a constant stimulus.
Wavelength
the distance from one wave peak to another
Pupul
The opening in the middle of the iris that changes size to let in different amounts of light
Lens
A transparent structure located behind the pupil that actively focuses or bends light as it enters the eye.
Accommodation
the process by which the lens changes shape to focus incoming light falls into the retina
retina
a thin light-sensitive membrane located at the back of the eye which contains the sensory receptors for vision
rods
the long thin blunt sensory receptor of the eye that are highly sensitive to light but not color
cones
a short thick pointed sensory receptor of the eye that detects color
fovea
a small area of the center of the retina composed entirely of cones, where visual info is most sharply focused
blind spot
the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, producing a small gap in the field of vision
optic nerve
the thick nerve that exits from the back of the eye and carries visual info to the visual cortex in the brain
optic chiasm
the point in the brain where the optic nerve fibers from each eye meet and partly cross over the opposite side of the brain
trichromatic theory of color vision
theory that the sensation of color results because cones are especially sensitive to red light, green light, or blue light.
opponent process theory of color vision
Color vision is the product of opposing pairs of color receptors. (Red-green) (Blue-yellow) (Black white). When one is stimulated the other is inhibited.
audition
Term for sense of hearing
pitch
relative high or lowness of a sound, determined by the frequency of a sound wave.
frequency
rate of vibration or number of sound waves per second
outer ear
part of the ear that collects all of the sound waves, includes the pinna the ear canal and the ear drum
middle ear
the part of the ear that amplifies sound wave consisting of the hammer, anvil, and stirrup.
cochlea
The coiled fluid-filled inner ear structure that contains basilar membrane and hair cells
basilar membrane
Membrane within the cochlea of the ear containing hair cells
hair cells
sensory receptors for sound which are embedded in the basilar membrane
frequency theory
view that basilar membrane vibrates at the same frequency as the sound
olfaction
sense of smell
gustation
sense of taste
pheromones
chemical signals that have evolved for communication with other members of the same species called chemosignals
olfactory bulb
enlarged ending of the olfactory cortex at the front of the brain where sensation of smell is registered
taste buds
sensory receptors for taste
pain
unpleasant sensory emotion associated with body harm
gate control theory of pain
the theory that physiological and psychological factors cause spinal gates to open and relay to the brain patterns of stimulation that are perceived as pain
proprioception
sense of body movement and position
ESP (extrasensory perception)
perception of info caused by means other than through the normal process of sensation
parapsychology
investigation of claims of paranormal phenomena and abilites
bottom-up processing
Emphasizes sensory receptors in detecting the basic features of a stimulus. Attention focuses on the parts of the pattern before moving the whole.
top-down processing
Emphasizes the observer’s experiences in arriving at the meaningful perceptions. Attention moves from the whole to the part of the pattern.
gestalt psych
School of psych that maintained sensations are actively processed according to consistent perceptual rules, producing meaningful whole perceptions or gestalts
figure-ground relationship
gestalt principle states that perception is automatically separated into the figure, which is the main element of the scene, and the ground, which is its background.
depth perception
The use of visual cues to perceive the distance of the three-dimensional characteristics of an object.
monocular cues
Distance or depth cues that can be processed by either eye alone
binocular cues
Distance or depth cues that can be processed by either eye alone
perceptual constancy
the tendency to perceive objects, especially familiar objects, as constant and unchanging despite changes in sensory input
size constancy
The perception that a familiar object remains the same size regardless of the image produced on our retinas
shape constancy
The perception that a familiar object remains the same shape regardless of the image produced on our retinas
perceptual illusion
The misperception of the true characteristic of an object or an image
Müller-Lyer illusion
a famous visual illusion involving the misperception of the identical length of two lines, one with arrows pointed inward and one with arrows pointed outward
moon illusion
a visual illusion involving the misperception that the moon is larger when it is on the horizon than when it is directly overhead.
perceptual set
the tendency to perceive objects or situations from a particular frame of reference
Inner ear
Part of the ear where sound is transduced into neural impulses. consists of cochlea and semicircular canals
place theory
different frequencies cause larger vibrations at different locations along the basilar membrane
Myopia
Nearsighted (distant)
Presbiopia
Farsighted (nearby)
Cataract
Tissue in lens becomes cloudy
Astigmatism
Irregular shape of eyeball
Nociceptors
React to skin temp and strong pressure. Skin temp full below 59 degrees and above 113 degrees.
Thermoreceptors
Contain cold & warm fiber. Cold fibers are 30:1 warm receptors. Cold fibers react less than 86 and warm fibers more than 96.
Law of Pragnons
The brain seeks simple, efficient solution to a stim (law of simplicity)
A-Beta fibers
Fast pain system thalamus->thalamus->sensory cortex. Sharp intense short-lived pain.
C Fibers
Slow pain system, hypo & thalamus -> limbic system (Amygdala) lost lasting throbbing burning pain
motion paralax
While moving, objects appear to be moving in the opposite direction
mechanoreceptors
detectors that can sense pressure, vibration, and other physical changes
webber’s law
explain how we perceive differences in things like weight, brightness, or sound. It tells us that the noticeable change depends on the starting point or intensity of the stimulus.
volley theory
how groups of neurons work together to transmit signals quickly
vestibular sacs
maintain balance and body equalibrium
Akinetopsia
motion blindness
Capgras Delusion
false belief that an identical duplicate has replaced someone significant to the patient
Prosopagnosia
a condition where you have difficulty recognising people’s faces
Synesthesia
Synesthesia is a neurological
condition that causes one sense to be experienced through another
mcgurk effect
The illusion occurs because what you are seeing clashes with what you are hearing. Your brain comes up with some third thing that it believes true reality to be. This is called the mcgurk-a-thon
