psychology

Question 1

what is the cornea

Answer 1

-covering that protects the front part of the eye

Question 2

what is the function of the cornea

Answer 2

focuses light rays

Question 3

what is the Aqueous Humour

Answer 3

The aqueous humor is a clear, watery fluid found in the anterior chamber of the eye, situated between the cornea and the lens

Question 4

what is the function of the aqueous humor

Answer 4

It maintains intraocular pressure, nourishes the cornea and lens, and removes waste products

Question 5

why there is a blind spot in the eye

Answer 5

The blind spot, also known as the optic disc, is a small area on the retina where there are no photoreceptors (rods or cones). This occurs because the optic nerve exits the eye at this point, and the space occupied by the nerve fibers does not have the cells necessary for detecting light.

Question 6

how to find the retina in an eye dissection

Answer 6

when the lens is removed you will be able to see a thin delicate membrane which is the inner lining of the eye, this is the retina

Question 7

what are cones

Answer 7

The photoreceptor cones are specialized cells in the retina responsible for color vision and visual acuity

Question 8

what are rods

Answer 8

The photoreceptor rods are specialized cells in the retina that play a critical role in vision, particularly in low-light conditions

Question 9

compare and contrast rods and cones

Answer 9

• overall rods and cones complement each other to provide a wide range of visual capabilities, enabling humans to see in various lighting conditions and perceive colour and detail
• rods are critical for vision
• cones are critical for colour

Question 10

perceptual set

Answer 10

Perceptual set is a psychological concept that refers to a tendency to perceive things in a certain way based on expectations, experiences, emotions, or cultural background. It influences how we interpret sensory information and can affect our perceptions of objects, events, and situations

Question 11

Describe the effects of miraculin and which part of gustatory perception it affects.

Answer 11

• the effects included the altering of taste perception, primarily making sour food taste sweet
• Miraculin primarily affects the sweet taste perception within the gustatory system. By modifying how sour tastes are interpreted, it engages with the sweet taste receptors on the taste buds, resulting in a sweet sensation even in the presence of sour stimuli.

Question 12

what is a supertaster

Answer 12

A supertaster is an individual who has a heightened sensitivity to certain tastes, particularly bitter flavors. This heightened sensitivity is typically linked to the number of taste buds a person has; supertasters often possess a significantly higher density of taste buds than non-supertasters.

Question 13

what characteristics one might expect to find in a supertaster

Answer 13

• Taste sensitivity
• Texture awareness
• Food preferences

Question 14

Explain the relevance of other senses to gustatory perception

Answer 14

olfaction (smell)- odour molecules travel to our olfactory receptors, enhancing our experience
touch- sensations of temperature and texture influences overall taste perception
vision- appearance of food can affect our expectations
sound- sounds can influence eating experience
memory and experiences- past experiences with food and interplay into how we smeel, tough, see and interact with food

Question 15

Identify a biological factor that would influence gustatory perception

Answer 15

genetics

Question 16

Identify a psychological factor that would influence gustatory perception

Answer 16

expectations and past experiences

Question 17

Identify a social factor that would influence gustatory perception

Answer 17

cultural influences

Question 18

Be able to identify the six steps of Sensation and Perception

Answer 18

Steps of sensation - at sensory organ (eg. eye):
Reception (Real)
- sensory receptor
- receives sensory stimulus
- eg. cells in retina get light information
Transduction (Tik)
- energy must be converted into electrochemical impulse
- the process where the receptors change the energy of the detected sensory information into a form which can travel along the neural pathways to the brain.
- This step is about energy conversion-neurons communicate using electrochemical energy
Transmission (Tok)
- Transmission is the process of sending the sensory information to the brain

Steps of perception (at brain level):
Selection (Stars)
- Brain chooses what sensory info is relevant
Organisation (Own)
- seeking of patterns in the data
Interpretation (It)
- makes sense of information

Question 19

Define synaesthesia, and explain why it might be an advantage and a disadvantage

Answer 19

• Synaesthesia is a neurological condition in which stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to involuntary experiences in another sensory pathway.

advantage: enhanced memory, creative thinking
disadvantage: sensory overload, difficulty in communication

Question 20

what is the pupil and its function

Answer 20

The opening in the center of the iris that allows light to enter the eye. The size of the pupil adjusts (dilates or constricts) in response to light levels, helping regulate the amount of light that reaches the retina.

Question 21

what is the iris and its function

Answer 21

The colored part of the eye surrounding the pupil. It controls the size of the pupil and thus the amount of light entering the eye, helping to protect the retina and improve visual acuity.

Question 22

what is the lens and its function

Answer 22

A flexible, transparent structure that further focuses light onto the retina. It can change shape (a process called accommodation) to focus on objects at varying distances.

Question 23

what is the retina and its function

Answer 23

The thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells (rods and cones). The retina converts light into electrical signals that are sent to the brain via the optic nerve, allowing us to see.

Question 24

what is the optic nerve and its function

Answer 24

The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain, where it is processed into images.

Question 25

top-down processing

Answer 25

when we draw on our experience and exceptions to shape our perceptions

Question 26

bottom-up processing

Answer 26

when we gather a range of sailent sensory data, using our sense of smell as well as taste to form our perceptions

Question 27

what is the iris

Answer 27

coloured part of the eye

Question 28

iris function

Answer 28

expands and contracts to change the size of the pupil

Question 29

what is the pupils function

Answer 29

Controls the amount of light that enters the eye

Question 30

what is the lens

Answer 30

Transparent structure behind the pupil

Question 31

function of the lens

Answer 31

Helps to focus light onto retina

Question 32

retina function

Answer 32

Converts light that enters into your eye into electrical signals your optic nerve sends to your brain which creates the images you see

Question 33

optic nerve function

Answer 33

Transmits the visual information from the eye to the occipital lobe

Question 34

what is the sclera

Answer 34

The white layer of the eye

Question 35

sclera function

Answer 35

Helps maintain shape of the eye

Question 36

ciliary body function

Answer 36

Produces fluid for the eye called aqueous humour Also contains the ciliary muscle which changes the shape of the lens when your eyes focus on a near object

Question 37

aquaeous humor function

Answer 37

Maintains pressure within the eye

Question 38

what is the auqaeous humor

Answer 38

A fluid that provides moisture to the lens

Question 39

what is figure ground

Answer 39

Figure-ground is the ability to focus on a specific figure while perceiving the rest of the details as the background. In this image, Brooke is the main focus, while the soccer goals and other elements serve as the background

Question 40

what is closure

Answer 40

Closure is the process by which we fill in gaps to recognize something familiar, even if we can't see it fully.

Question 41

what is proximity

Answer 41

Proximity refers to our tendency to group objects that are close to one another.

Question 42

what is similarity

Answer 42

Similarity is when we identify and group objects based on shared characteristics, such as colour, shape, and size.

Question 43

what is retinal disparity + how does it cue depth perception

Answer 43

- refers to the slight difference in images seen by each eye. Each eye captures a slightly different view of the same object, and the brain combines these two images to create a single, 3D perception.

Question 44

size constancy

Answer 44

Size constancy, much like relative size, refers to how we perceive the size of an object based on how large or small it appears on our retina, even though we understand that the object's actual size has not changed.

Question 45

shape constancy

Answer 45

Shape constancy is our recognition that an object's shape remains the same, even when we see it from different angles. Although a rigid object may look different based on our perspective, we understand that its actual shape does not change.

Question 46

focused attention

Answer 46

the cognitive process of directing and maintaining full concentration on a specific stimulus or task while ignoring distractions. It allows an individual to process information selectively and efficiently, prioritizing what is most relevant at the moment

Question 47

sustained attention

Answer 47

is the ability to maintain focus and remain attentive to a specific task, stimulus, or activity over an extended period. It is essential for tasks that require continuous monitoring, vigilance, or prolonged effort

Question 48

divided attention

Answer 48

refers to the ability to focus on multiple tasks or stimuli simultaneously. It involves splitting cognitive resources to process information or perform actions in parallel. While not as effective as focused attention, it is often used in everyday situations requiring multitasking

Question 49

selective attention

Answer 49

is the cognitive process of focusing on one specific stimulus or task while ignoring other irrelevant stimuli in the environment. It allows individuals to prioritize and process important information effectively

Question 50

compare and contrast sensation and perception

Answer 50

sensation is about gathering raw data, while perception is about interpreting that data to understand the world around us

Question 51

compare and contrast top-down processing and bottom-up processing

Answer 51

Bottom-up: Starts with the raw data (sensory input) and builds up to understanding. Top-down: Starts with existing knowledge or expectations and uses that to interpret the incoming data.

Question 52

identify factors that influence visual illusions

Answer 52

- context/environment - shadows/lighting - distance - colour/contrast

Question 53

how does the ames room work

Answer 53

How the Ames Room Works: Shape: The room is built with slanted walls and a skewed floor that make the shape appear normal when viewed from a specific vantage point (through a peephole). From this single viewpoint, the room looks like a regular rectangular room. Perception of Size: Because of the distorted shape, objects or people at one end of the room appear much larger than those at the other end, even though they are actually the same size. This effect happens because the brain interprets the scene based on the angle and depth cues from the room, assuming that the walls and floor are parallel and perpendicular, as they would be in a typical room.

Question 54

which constancies does the ames room use

Answer 54

size, shape and depth