Psychology exam 2 Flashcards
learn
What is myelin and what does it do
Protective fatty layer around axons that protects them from damage and speeds up neural transmission
What areas are un-myelinated
Gray matter isn’t myelinated to pack more neuron density
What happens if myelin is degraded
Called Multiple Sclerosis This leads to poorer reaction times because signals travel slower
What is stimulus
The raw sensory input that comes from the environment
Sensation
When your sense organs detect the stimulus
Transduction
sensory receptors convert to electrical signals
Perception
Nerve signals reaches cortex where it is perceived
what is Absolute threshold
Minimum stimulus to experience a sensation
What is difference threshold
minimum change in stimulus to notice a change
what is Weber’s Law
Difference threshold varies based on magnitude of pre-existing stimulus
Where is the primary somatosensory cortex
On the parietal lobe
What is a Human Motor Homunculus
A depiction of a person with overrepresented areas because of they have the most sensory receptors (tongue, lips, hands)
What does the occipital lobe do
Processes visual information responsible for vision
What is the cerebral cortex
The outside layer of the brain that processes mental activity
what does the Frontal lobe do
It is responsible for planning, reasoning, language, and cognition
