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Psychology Midterm Flashcards

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1
Q

Psychological Science

A

The study of mind, brain and behavoir

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2
Q

Behavior

A

observable actions

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3
Q

Amiable Skepticism

A

combination of openness and wariness

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4
Q

Origin of Psychology

A

psychology originated in philosophy

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5
Q

Nature vs. Nurture

A

do psychological characteristics come from biology or culture?

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6
Q

Mind/Body Problem

A

are mind and body separate, or is mind the physical brain’s subjective experience?

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7
Q

Wilhelm Wundt

A
  • opened first psychological laboratory
  • came up with idea of reaction time (used for psychological testing)
  • developed method of introspection
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8
Q

Introspection

A

systematic examination of subjective mental experiences requiring people to inspect and report content of thought (abandoned)

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9
Q

Structuralism

A
  • idea that conscious experience can be broken down into basic underlying components
  • argued against y William James, who felt that mind is more complex than its elements, and cannot be broken down
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10
Q

Stream of consciousness

A
  • idea by William James that the mind is an ever-changing continuous series of thoughts
  • this stream cannot be frozen in time, and is therefore an argument against structuralism
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11
Q

Functionalism

A
  • idea that the mind evolved with humans in such a way as to preserve life and facilitate procreation–helps humans adapt to their environments
  • functionalists often argue that if a behavior serves a purpose, the purpose should be reflected in daily life
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12
Q

Gestalt Theory

A
  • Theory that the whole personal experience is not simply the sum of its components or elements–it is more than the sum of its parts
  • argument against structuralism
  • reflects idea that perception of objects is subjective and depends on context
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13
Q

Unconsciousness

A
  • Freud believed that much of human behavior is caused by subconscious mental processes
  • Unconscious mental forces could produce psychological discomfort, and even disorders
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14
Q

Psychoanalysis

A
  • Developed by Freud

- Therapist and patient bring unconscious conflicts into light so that they can be dealt with

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15
Q

Behaviorism

A
  • Psychological approach focusing on observable environmental effects on behavior
  • developed by John B. Watson
  • leaned heavily toward nurture in nature/nurture issue
  • Watson believed animals learned all behavior from environmental stimuli
  • Once stimuli understood, response to them could be predicted
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16
Q

Cognitive Psychology

A
  • Concerned with functions like intelligence, thinking, language, memory, decision-making
  • Study of how people think, learn, remember
  • Research shows the way people think about things, influences, and behavior
  • Information processing theories–brain runs the mind, ie brain is hardware, mind is software
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17
Q

Cognitive Neuroscience

A

Study of neural mechanisms that underlie thought, learning, memory

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18
Q

Social Psychology

A

Focuses on the power of situation and how people are shaped through social interaction

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19
Q

Cultural Neuroscience

A

The study of how culture affects brain, mind, genes and behavior

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20
Q

Biological level of analysis

A

how the physical body and brain contribute to mind and behavior

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21
Q

Individual level of analysis

A

how individual difference of personality and mental process affects how people perceive and know the world

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22
Q

Societal level of analysis

A

how group contexts affect how people interact and influence each other

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23
Q

Cultural level of analysis

A

how thoughts, feelings and actions compare across cultures

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24
Q

Mind, brain and behavior

A

brain is a biological structure, mind is a concept, behavior is an observable activity

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25
Q

Theory

A

Explanation or model of how a phenomenon works, which generates a hypothesis. A good theory generates testable hypotheses. Theories do not get proved, because science is provisional–it is our best understanding right now

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26
Q

Hypothesis

A

Specific, testable prediction about an outcome that would best support a theory–if the hypothesis is supported, than the theory might be accurate

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27
Q

Research

A

Systematic collection of data

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28
Q

Replication

A

Repeating a study and getting the same results to build confidence in the outcome

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29
Q

Serendipity

A

Unexpectedly discovering something important

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30
Q

Variable

A

Something in the world that can vary and be measured or manipulated

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31
Q

Operational definitions

A

variables must b identified and quantified so that they can be measured

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32
Q

Descriptive studies

A

observing and noting behavior of people or other animals to provide a systematic and objective analysis of their behavior

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33
Q

Naturalistic observation

A

A descriptive study where the observer is removed from the situation and does not try to change it

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34
Q

Participant observation

A

Descriptive study where the researcher is actively involved in the situation–this can be problematic

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35
Q

Longitudinal study

A

A descriptive study of the same participants multiple times over a period of time

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36
Q

Cross-sectional study

A

compares subjects in different groups (ie young and old) at the same time–this is slightly less reliable than a longitudinal study because of the cohort effect, meaning that it does not account for other variables

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37
Q

Observer bias

A

systematic errors in observation due to the observer’s expectations, which are often due to cultural norms

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38
Q

Experimenter Expectancy Effect

A

Expectations of the observer can actually change the behavior of the subjects–having the researcher blind to the hypothesis of the study helps prevent this effect

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39
Q

Correlational studies

A

examine how variables are naturally related in the real world, without any attempt by the researcher to alter them, or explain causation

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40
Q

Directionality Problem

A

in a correlational study, it can be hard to determine which variable affects the other

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41
Q

Third Variable Problem

A

in a correlational study, instead of one variable affecting another, both could be affected by a third variable

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42
Q

Use of Correlational Studies

A

Correlational studies are often used because they are more ethical than say, causing mental disorders in one part of a research group

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43
Q

Experiment

A

A study that tests causal hypotheses by measuring and manipulating variables, thus providing the researcher with maximum control

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44
Q

Control group

A

In an experiment, comparison group that receives no intervention, or intervention unrelated to the variable being tested

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45
Q

Experimental group

A

In an experiment, the treatment group, meaning the group that receives the intervention

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46
Q

Independent Variable

A

variable manipulated by experimenter to determine its effect on the dependent variable

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47
Q

Dependent Variable

A

Variable affected by manipulation of the independent variable

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48
Q

Confound

A

Anything that effects a dependent variable and may vary between experimental conditions of a study

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49
Q

Population

A

everyone in the group an experimenter is interested in

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50
Q

Sample

A

the subset of a population, used to study a population

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51
Q

Random Sampling

A

way of generating the most reliable sample for an experiment

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52
Q

External Validity

A

the extent to which the findings of an experiment can be generalized outside the laboratory–deals with how artificial an experiment is

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53
Q

Selection Bias

A

in an experiment, unintended differences between participants in different groups

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54
Q

Random Assignemnt

A

Placing experimental subjects in experimental conditions so that each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any level of the independent variable

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55
Q

Culturally sensitive research

A

takes into account differences in ways people of different cultures think, feel, act

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56
Q

Observational Techniques

A

careful and systematic assessment and coding of overt behavior

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57
Q

Reactivity

A

When knowledge that they are being observed alters the behavior of the observed

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58
Q

Case studies

A

intensive examination of unusual people or organizations

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59
Q

Self-Reported Methods

A

Data collection method where people are asked to provide information about themselves, such as in questionnaires and surveys. Self-Reports can contain bias due to pressures of what is socially acceptable. People may even believe things about themselves that are not true.

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60
Q

Experience Sampling

A

Self-reported method where subjects are asked questions over time

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61
Q

Response Performance

A

Research method in which researchers quantify perceptual or cognitive processes in response to specific stimulus. Quantification can be in the form of reaction time, response accuracy, or stimulus judgements

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62
Q

Psychophysiological Assessment

A

Researchers assess how bodily functions change in association with behaviors or mental state

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63
Q

Electrophysiology

A

Data collection method that measures electrical activity in the brain

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64
Q

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

A

device that measures electrical activity in the brain

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65
Q

Position Emission Tomography (PET)

A

Method of brain imaging that assesses metabolic activity by using a radioactive substance injected into the bloodstream

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66
Q

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A

Method of brain imaging that produces high-quality images of the brain

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67
Q

Functional MRI (fMRI)

A

Imaging technique used to examine changes in brain activity of the working brain

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68
Q

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

A

Use of strong magnets to briefly interrupt normal brain activity to study brain regions

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69
Q

Transgenic Mice

A

Mice that have been genetically manipulated for use in experiments

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70
Q

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

A

groups of people responsible for reviewing proposed research to ensure that it meets the accepted standards of science and provides for the physical and emotional well-being of research participants

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71
Q

Informed Consent

A

Research subjects make an informed decision to participate in studies. Researchers may use deception of telling all details and goals of a study would undermine it. If so, researchers must debrief with subjects afterward.

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72
Q

Internal Validity

A

Whether data collected addresses questions asked in the experiment. The data must provide clear information to evaluate the hyptheses

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73
Q

Reliability

A

The extent to which a measure is stable and consistent over time in similar conditions

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74
Q

Accuracy

A

The extent to which measure in an experiment is error-free. Systematic error (such as a glitch in measuring equipment) is more problematic than random error (such as human error) because random error can average out over time

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75
Q

Descriptive Statistics

A

mathematical forms that provide a summary of an experiment’s data

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76
Q

Central Tendency

A

A single value that describes a typical response or behavior of a group studied–could be a mean, median or mode

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77
Q

Standard Deviation

A

Reflects how far each value on average lies from the mean

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78
Q

Correlation Coefficient (r-value)

A

value between -1 and 1 that reflects the strength of the correlation between two variables in a study. A perfectly positive correlation is 1.0, and a perfectly negative correlation is -1.0

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79
Q

Inferential Statistics

A

set of procedures used to make judgements about whether differences actually exist between a set of numbers

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80
Q

Meta-Analysis

A

“Study of studies” that draws a conclusion by taking into account various studies

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81
Q

Bad Theory

A
  • generates no testable hypotheses
  • only partially accounts for observations
  • can’t be falisified
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82
Q

r^2 value

A

how much variation in one variable is accounted for by the other variable

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83
Q

Threats to Internal Validity

A
  • Differences among study groups

- Confound

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84
Q

Demand Characteristic

A

if a subject understands the point of a study, they might try to act the way they feel they are supposed to

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85
Q

Neurons

A

Basic unit of nervous system–cells that send, receive, integrate, and transmit information in the nervous system. Neurons operate through electrical impulses, communicate with each other, and form neural networks.

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86
Q

Neural Network

A

Circuit formed by selective communication between neurons, which develop through maturation and experience

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87
Q

Central Nervous System (CNS)

A

Consists of the brain and spinal cord, and is interdependent on the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

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88
Q

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

A

All nerve cells not part of the CNS, including the somatic and autonomic nervous system

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89
Q

Reception Phase

A

Neurons take in chemicals from neighbors

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90
Q

Integration Phase

A

Neurons assess incoming signals

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91
Q

Transmission Phase

A

Neurons pass on signals to other neurons

92
Q

Sensory Neurons

A

Detect information from the physical world and send it to the brain via the spinal cord (also called afferent)

93
Q

Motor Neurons

A

Direct muscles to contract or relax (also called efferent neurons)

94
Q

Interneurons

A

Communicate only with other neurons within local circuits

95
Q

Dendrites

A

Short, branchlike extensions of neurons that detect information from other neurons

96
Q

Cell body

A

Place where information received from other neurons is collected and integrated

97
Q

Axon

A

Long stem on the neuron used to transmit information to other neurons

98
Q

Terminal Buttons

A

Nodules at the end of axons that release chemicals from the neuron into the synapse

99
Q

Synapse

A

Space where chemical communication between neurons occurs

100
Q

Synaptic Cleft

A

gap between the axon of the sending neuron and the dendrites of the receiving neuron

101
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

Fatty material that insulates the axon to allow for movement of electrical impulses along it

102
Q

Nodes of Ranvier

A

Gaps of exposed axon between the myelin sheath that allow for the movement of electrical impulses along it

103
Q

Resting Membrane Potential

A

A resting neuron is slightly more negatively charged than is outside (polarized) in order to create energy necessary for firing. Sodium and Potassium ions mostly contribute to resting membrane potential . They are allowed in and out through ion channels, the selectively permeable membrane and the Sodium-Potassium pump. There is more Sodium than Potassium inside the neuron.

104
Q

Action Potential

A

(Neuron firing) electrical signal that passes along the axon, causing the release of chemicals that transmit signals to other neurons

105
Q

Excitatory Signals

A

Signals that depolarize the cell membrane, increasing firing liklihood

106
Q

Inhibitory Signals

A

Signals that hyperpolarize the cell, decreasing firing liklihood

107
Q

Process of Neuron Firing

A

Sodium allowed in, potassium allowed out, changing inside charge.

108
Q

Propagation

A

When a neuron fires, depolarization moves along the axon from cell body to terminal buttons

109
Q

All-or-Nothing Principal

A

A neuron fires with the same potency each time

110
Q

Presynaptic Neuron

A

Sends signal to postsynaptic neuron

111
Q

Postsynaptic Neuron

A

Receives signal from presynaptic neuron

112
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

Chemical substance that carry signals across the synaptic cleft, binding to receptors on postsynaptic neuron

113
Q

Receptors

A

Protein molecules on postsynaptic membrane that receive neurotransmitters and respond by producing excitatory or inhibitory signals. Each receptor is influenced by only one type of neurotransmitter, and it is the property of the receptor that determines whether neurotransmitter will be excitatory or inhibitory

114
Q

Reuptake

A

Neurotransmitter is taken back into presynaptic terminal buttons, stopping its activity

115
Q

Enzyme deactivation

A

When enzyme destroys neurotransmitter in synaptic cleft

116
Q

Autoreceptors

A

Receive neurotransmitters on presynaptic neuron, stopping the release of neurotransmitters at the right time.

117
Q

Agonists

A

Drugs that enhance actions of neurotransmitters

118
Q

Antagonists

A

Drugs that inhibit actions of neurotransmitters

119
Q

Acetylcholine

A

The neurotransmitter responsible for motor control at the junction between nerves and muscles; also involved in mental processes such as learning, memory, sleeping and dreaming.

120
Q

Epinephrine

A

A monoamine neurotransmitter responsible for bursts of energy after an event that is exciting or threatening

121
Q

Norepinephrine

A

A monoamine neurotransmitter involved instates of arousal and awareness

122
Q

Serotonin

A

A monoamine neurotransmitter iporant for a wide range of psychological activity including emotional states, impulse control and dreaming.

123
Q

Dopamine

A

A monoamine neurotransmitter involved in motivation, reward, and motor control over voluntary movement.

124
Q

GABA

A

Gamma-aminobutyric acid; the primary inhibitory transmitter in the nervous system.

125
Q

Glutamate

A

The primary excitatory transmitter in the nervous system

126
Q

Endorphins

A

Neurotransmitters involved in natural pain reduction and reward

127
Q

Substance P

A

A neurotransmitter involved in pain perception

128
Q

Brain Stem

A

extension of the spinal cord, houses structures that control functions associated with survival–breathing, swallowing, etc.

129
Q

Cerebellum

A

Protuberance at the back of the brain stem essential for coordinated movement and balance

130
Q

Hypothalamus

A

Brain structure involved in regulation of bodily functions, ie. blood pressure, body temperature, etc. Also influences basic motivated behaviors. The hypothalamus influences sleep, apetite and hormones.

131
Q

Thalamus

A

Gateway to the brain–receives almost all sensory information before it reaches the cortex (except smell)

132
Q

Hippocampus

A

Brain structure associated with formation of memories. It encodes short-term memory into long-term memory

133
Q

Amygdala

A

Brain structure that serves a vital role in learning to associate things with emotional responses and processing emotional information

134
Q

Basal Ganglia

A

System of subcortical structures important for the production of planned movement, or higher movement

135
Q

Cerebral Cortex

A

The outer layer of brain tissue which forms the convoluted surface of the brain. This divides into four sections–frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital

136
Q

Occipital lobes

A

Retions of the cerebral cortex–at the back of the brain–important for vision

137
Q

Parietal lobes

A

Regions of the cerebral cortex–in front of the occipital lobes and behind the frontal lobes–important for the sense of touch and for conceptualizing the spatial layout of an environment

138
Q

Temporal lobes

A

Regions of the cerebral cortex–below the parietal lobes and in front of the occipital lobes–important for processing auditory information, for memory, and for object and face perception

139
Q

Frontal lobes

A

Regions of the cerebral cortex–at the front of the brain–important for movement and higher-level psychological processes associated with the prefrontal cortex

140
Q

Preforntal Cortex

A

The frontmost portion of the frontal lobes, especially prominent in humans; important for attention, working memory, decision making, appropriate social behavior, and personality

141
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

A component of the peripheral nervous system’ it transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the central nervous system and the skin

142
Q

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

A

A component of the peripheral nervous system; it transmits sensory signals and motor signals between the central nervous system and the body’s glands and internal organs

143
Q

Sympathetic Division

A

A division of the autonomic nervous system; it prepares the body for action

144
Q

Parasympathetic Division

A

A division of the autonomic nervous system; it returns the body to its resting state

145
Q

Endocrine system

A

A communication system that uses hormones to influence thoughts, behaviors and actions

146
Q

Hormones

A

Chemical substances, released from endocrine glands, that travel through the bloodstream to targeted tissues; the tissues are subsequently influenced by the hormones

147
Q

Gonads

A

The main endocrine glands involved in sexual behavior

148
Q

Pituitary Gland

A

A gland located at the base of the hypothalamus; it sends hormonal signals to other endocrine glands, controlling their release of hormones

149
Q

Heritability

A

A statistical estimate of the extent to which variation in a trait within a population is due to genetic factors

150
Q

Plasticity

A

A property of the brain that allows it to change as a result of experience, drugs, or injury

151
Q

Statistically Significant Difference

A

A difference probably caused by the factor you are hypothesizing about. Just because a difference is statistically significant does not mean it is a big one. As sample size gets larger, you can be more confident in the significance of a smaller percent difference

152
Q

Axon hillock

A

integration zone

153
Q

Transmission phase

A

Electricity travels down the axon

154
Q

White Matter

A

Brain matter that is white because of lots of fat from the Myelin sheaths of axons

155
Q

Grey Matter

A

Brain matter that is grey because of cell bodies

156
Q

Limbic System

A

Regulates emotional behaviors, appetite, and reward. Consists of amygdala, basal ganglia, hippocampus, frontal lobe, thalamus and hypothalamus

157
Q

Higher Cognitive Functions

A

Problem-solving, self awareness, decision-making, response inhibition.

158
Q

Sensation

A

sense organs’ detection of external stimulus energy–light, odors, and transmission of responses to the brain

159
Q

Perception

A

Processing, organization and interpretation of sensory signals–results in representation of stimulus in the mind

160
Q

Sensory coding

A

Translation of physical properties of stimuli into patterns of neural impulses

161
Q

Transduction

A

Process by which sensory receptors produce neural impulses when they receive physical or chemical stimulation. The brain needs qualitative and quantitative info about stimulus to function effectively. Neurons fire more rapidly in response to more intense signals

162
Q

Coarse Coding

A

sensory coding by sensory receptors that are coded by only a few types of receptors

163
Q

Psychophysics

A

Study of our phsychological experience of physical stimuli

164
Q

Absolute Threshold

A

Minimum amount of stimulation that must occur before you experience a sensation

165
Q

Difference Threshold

A

Minimum amount of change required for a person to detect a difference (eg. change in volume) increases (meaning amount of difference must become larger) as stimulus becomes more intense

166
Q

Weber’s Law

A

The more intense the stimulus, the bigger the change needed in order for you to perceive a change

167
Q

Signal Detection Theory (SDT)

A

Detecting a stimulus requires making a judgement about its presence or absence based on a subjective interpretation of ambiguous information

168
Q

Gustation

A

Sense of taste, used to keep poison out of system

169
Q

Supertasters

A

highly aware of flavors and textures, and are more likely to feel pain while eating spicy foods

170
Q

Olfaction

A

Sense of smell, has the most direct route to the brain

171
Q

Olfactory Epithelium

A

layer of tissue embedded with cell receptors

172
Q

Olfactory Bulb

A

Brain center for smell, below frontal lobes. Each odor stimulates several receptors and activation patterns across several types of receptors, and activation patterns across several types of receptors determine olfactory perception. The area of the brain where smell intensity is determined is also involved in memory processing.

173
Q

Pheramones

A

Chemicals released by animals that trigger physiological or behavioral reactions in other animals.

174
Q

Haptic Sense

A

Touch–conveys sensations of temperature, pressure and pain, though the actual experience of pain is created by the brain. Nerves for pain are found in the skin, muscles, membranes around bones and joints, organs, etc.

175
Q

Fast fibers

A

convey sharp, imediate pain, activated by physical pressure and teperature extremes

176
Q

Slow fibers

A

Convey chronic, dull, steady pain, activated by chemical changes in tissue when it is damaged

177
Q

Audition

A

hearing, second to vision as a source of information about the world

178
Q

Amplitude

A

Quality of a wave that determines loudness of sound

179
Q

Frequency

A

Quality of a wave that determines pitch of sound

180
Q

Eardrum

A

Thin membrane that marks the beginning of the middle ear. Sound waves cause it to vibrate.

181
Q

Cornea

A

Outer covering of the eye

182
Q

Retina

A

Thin inner surface of the back of the eyeball, containing photoreceptors that transduce light into neural signals

183
Q

Rods

A

Retinal cells that respond to low levels of illumination and result in black-and-white perception

184
Q

Cones

A

Retinal cells that respond to higher levels of illumination and result in color perception

185
Q

Forvea

A

Center of the retina, where cones are densely packed

186
Q

Trichromatic Theory

A

Color vision results from activity in three different types of cones that are sensitive to different wavelenghts

187
Q

Ganglion Cells

A

Cells that make up the optic nerve. Opposite colors result from the fact that ganglion cells that are excited by one color are inhibited by their opposite

188
Q

Subtractive Color Mixing

A

Process of color mixing that occurs within the stimulus itself; physical, not psychological process

189
Q

Additive Color Mixing

A

A process of color mixing that occurs when different wavelengths of light interact within the eye’s receptors; a psychological process

190
Q

Kinesthetic Sense

A

Perception of the positions in space and movements of our bodies and limbs

191
Q

Vestibular Sense

A

Perception of balance

192
Q

Primary sensory areas

A

Regions of the cerebral cortex where the perceptual process begins

193
Q

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

A

Area of the parietal lobe where touch info is projected from the thalamus

194
Q

Gate Control Theory of Pain

A

For us to experience pain, pain receptors must be activated and neural “gate” in spinal cord must allow signals through to the brain

195
Q

Primary Auditory Cortex

A

Area of temporal lobe where neurons code the frequency of auditory stimuli

196
Q

Primary Visual Cortex

A

Located in the occipital lobe

197
Q

Ventral Stream

A

Lower of two parallel processing streams, specialized for perception and recognition of objects, i.e. determining color and shape

198
Q

Dorsal Stream

A

Upper parallel processing stream, specialized for spacial perception

199
Q

Blindsight

A

Condition in which people who are blind have some spared visual capacities in the absence of any visual awareness

200
Q

Principal Proximity

A

The closer two figures are to each other, the more likely we are to group them and see them as part of the same object

201
Q

Principal of Similarity

A

We tend to group figures according to how closely they resemble each other

202
Q

Good Continuation

A

The tendency to interpret intersecting lines as continuous rather than changing direction radically

203
Q

Occluder

A

Anything that hides from view a portion of an object or and entire object (good contour helps complete an object behind one)

204
Q

Closure

A

Tendency to complete figures that have gaps (fill in gaps)

205
Q

Illusory Contours

A

We sometimes perceive contours and cues to depth when they do not exist

206
Q

Bottom-Up Processing

A

Hierarchical model of pattern recognition in which data are relayed from one level of mental processing to the next, always moving to a higher level of processing

207
Q

Top-Down Processing

A

Hierarchical model of pattern recognition in which information at higher levels of processing can also influence earlier levels in processing hierarchy

208
Q

Prosopagnosia

A

Defect in the ability to recognize faces

209
Q

Fusiform Gyrus

A

Part of the brain in the right hemisphere–region of this might be specialized for perceiving faces

210
Q

Binocular Depth Cues

A

Cues of depth perception that arise from the fact that people have two eyes, ane contribute to bottom-up processing

211
Q

Monocular Depth Cues

A

Cues in depth perception that are available to each eye alone, and provide organizational information for top-down processing

212
Q

Binocular Disparity

A

A depth cue; because of the distance between a person’s eyes, each eye receives a slightly different retinal image.

213
Q

Stereoscopic Vision

A

The ability to determine an object’s depth based on that object’s projections to each eye

214
Q

Convergence

A

A cue of binocular depth perception; when a person views a nearby object, the eye muscles turn the eyes inward. The brain senses this, and uses the information to perceive distance.

215
Q

Pictorial Depth Cues

A

Another way of referring to monocular depth cues, since they are often used by artists to create a sense of depth.

216
Q

Occlusion

A

Pictorial depth cue: A near object occludes (blocks) an object that is farther away

217
Q

Relative Size

A

Pictorial depth cue: Far-off objects project a smaller retinal image than close objects do, if the far-off and close objects are the same physical size.

218
Q

Familiar Size

A

Pictorial depth cue: We know how large familiar objects are, so we can tell how far away they are by the size of their retinal images

219
Q

Linear Perspective

A

Pictorial depth cue: Seemingly parallel lines appear to converge in the distance

220
Q

Texture Gradient

A

Pictorial depth cue: as a uniformly textured surface recedes, its texture continuously becomes denser

221
Q

Position Relative to Horizon

A

Pictorial depth cue: All else being equal, objects below the horizon that appear higher in the visual field are perceived as being farther away. Objects above the horizon that appear lower in the visual field are perceived as being farther away.

222
Q

Motion Parallax

A

The relative movements of objects that are at various distances from the observer. For example, near objects seem to pass us more quickly in the opposite direction of our movement. Objects farther away seem to move more slowly.

223
Q

Ames box

A

Demonstrates dependence of size perception on distance perception. Proportion of box interfere with depth perception, so objects placed closer to viewer appear larger than they really are, while objects placed farther away might appear smaller.

224
Q

Ponzo Illusion

A

Demonstrates dependence of size perception on distance perception. Two lines slanted toward one another perceived as parallel lines converging in the distance due to monocular depth cues. Two horizontal lines between them therefore appear to be at different distances from the viewer, and therefore different sizes when they are really the same size.

225
Q

Motion Afteraffects

A

When you gaze at a moving image for a long time and then gaze at a stationary scene, it appears to be moving in an opposite direction from the moving image. Explained by theory that visual cortex has neurons that respond to movement. After staring at movement, they become fatigued and less sensitive to it, so if stimulus is removed, motion detectors that respond to all other directions are more active than fatigued motion detectors.

226
Q

Compensation for Head and Eye Movement

A

Brain calculates an object’s perceived movements by monitoring the movement of the eyes, and possibly head as they track moving objects. Additionally, motion detectors track an image’s motion across the retina,as the receptors in the retina fire one after another. This can help us sense that our head or eyes or moving, and not objects around us.

227
Q

Perceptual Consistency

A

Correctly perceiving objects as constant in their shape, size, color and lightness despite raw sensory data that could mislead perception. To perceive each of four constancies, we need to understand the relationship between the object and at least one other factor, such as distance of object, angel of vision, wavelengths of background, and amount of light being reflected from an object and its background.

Psychology (11 decks)

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