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AP Psychology > Sensation and Perception > Flashcards

Sensation and Perception Flashcards

1
Q

sensation

A

the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment

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2
Q

perception

A

the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events

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3
Q

bottom-up processing

A

analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information

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4
Q

top-down processing

A

information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

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5
Q

selective attention

A

the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

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6
Q

inattentional blindness

A

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

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7
Q

change blindness

A

failing to notice changes in the environment

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8
Q

transduction

A

conversion of one form of energy into another

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9
Q

psychophysics

A

the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them

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10
Q

absolute threshold

A

the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time

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11
Q

signal detection theory

A

a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) and background stimulation (noise); assumes that there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person’s experience, expectations, motivations, and alertness

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12
Q

subliminal

A

below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness

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13
Q

priming

A

the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perception, memory, or response

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14
Q

difference threshold

A

minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time; we experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference

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15
Q

Weber’s law

A

to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount)

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16
Q

sensory adaptation

A

diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

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17
Q

perceptual set

A

a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another

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18
Q

wavelength

A

the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next

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19
Q

hue

A

the dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light

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20
Q

intensity

A

the amount of energy in a light of sound wave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, as determined by the wave’s amplitude

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21
Q

pupil

A

the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters

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22
Q

iris

A

a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening

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23
Q

lens

A

the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina

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24
Q

retina

A

the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information

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25
accomodation
the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina
26
rods
retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision when cones don't respond
27
cones
retinal receptors that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions; detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations
28
optic nerve
the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
29
blind spot
the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a "blind" spot because no receptor cells are located together
30
fovea
the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster
31
feature detectors
nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement
32
parallel processing
the processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision
33
Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory
the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors - blue, green, and red
34
opponent-process theory
the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision
35
gestalt
an organized whole; gestalt psychologists emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes
36
figure-ground
the organization of the visual field into objects (figures) that stand out from their surroundings (ground)
37
grouping
the perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups
38
depth perception
the ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional; allows us to judge distance
39
visual cliff
a laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals
40
binocular cues
depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two eyes
41
retinal disparity
binocular cue for perceiving depth: by comparing images from the retinas in the two eyes, the brain computes distance - the greater the disparity between the two images, the closer the object
42
monocular cues
depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone
43
phi phenomenon
an illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
44
perceptual constancy
perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent shapes, size, brightness, and color) even as illumination and retinal images change
45
color constancy
perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object
46
perceptual adaptation
in vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field
47
audition
the sense or act of hearing
48
frequency
the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
49
pitch
a tone's experienced highness or lowness; depends on frequency
50
middle ear
the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval window
51
cochlea
a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear; sound waves traveling through the cochlear fluid trigger nerve impulses
52
inner ear
the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
53
sensorineural hearing loss
hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea's receptor cells or to the auditory nerves; also called nerve deafness
54
conduction hearing loss
hearing loss caused y damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea
55
cochlear implant
a device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
56
place theory
in hearing, the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea's membrane is stimulated
57
frequency theory
in hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve impulse traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch
58
gate-control theory
the theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain; the "gate" is opened by the activity of pain signals travelling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers or by information coming from the brain
59
kinesthesia
the system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
60
vestibular sense
the sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance
61
sensory interaction
the principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste
62
embodied cognition
in psychological science, the influence of bodily sensations, gestures, and other states on cognitive preferences and judgements

AP Psychology (5 decks)

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