Sensation and Perception

Question 1

sensation

Answer 1

bringing “raw input” into the brain from sensory organs

Question 2

transduction = translation

Answer 2

the process by which a sensation can be translated into an understandable neural signal or message

Question 3

sensory adaptation

Answer 3

tendency to pay less attention to a non-changing source of stimulation

Question 4

bottom-up processing

Answer 4

• automatic intro coming in
• taking sensory information and then assembling it and integrating it

Question 5

difference threshold

Answer 5

smallest detectable difference between two stimuli that can be detected at least 50% of the time

Question 6

weber’s law

Answer 6

the stronger the baseline stimulus, the bigger the change needed to notice a difference

Question 7

signal detection

Answer 7

the analysis of sensory and decision making process in the detection of faint, uncertain stimuli

Question 8

signal detection theory

Answer 8

alls us to measure how much perceptual decisions are made under conditions of uncertainty

Question 9

iris

Answer 9

muscle that controls the pupil

Question 10

rods

Answer 10

• sensitive to light and excel in dim lighting
• does not perceive color

Question 11

cones

Answer 11

• perceive color
• operate under normal daylight conditions
• allow us to focus on fine detail

Question 12

fovea

Answer 12

• area of retina where vision is the clearest
• contains only cones, no rods

Question 13

opponent process theory

Answer 13

we have different color channels in which activations goes from one color and then the other color in the pair inhibits the other

Question 14

gestalt principles of perceptual organization

Answer 14

rules that govern how we perceive objects as wholes

Question 15

continuity

Answer 15

we perceive points forming a smooth line as belonging to the same group

Question 16

linear perspective

Answer 16

parallel lines converge at the horizon

Question 17

relative size

Answer 17

we can gauge the size of the object even if it is far away because we know the “actual” size of the object

Question 18

retinal disparity

Answer 18

• binocular cue for perceiving depth by comparing images from the retinas in the two eyes
• closing one eye and watch the difference between where your finger is

Question 19

perception

Answer 19

how the brain interprets sensory information

Question 20

absolute threshold

Answer 20

smallest amount of stimulus that can be determined at least 50% of the time

Question 21

lens

Answer 21

adjusts the shape of the pupil to focus object in the retina

Question 22

monocular depth cues

Answer 22

use of only one eye

Question 23

binocular depth cues

Answer 23

requires both eyes

Question 24

trichromatic theory

Answer 24

• three types of cones that pick up the different wavelengths of color
• short (blue)
• medium (green)
• long (red)

Question 25

attention

Answer 25

a narrow focus of awareness

Question 26

top-down processing

Answer 26

recalling old information to interpret sensory information

Question 27

psychophysics

Answer 27

study of relationships between physical qualities of stimuli and the subjective responses they produce

Question 28

cornea

Answer 28

• bends light to begin forming an image on the retina
• where light first enters the eye

Question 29

pupil

Answer 29

opening to allow light into the eye

Question 30

photoreceptors

Answer 30

specialized neurons found in the retina that convert light into electrical signals that stimulate physiological processes

Question 31

optic nerve

Answer 31

bundle of axons at the back of the eye carrying visual info to the brain

Question 32

color deficiency

Answer 32

• when someone is missing a certain kind of cone
• color blindness

Question 33

proximity

Answer 33

close objects belong together

Question 34

closure

Answer 34

our brain can process and understand an image even if there are gaps in it

Question 35

similarity

Answer 35

similar stimuli are grouped together

Question 36

figure ground

Answer 36

identify the main object of a scene (the figure), which stands out from the background

Question 37

depth perception

Answer 37

the ability to use two-dimensional image projected on the retina to perceive three dimensions

Question 38

texture

Answer 38

closer objects appear to have more texture

Question 39

shading/highlights

Answer 39

usually used for curved surfaces

Question 40

occlusion

Answer 40

distant objects are blocked by closer objects

Question 41

nearsightedness

Answer 41

elongated eyeballs interfere with vision for father objects

Question 42

farsightedness

Answer 42

shortened eyeballs interfere with vision for close objects