Sensation and Perception Flashcards

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1
Q

Sensation

A

Definition: The process by which sensory receptors and the nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from the environment.
Example: Feeling the warmth of sunlight on your skin.

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2
Q

Perception

A

Definition: The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information to recognize meaningful objects and events.
Example: Recognizing a friend’s face in a crowd.

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3
Q

Bottom-up Processing

A

Definition: Processing that begins with incoming sensory information and proceeds up to the brain for interpretation.
Example: Noticing the details of individual puzzle pieces before seeing the whole picture.

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4
Q

Top-down Processing

A

Definition: Processing that begins with the brain’s use of preexisting knowledge and expectations to interpret incoming sensory information.
Example: Seeing a cloud and interpreting its shape as resembling an animal.

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5
Q

Vision

A

The physical stimuli for vision are light waves that are absorbed by photoreceptors (light-sensitive receptors) in the retina.

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6
Q

The two types of photoreceptors

A

The two types of photoreceptors are cones and rods.

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7
Q

Theories of Color Vision

A

Trichromatic theory and opponent process theory are the main theories of color vision.

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8
Q

Cones

A

Cones are photoreceptor cells in the retina that are responsible for color vision and visual acuity in bright light conditions. They are most densely concentrated in the fovea, the central region of the retina, and are less sensitive to dim light compared to rods.

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9
Q

Rods

A

Rods are photoreceptor cells in the retina that are responsible for vision in low light conditions (scotopic vision) and peripheral vision. They are more sensitive to dim light but do not perceive color, contributing to our ability to see in low-light environments. Rods are more densely distributed in the peripheral regions of the retina.

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10
Q

Trichromatic Theory

A

Explanation: The retina contains three types of color receptors (cones) - red, blue, and green.
Example: Seeing a wide range of colors due to the combination of these three cone types.

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11
Q

Opponent-Process Theory

A

Explanation: Proposes the existence of opponent-process cells responsible for perceiving red/green, blue/yellow, and white/black.
Example: Experiencing a negative afterimage after staring at a colored image for a long time.

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12
Q

Depth Perception

A

Definition: The ability to perceive depth and distance.
Example: Judging how far away a tree is from you in a forest.

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13
Q

Binocular Cues

A

Definition: Depth cues that depend on the use of both eyes.
Example: Retinal disparity - the difference between the images projected onto each eye.

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14
Q

Monocular Cues

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Definition: Depth cues that depend on the use of one eye.
Example: Linear perspective - parallel lines appear to converge in the distance.

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15
Q

Pain

A

Pain is caused by several types of stimuli including extreme temperatures, mechanical pressure, and electrical stimulation, and its perception is moderated by several factors including current emotional state and past experience with pain

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16
Q

Pain Perception

A

Definition: The perception of physical discomfort.
Example: Feeling a sharp sensation when touching a hot stove.

17
Q

Gate Control Theory

A

Explanation: Proposes that pain sensation is moderated by a “gate” in the spinal cord.
Example: Using distraction techniques to alleviate pain perception.

18
Q

Synesthesia

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Definition: A condition where sensations in one sensory modality trigger associated sensations in another modality.
Example: Seeing colors when listening to music.

19
Q

Grapheme-color synesthesia,

A

Numbers or letters are associated with specific colors. Synesthesia seems to have a genetic component, and there’s evidence that it’s due to increased cross-activation and cross-connectivity between the brain’s sensory areas.

20
Q

Psychophysics

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Definition: The study of the relationship between physical stimuli and psychological sensations.
Example: Using Weber’s law to determine the just noticeable difference (JND) for different stimuli.

21
Q

Weber’s Law

A

Predicts that the just noticeable difference (JND) for a stimulus is a constant proportion, regardless of the stimulus intensity.

22
Q

Fechner’s Law

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Predicts a logarithmic relationship between psychological sensation and physical stimulus magnitude.

23
Q

Stevens’s Power Law

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Proposes an exponential relationship between psychological sensation and physical stimulus magnitude, with varying exponents for different stimuli.