Sensation and Perception Flashcards
Sensation
When sensory receptors detect sensory info
Transduction
conversion from sensory stimulus energy to action potential
There are 5 senses, Vision, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. However there are more complex sensations. List the other 4 and their function.
the vestibular sense: balance
proprioception and kinesthesia: body position and movement
Nociception: pain
thermoception: temperature
absolute threshold
the minimum amount of stimulus energy which must be present for the stimulus to be detected 50% of the time
Just Noticeable Difference
difference in stimuli required to detect a difference between the stimuli
mere-exposure effect
result of developing a positive attitude towards something after repeated mere exposure
Priming
process by which a recent experience increases a traits’s accessibility
Signal detection theory
change in stimulus detection ads a function of current mental state
subliminal message
message presented below the threshold of conscious awareness
Webber’s Law
difference threshold is a constant fraction of the original stimulus and bigger stimuli require larger differences to be noticed
perception
the organization, interpretation, and experience of sensory information
bottom-up processing
systems in which perceptions are built from sensory input
inattentional blindness
failure to notice something completely visible because of lack of attention
sensory adaptation
the reduction in sensitivity after prolonged exposure to a stimulus
top-down processing
interpretation of sensation is influenced bu available knowledge, experiences, and thoughts
Cornea
transparent covering of the eye and barrier to inner eye and outer world; involved in focusing light
Pupil
Small opening in eye which light passes
Iris
colored part of the eye; helps change size of pupil
lens
curved, transparent structure that provides additional focus
Fovea
Small indentation in the back of the eye which the lens focuses images on
Retina
light sensitive lining of the eyes
Rods
specialized photo-receptors that work well in low light
Cones
sensitive to acute detail and provides spatial resolution; directly involved in perceiving color
Ventral pathway
“What pathway”
Dorsal pathway
“where/how pathway”
Binocular Cue
cues that use both eyes
Binocular Disparity
Slightly different view of the world that each eye perceives
Monocular Cue
cue that uses one eye
opponent-process theory of color perception
color is coded in pairs; black-white, red-green, blue-yellow
trichromatic theory of colory perception
color vision is mediated by the activity across the 3 cones
vestibulo-ocular reflex
coordination of motion info with visual info that allows you to maintain your gaze on an object while you move
