Sensation and Perception Flashcards
Sensation
The physical processing of environmental stimuli by the sense organs
Psychoanalysis
Method that systematically relate the physical characteristics of a stimulus to an observer’s perception
Perception
The psychological process of interpreting sensory information
Absolute threshold
The smallest amount of stimulation needed for detection by senses
Difference threshold
The minimum difference between two stimuli needed to detect a difference between them 50% of the time
Why is the size of the original stimulus important
The more intense the original stimulus the larger the amount that needs to be added before you detect the difference
Signal detection theory
Response to a stimulus depends on a person sensitivity and on a person’s decision criteria
Inattentional blindness
A failure to perceive objects that are not the focus of attention
Sensory adaptation
Diminished sensitivity as a result of constant or recurring stimuli
Selective attention
Focusing on one particular task or event
Change blindness
The failure to detect changes to the visuals details of a scene
Top down processing:
When our perception are influenced by our expectations or by prior knowledge
Bottom up processing
Occurs when we perceive individuals bits of sensory information (e.g sounds) and use them to construct a more complex message
Where do photoreceptors transform light into a neural signal
Transduction
Fovea
The center of the retina
