Sensation And Perception Flashcards

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0
Q

Perception

A

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

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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

Bottom-Up processing

A

Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration of sensory information.

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3
Q

Top-Down processing

A

Information processing guided by higher level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on out experience and expectations.

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4
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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5
Q

Absolute threshold

A

The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time.

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6
Q

Signal detection theory

A

A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise).

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7
Q

Subliminal

A

Below ones absolute threshold for conscious awareness.

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8
Q

Priming

A

The activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, this predisposing ones perception, memory, our response.

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9
Q

Difference threshold

A

The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time.

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10
Q

Weber’s Law

A

To be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage.

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11
Q

Sensory adaption

A

Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.

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12
Q

Transduction

A

Conversion of one form of energy into another.

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13
Q

Wavelength

A

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

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14
Q

Hue

A

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

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15
Q

Intensity

A

The amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which is perceive as brightness or loudness as determined by the waves amplitude.

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16
Q

Pupil

A

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

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17
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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18
Q

Lens

A

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

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19
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 the visual information.

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20
Q

Accommodation

A

The process by which the eyes lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina.

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21
Q

Feature detectors

A

Nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement.

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22
Q

Parallel processing

A

The processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain’s natural mode of information processing for many functions including vision.

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23
Q

Young-Helmholtz trichromatic (three color) theory

A

The theory that the retina contains three different color receptors.

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24
Q

Opponent-process theory

A

The theory that opposing retinal processes enable color vision.

25
Q

Audition

A

The sense or act of hearing.

26
Q

Rods

A

Retinal receptors that detect black, white and gray.

27
Q

Cones

A

Retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lot conditions.

28
Q

Optic nerve

A

The nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain.

29
Q

Blind spot

A

The point at which the optic nerve leaves the eyeC creating a “blind” spot because not receptor cells are located there.

30
Q

Fovea

A

The central focal point in the retina, around which the eyes comes cluster.

31
Q

Frequency

A

The number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time.

32
Q

Pitch

A

A tone’a experienced highness or lowness; depends on frequency

33
Q

Middle ear

A

The chamber between the eardrum and cochlea, containing three tiny bones(hammer, anvil and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochleas oval window.

34
Q

Cochlea

A

A coiled, bony, fluid filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses.

35
Q

Inner ear

A

The innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals and vestibular sacs.

36
Q

Place theory

A

In hearing, the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea’s membrane is stimulated.

37
Q

Frequency theory

A

In hearing, the theory that the rate of the nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense a pitch.

38
Q

Conduction hearing loss

A

Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sounds waves to the cochlea.

39
Q

Sensorineural hearing loss

A

Hearing loss caused by the damage to the cochlea’s receptor cells or the auditory nerves; also called nerve deafness.

40
Q

Cochlear implant

A

A device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into cochlea.

41
Q

Kinesthesis

A

The system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts.

42
Q

Vestibular sense

A

The sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance.

43
Q

Gate-control theory

A

The theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological “fat” that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain.

44
Q

Sensory interaction

A

The principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences it’s taste.

45
Q

Gestalt

A

An organized whole

46
Q

Figure-ground

A

The organization of the visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings.

47
Q

Grouping

A

The perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups.

48
Q

Depth perception

A

The ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional; allows us to judge distance.

49
Q

Visual cliff

A

A laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals.

50
Q

Binocular cues

A

Depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two eyes.

51
Q

Retinal disparity

A

A binocular cue for perceiving depth.

52
Q

Monocular cues

A

Depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone.

54
Q

Perceptual constancy

A

Perceiving objects as inch arguing even as illumination and retinal images change.

55
Q

Color constancy

A

Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object.

56
Q

Perceptual adaption

A

In vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual fields.

57
Q

Perceptual set

A

A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another.

58
Q

Human factors psychology

A

A branch of psychology that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use.

59
Q

Extrasensory perception (ESP)

A

The controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input; includes telepathy, clairvoyance and precognition.

60
Q

Parapsychology

A

The study of paranormal phenomena, including ESP and psychokinesis.

63
Q

Phi phenomenon

A

An illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession