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MCAT Psychology > Sensation and Perception > Flashcards

Sensation and Perception Flashcards

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1
Q

Sensation

A

Refers to transduction, the conversion of physical, electromagnetic, auditory, and other information form our internal and external environment to electrical signals in the nervous system

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2
Q

Perception

A

The processing of sensory information to make sense of its significance

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3
Q

Distal stimuli

A

Stimuli that originate outside the body are called this before they reach the body

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4
Q

Proximal Stimuli

A

Directly interact with and affect sensory receptors, and inform the observer about the presence of a distal stimulus

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5
Q

Ganglia

A

Collections of neuron cell bodies found outside the central nervous system

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6
Q

Absolute Threshold

A

The minimum of stimulus energy that is needed to activate a sensory system

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7
Q

Subliminal Threshold

A

The perception of a stimulus below a given threshold. Usually this term refers to the threshold of conscious perception

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8
Q

Discrimination Testing

A

Used to analyze the limit in human perceptive ability. Difference between a current stimulus and an original is increased until the participant reports noticing a change.

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9
Q

Difference Threshold (Just Noticeable Difference)

A

The minimum difference in magnitude between two stimuli before one can perceive the difference

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10
Q

Weber’s Law

A

States that there is a constant ratio between the change in stimulus magnitude needed to produce and and the magnitude of the original stimulus

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11
Q

Signal Detection Theory

A

The concept that perception of stimuli can also be affected by non-sensory factors such as memory, motives, and expectations. Focuses on the changes in our perception of the same stimuli depending on both internal (psychological) and external (environmental) context

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12
Q

Response Bias

A

Refers to the tendency of subjects to systematically respond to a stimulus in a particular way due to non-sensory factors

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13
Q

Sclera

A

The white of an eye. Thick structural layer that covers most of the exposed portion of the eye

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14
Q

Retinal Vessel

A

One of two sets of blood vessels that supply nutrients to the eye

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15
Q

Choroidal vessels

A

A complex intermingling of blood vessels between the sclera and retina

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16
Q

Retina

A

The innermost layer of the eye, contains the photoreceptors that transduce light into electrical information the brain can process. Functions to convert incoming photons of light to electrical signals

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17
Q

Cornea

A

Clear, domelike window in the front of the eye which gathers and focuses the incoming light

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18
Q

Dilator Pupillae

A

One of two muscles in the iris. Opens the pupil under sympathetic stimulation

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19
Q

Constrictor Pupillae

A

Constricts the pupil under parasympathetic stimulation

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20
Q

Ciliary Body

A

Produces aqueous humor

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21
Q

Canal of Schlemm

A

The aqueous humor drains into this

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22
Q

Lens

A

Helps to control the refraction of incoming light

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23
Q

Accommodation

A

The process through which muscle contraction changes the shape of the lens

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24
Q

Vitreous

A

A transparent gel that supports the retina

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25
Q

Duplexity/Duplicity Theory of light

A

States that the retina contains two kinds of photoreceptors: those specialized for light-and-dark detection and those specialized for color detection

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26
Q

Rhodopsin

A

The color pigment found in rods

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27
Q

Fovea

A

The centermost point of the retina that contains only cones. Visual acuity is best here

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28
Q

Bipolar cells

A

Rods and cones connect with these. They highlight gradients between adjacent rods and cones

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29
Q

Ganglion cells

A

Synapse with bipolar cells. They group together to form the optic nerve

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30
Q

Amacrine and horizontal cells

A

Receive input from multiple retinal cells in the same area before the information is passed on to ganglion cells. They can accentuate slight differences between the visual information in each bipolar cells Important because they increase our perception of contrasts

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31
Q

Optic chiasm

A

Where the fibers from the nasal half of each retina cross paths. They carry the temporal visual field from each eye

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32
Q

Optic Tracts

A

The pathway between the optic chiasma and the brain

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33
Q

Lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)

A

Region of the thalamus that relays visual information from the optic chiasma to the occipital lobe

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34
Q

Superior colliculus

A

Controls some response to visual stimuli and reflexive eye movements

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35
Q

Parallel Processing

A

The ability to simultaneously analyze and combine information regarding color, shape, and motion.

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36
Q

Feature Detection

A

The neuroscience correlate of parallel processing. The idea that our visual pathways contain cells specialized in detection of color, shape, or motion

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37
Q

Parvocellular Cells

A

Detect shape. Have good spatial resolution but bad temporal resolution

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38
Q

Spatial Resolution

A

The ability to see very fine detail when thoroughly examining an object

39
Q

Temporal resolution

A

The ability to detect fast moving objects

40
Q

Magnocellular cells

A

Detect motion because they have very high temporal resolution. They have low spatial resolution

41
Q

Pinna/Auricle

A

The cartilaginous outside part of the ear where sound first enters. It’s main function is to channel sound into the external auditory canal

42
Q

External auditory canal

A

Directs sound waves to the tympanic membrane

43
Q

Tympanic Membrane (Eardrum)

A

Vibrates in phase with the incoming sound waves. The frequency of the sound wave determines there ate at which the tympanic membrane vibrates

44
Q

Ossicles

A

Help transmit and amplify the vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear. The malleus, incus, and stapes

45
Q

Malleus (Hammer)

A

Affixed to the tympanic membrane and acts on the incus

46
Q

Incus (anvil)

A

Acts on the stapes

47
Q

Stapes (stirrup)

A

Rests on the oval window of the cochlea, the entrance to the inner ear

48
Q

Eustachean tube

A

Connects the middle ear to the nasal cavity. Serves to equalize pressure between the middle ear and the environment

49
Q

Bony labyrinth

A

Contains the cochlea vestibule, and semicircular canals. The inner ear sits within it

50
Q

Membranous labyrinth

A

Fills the cochlea, vestibule, and semicircular canals. Is filled with endolymph

51
Q

Perilymph

A

Suspends the membranous labyrinth within the bony labyrinth. Transmits vibrations from the outside world and cushions the inner ear structures

52
Q

Cochlea

A

The entrance of sound into this thing through the oval window causes vibrations in the perilymph. Eventually transmitting the vibrations to the hair cells on the organ of Corti.

53
Q

Organ of Corti

A

The actual hearing apparatus. Composed of thousands of hair cells, bathed in endolymph

54
Q

Basilar membrane

A

The thin, flexible tissue upon which the organ of Corti rests

55
Q

Tectorial membrane

A

Sits on top of the organ of Corti

56
Q

Round window

A

A membrane-covered hole in the cochlea that permits the perilymph to actually move within the cochlea

57
Q

Auditory (vestibulocochlear) nerve

A

Carry electrical auditory signal to the CNS

58
Q

Vestibule

A

The portion of the bony labyrinth that contains the utricle and saccule

59
Q

Utricle and Saccule

A

Sensitive to linear acceleration and are used as a part of the balancing apparatus, and to determine orientation in 3D space

60
Q

Otoliths

A

Hair cells found in the utricle and ssaccule with resist motion as the body accelerates, bending and stimulating the underlying hair cells, sending a message to the brain

61
Q

Semicircular canals

A

Sensitive to rotational acceleration,

62
Q

Ampulla

A

Swellinga the the end of the semicircular canals

63
Q

Medial geniculate nucleus (MGN)

A

Relay system between the brainstem and the auditory cortex

64
Q

Superior olive

A

Localizes sound

65
Q

Inferior colliculus

A

Involved in the startle reflex and helps keep the eyes fixed on a point while the head is turned

66
Q

Place theory

A

Accepted theory of sound perception. Hypothesizes that the location of a hair cells on the basilar membrane determines the perception of pitch when that hair cells is vibrated. The highest frequency pitches cause vibrations of the basilar membrane very close to the oval window, whereas low frequency pitches cause vibrations at the apex, away from the oval window

67
Q

Tonotypical organization

A

Which hair cells vibrate gives the brain and indication of the pitch of the sound

68
Q

Olfactory bulb

A

Activated olfactory effectors signal this structure.

69
Q

Olfactory tract

A

Relays signal to higher regions of the brain, including the limbic system

70
Q

Taste buds

A

Groups of cells that serve as taste receptors. Found on papillae

71
Q

Papillae

A

Bumps on the tongue

72
Q

Pacinian corpuscles

A

Respond to deep pressure and vibration

73
Q

Meissner Corpuscles

A

Respond to light touch

74
Q

Merkel Cells (discs)

A

Respond to deep pressure and texture

75
Q

Ruffini Endings

A

Repsond to stretch

76
Q

Free nerve endings

A

Respond to pain and temperature

77
Q

Two-point threshold

A

Minimum distance necessary between two points of stimulation on the skin such that the points will be felt as two distinct stimuli

78
Q

Physiological zero

A

The normal temperature of the skin (86-95 deg. Fahrenheit)

79
Q

Nociceptors

A

The receptors most commonly responsible for sending pain signals

80
Q

Gate Theory of Pain

A

Proposes that there is a special gating mechanism that can turn pain signal on or off. The spinal cord is able to preferentially forward the signals from touch modalities to the brain, reducing the sensation of pain

81
Q

Proprioception (kinesthetic sense)

A

The ability o tell where one’s body is in space

82
Q

Bottom-up (Data-driven) processing

A

Refers to object recognition by parallel processing and feature detection. The brain takes individuals sensory stimuli and combines them together to create a cohesive image before determining what the object is

83
Q

Top-down (conceptually driven) processing

A

Driven by memories and expectation that allow the brain to recognize the whole object and then recognize the components based on these expectations

84
Q

Perceptual organization

A

The ability to use top-down and bottom-up processing in tandem with all of the other sensory clues about an object to create a complex picture or idea

85
Q

Object form

A

Determined through parallel processing and feature detection

86
Q

Constancy

A

The idea that we perceive certain objects to remain the same, despite differences in the environment

87
Q

Gestalt principle

A

The idea that there are ways for the brain to infer missing parts of a picture when a picture in incomplete

88
Q

The law of proximity

A

Says that elements close to one another tend to be perceived as a unit

89
Q

The law of similarity

A

Says that objects that are similar tend to be grouped together

90
Q

The law of good continuation

A

Says that elements that appear to follow in the same pathway tend to be grouped together. There is a tendency to perceive continuous patterns in stimuli rather than abrupt changes

91
Q

Subjective contours

A

Perception of contours (and shapes) that are not actually present in the stimulus

92
Q

Law of closure

A

Says that when a space is enclosed by a contour it tends to be perceived as a complete figure.

93
Q

Law of Pragnanz

A

Says that perceptual organization will always be as regular, simple, and symmetric as possible

MCAT Psychology (12 decks)

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