Sensation and perception Flashcards
Tendency to pay less attention to a source of stimulation that is non-changing
sensory adaptation
Smallest amount of stimulus that can be detected at least 50% of the time
absolute threshold
suggests we have different color channels in which activation of one color in each pair inhibits the other color
opponent process theory
Sensitive to dim light and excel at seeing in dim lighting
rods
Area of retina where vision is clearest. Contains only cones
fovea
Opening to allow light into the eye
pupil
crosses info closest to the nose over to the opposite hemisphere of the brain
optic chiasm
Smallest detectable difference between two stimuli that can be detected at least 50% of the time
difference threshold
Infant vision
see everything adults see but with less detail, therefore prefer more contrast
bundle of axons at the back of the eye carrying visual info to the brain. Blind spot
optic nerve
shortened eyeballs interfere with vision for close up objects
faresightedness
Taking in info and using previous knowledge, expectations, etc. to process
Top-down
explains colorblindness
trichromatic theory
Studying the relationship between stimuli and perception of those stimuli
Psychophysics
The stronger the baseline stimulus, the bigger the change needed to notice a difference
weber’s law
Muscle that controls the pupil
iris
surface of cornea is uneven leading to blurry vision
astigmatism
Taking in info as is and processing
Bottom-up
rely on both eyes
binocular depth cues
suggests there are 3 types of cones that respond to short (blue), medium (green), and long (red) wavelengths of light
trichromatic theory
Track processed light takes
optic nerve, optic chiasm, optic tracts, thalamus, and occipital lobe
explains after images
opponent process theory
The actual intensity of the stimulus and the individual observer’s criteria for deciding whether the stimulus occurred
signal detection
built in tendencies to organize sensory information in certain ways
gestalt psychology
Bends light to begin forming an image on the retina
cornea
rely on one eye
monocular depth cues
L and R eyes transmit different information for near objects
Retinal disparity. Binocular depth cue
Translating sensory info into neural signals or messages
transduction
monocular depth cues
linear perspective, texture, shading/highlighting, occlusion, relative size
carry visual info from the optic chiasm to the thalamus, hypothalamus, and midbrian
optic tracts
Network of specialized photoreceptors that process light
retina
cultural differences with vision
muller-lyer less common in African and Filipino. Americans look at figure and Chinese look at figure and ground evenly
Detect color, operate under normal daylight conditions, and allow us to focus on fine detail
cones
Parallel lines look different sizes bc of other lines in the picture but theyre really the same size
ponzo illusion
elongated eyeballs interfere with vision for distant objects
nearsightedness
We develop a perception for what lines are larger based on a picture even though they’re the same. Deals with architecture
muller-lyer illusion
Adjusts shape to focus object on retina
lens
