sensation and perception Flashcards
what are sensations?
raw info taken in by sense, affects behaviour and mental processes
what is the process of sensation?
- accessory structure modifies energy
- receptor tranduces energy
- sensory nerves bring encoded info to CNS
- initial processing in thalamus
- processing in cerebral cortex
what does sensation in the cerebral cortex produce?
perception
what sensation is not initially processed in the thalamus
smell
what are the types of codes?
temporal and spatial
what is a temporal code?
timing of impulse
what is a spatial code?
location of firing neurones
what is psychophysics?
relationship of the physical energy in the enviro and the psychological experience
what is the absolute threshold
the minimum amount of energy that can be detected 50% of the time
what is sensitivity in relation to signal detection?
intensity of signal, capacity of sensory systems and is affected by noise level
what is response criterion in relation to signal detection?
willingness to respond to a stimulus
what are some characteristics of waveforms?
- amplitude
- wavelength
- frequency
what is the amp of a waveform?
height from baseline to peak
what is the wavelength of a waveform?
distance from peak to peak
what is the frequency of a waveform?
cycles/second (Hz)
what are the psychological dimensions of sound (experience)?
- loudness
- pitch
- timbre
what is loudness in relation to dimensions of sound?
amp, measured in dB
what is pitch in relation to dimensions of sound?
frequency, higher or lower tone
what is timbre in relation to dimensions of sound?
wave patterns added to lowest frequency, depends on specialised neurons
what are the main structures of the ear?
- outer ear
- middle ear
- inner ear
what structures are part of the outer ear?
- pinna, collects and shapes sound
- ear canal
what structures are part of the middle ear?
- tympanic membrane
- ossicles: malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), stapes (stirrup)
what structures are part of the inner ear?
- cochlea
- basilar membrane
- organ of corti
- hair cells
- acoustic nerve
what are the types of deafness?
- conductive deafness
- nerve deafness
what does conductive deafness prevent?
prevents accurate conduction of vibrations due to fusion of ossicles
what does nerve deafness result from?
damages to acoustic nerve, hair cells
what are the two ways frequency can be coded?
- place theory
- frequency matching (volley) theory