Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Sensation

Answer 1

the conversion of physical stimuli into neurological signals

Question 2

Perception

Answer 2

the processing of sensory information to make sense of its significance

Question 3

Sensory Receptors

Answer 3

respond to stimuli and trigger electrical signals

Question 4

Sensory Neurons

Answer 4

transmit information from sensory receptors to the CNS

Question 5

Sensory Stimuli

Answer 5

transmitted to projection areas in the brain, which further analyze the sensory input

Question 6

Threshold

Answer 6

the minimum stimulus that causes a change in signal transduction

Question 7

Weber’s Law

Answer 7

states that the JND for a stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the stimulus and this proportion is constant over most of the range of possible stimuli

Question 8

Signal Detection Theory

Answer 8

studies the effects of non-sensory factors, such as experiences, motives, and expectations, on perception of stimuli

Question 9

Response Bias

Answer 9

examined using signal detection experiments with four possible outcomes: hits, misses, false alarms, and correct negatives

Question 10

Visual Pathway

Answer 10

retina - optic nerve - optic chiasm - optic tracts - lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of thalamus - visual radiations - visual cortex

Question 11

Cochlea

Answer 11

Detects sound

Question 12

Utricle and Saccule

Answer 12

Detect linear acceleration

Question 13

Semicircular Canals

Answer 13

detect rotational acceleration

Question 14

Auditory Pathway

Answer 14

cochlea - vestibulocochlear nerve - medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) of thalamus - auditory cortex

Question 15

Smell

Answer 15

detection of volatile or aerosolized chemicals by olfactory chemoreceptors (olfactory nerves)

Question 16

Taste

Answer 16

detection of dissolved compounds by taste buds in papillae

Question 17

Somatosensation

Answer 17

four touch modalities: pressure, vibration, pain and temperature

Question 18

Kinesthetic Sense (proprioception)

Answer 18

ability to tell where one’s body is in space

Question 19

Bottom-Up Processing

Answer 19

aka data driven processing

Recognition of objects by parallel processing and feature detection. Slower but less prone to mistakes

Question 20

Top- Down Processing

Answer 20

aka conceptually driven processing

recognition of an object by memories and expectation, with little attention to detail

Question 21

Gestalt Principles

Answer 21

ways that the brain can infer missing parts of an image when it is incomplete