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PSYC 100A > Sensation and Perception: In-Class > Flashcards

Sensation and Perception: In-Class Flashcards

1
Q

What is bottom-up processing (vs top-down processing)?

A

SENSATION –> PERCEPTION

Stimulus –> Transduction –> Receptor cells –> Neural processing in the PNS, spinal cord, brain stem –> Thalamus –> Neural processing in the brain –> Percept

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2
Q

What is the signal detection theory? What does perception depend on?

A

The presence of a stimulus does not indicate the presence of a percept (detection).

The perception/detection of a stimulus depends on…

  • Presence of (target) stimulus
  • Presence of noise
  • Sensitivity to stimulus
  • Cognitive factors, top-down processing
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3
Q

What is an individual’s absolute threshold?

A

The intensity of the stimulus at which the detection rate is at least 50%.

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4
Q

What is the stimulus/percept matrix?

A

Stimulus present, percept present: Hit
Stimulus present, percept absent: Miss

Stimulus absent, percept present: False alarm
Stimulus absent, percept absent: Correct rejection

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5
Q

What is an individual’s difference threshold (JND)?

A

The minimum difference between two stimuli, for a rate of detection of at least 50%.

Difference in the DENSITY of the stimulus.

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6
Q

What is Weber’s law?

A

K = Delta I (noticeable difference) / I (starting intensity)

Where…
K = Weber Fraction
I = Intensity of the stimulus

The difference threshold is proportional to the intensity of the stimulus.

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7
Q

What is sensory adaptation?

A

Reduced sensory sensitivity to a stimulus, after prolonged exposure.

This occurs both at the receptor level as well as in the cortex, therefore applying to bottom-up and top-down processing.

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8
Q

What is perceptual priming?

A

In top-down processing, the phenomenon in which later perceptions are affected by earlier exposure to similar stimuli. Occurs at the cortical level.

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9
Q

Top-down processing: Perceptual set

A

Tendency to perceive stimuli in a particular way, as determined by the schemas that come to bear on the current stimulus.

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10
Q

What factors affect our perceptual set?

A
  • Previous exposure to another stimulus, aka priming
  • Current context
  • Internal psychological state: Expectations, emotions, motivation
  • Prior knowledge and experience
  • Culture
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11
Q

What are photoreceptors comprised of?

A

RODS (95%)

  • Very sensitive to light
  • Monochromatic: Sensitive to black, white, gray
  • Enable scotopic (low-light) vision
  • Enable peripheral vision

CONES (5%)

  • Highly concentrated in the fovea
  • Sensitive to colour and detail
  • Used in bright-light settings
  • Three types = Red, green, blue
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12
Q

What is the vertical visual pathway?

What is the horizontal visual pathway?

A

Rods + cones –> Bipolar cells –> Ganglion cells –> Optic chiasm –> Thamalus –> Primary visual cortex

Rods –> Bipolar cells
Cones –> 1 bipolar cell

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13
Q

What is Young-Helmholtz’s Trichromatic Theory?

A

We perceive a wide range of colours as a result of varying combinations of red, green, and blue cones being activated.

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14
Q

What the Opponent-Process Theory?

A

We perceive colour as a result of three pairs of opposing processes:

  • Red/green
  • Blue/yellow
  • Black/white (luminance)
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15
Q

What is one of the visual cortex’s functions?

A

It gives rise to more complex FEATURE DETECTORS,

cells that are specialized to movement, location, structure, receptive fields, roles = Localization of function

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16
Q

What is the concept of parallel distributed processing?

A

The idea that there is shared specialization, within which each area responds MORE to one thing, while still being able to detect the others.

17
Q

What is the Gestalt theory?

A

The idea that the percept is more than the sum of the sensations themselves; we always perceive in CONTEXT, which gives rise to our interpretation.

18
Q

What are the Gestalt principles of perceptual constancy?

A

Shape constancy: The form does NOT change with perspective.

Size constancy: Size does not change with distance.

Colour constancy: Colour does not change with illumination/lighting

Brightness constancy: Brightness does not change with illumination/lighting

19
Q

What are the two aspects of sound waves?

A

Wavelength = Sound pitch = Place theory (high-frequency sounds) and Frequency theory (low-frequency sounds)
Wave amplitude = Sound loudness = Number of hair cells responding

20
Q

In audition, what is the principle of localization?

A

The differences in intensity and timing of sound between the two ears.

21
Q

What is the auditory pathway?

A

Hair cells –> Thre consecutive nuclei in the brainstem –> thamalus –> primary auditory cortex

22
Q

What is the vestibular sense?

A

The perception of position, movement, and balance of the whole body. This can be traced back to the inner ear!

23
Q

What is the role of the semicircular canals?

A
  • ANTERIOR: Tilting back-and-forth movement
  • POSTERIOR: Tilting side-to-side movement
  • LATERAL: Swiveling, horizontal movement
24
Q

What is the role of vestibular sacs?

A

These otolithic organs sense head position and acceleration to movement –> Respond to gravity

25
Q

What are the four types of somatosensation receptors?

A
  • Mechanoreceptors: Pressure
  • Thermoreceptore: Hot and Cold
  • Nociceptors: Pain
26
Q

What is the pathway of touch?

A

Mechanoreceptors –> Up the spinal cord –> Medulla –> Decussate –> Thalamus –> Postcentral gyrus

27
Q

What is the pathway of pain?

A

Nociceptors –> Spinal cord –> Decussate –> Thalamus –> Postcentral gyrus

28
Q

What is the gate control theory?

A

The idea that we can lessen pain signals by incorporating other sensations. The pain signals can be interrupted in the substantial gelatinase of the spinal cord, which acts as a gate.

29
Q

What is the principle of multi-sensory integration?

A

Some people rely on certain senses more than others!

PSYC 100A (7 decks)

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