Sensation and Perception: Lecture 9 Flashcards
Does transduction relate to sensation or perception?
Transduction represents the first step toward perception and is a translation process where different types of cells react to stimuli creating a signal processed by the central nervous system resulting in what we experience as a sensations.
What is the just noticeable difference
the lowest level of stimulation needed for a person to detect a stimulus.
How does just noticeable difference relate to absolute threshold
Absolute threshold: the minimum level of stimulation that a person can detect a difference in a stimulus 50% of the time.
JND: the lowest level of stimulation needed for a person to detect a stimulus.
What is sensory adaptation?
how an observer becomes less sensitive to a stimulus over time
What is signal detection theory?
a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (“signal”) amid background stimulation (“noise”)
What are the five typical senses?
Vision, Audition, Olfaction, Gustation, Somato-sensation
What are the 5 additional senses?
temperature, Kinaesthesia, Balance, Pain, Proprioception
What is transduction?
turning a physical stimulus into an action potential
What is an example of a physical stimulus?
taste, sound etc
How does sensation start?
Transduction
What is the definition of sensation?
stimulation of a sense organ
What is absolute threshold? What does it look at?
The level of a stimulus at which the stimulus can be detected 50% of times it is presented.
What determines whether or not a stimulus is detected?
contextually bound like the 2 balls in different environments
Is it possible for transduction to happen without consciously experiencing the signal
Yes
What is subliminal messaging
When transduction happens, but no conscious processing.
What is the difference between sensation and perception?
Sensation stays the same. Perception varies.
What is perception?
How information is organized, interpreted and consciously experienced
What type of processing is sensation?
Bottom-up processing
What is bottom up processing. What type of process is it?
How perceptions are built from sensory input. Physical process.
What type of processing is perception
Top-down processing
What is top-down processing? What type of process is it?
Available knowledge, previous experience, thoughts influence how we interpret information. Psychological process
What is sensory adaptation? What is an example?
After long exposure to a stimulus - perception dulls. Ex: constant unchanging tone
What do our sensory systems respond more strongly to?
changes in stimulation than to constant stimulation
What is inattentional blindness?
We often miss information if our attention is placed elsewhere?
