Sensation and Perception review flashcards
Sensation
When special receptors in the organs (eyes, nose, ears and taste buds) are activated allowing various forms of outside stimuli to become neural signals in the brain.
Sense receptors
Specialized cells that convert physical energy into electrical energy that can be transmitted as nerve impulses to the brain.
Synesthesia
A condition in which stimulation of one sense also evokes another. (giving the colors taste)
Transduction
The communication between the brain and the rest of the body occurs via neuron. Information goes from the senses to the thalamus, then to various areas of the brain.
Perception
Perception is the sensory experience of the world. It involves both recognizing environmental stimuli and actions in response to these stimuli.
Absolute threshold
The smallest level of stimulus that can be detected, usually defined as at least half the time
Difference threshold
The minimum difference in intensity between two stimuli that one can detect
Sensory deprivation
As the name says it’s quite literally when you are stripped away from your senses. (example: sensory deprivation tanks, however being in them for too long can be dangerous)
Selective attention
The process of focusing on a particular object in the environment for a certain period of time.
Inattentional blindness
The failure to notice a fully-visible, but unexpected object because attention was engaged on another task, event, or object. To purposefully turn a blind eye to something.
Blind spot
The spot where your optic nerve connects to your retina has no light-sensitive cells, so you can’t see anything there
Dark adaptation
Refers to how the eye recovers its sensitivity in the dark following exposure to bright lights (remember the Hunter x Hunter episode)
Cocktail party effect
The ability to focus one’s attention a particular stimulus while filtering out a range of other stimuli
Critical period
A phase during which the brain cell connections are more plastic and receptive to the influence of a certain kind of life experience.
Psychological and cultural influences on perception: needs
What each individual requires to fulfill their needs.
Psychological and cultural influences on perception: emotions
A complex state of feeling that results in physical and psychological changes that influence thought and behavior.
Psychological and cultural influences on perception: expectation
A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future. The expectation from society will affect how you see life. Ex. In México there’s the expectation that one of your main goals in life is to marry.
Gestalt principles: proximity
Things that are close together appear to be more related than things that are spaced farther apart
Gestalt principles: closure
The brains tends to fill in gaps to perceive complete forms.
Gestalt principles: similarity
Things that are alike are perceived together.
Gestalt principles: continuity
Elements that are arranged on a line or curve are perceived to be more related than elements not on the line or curve
Binocular cues
Binocular cues provide information taken when viewing a scene with both the eyes.
Monocular cues
Monocular cues provide depth information when viewing a scene with one eye
Retinal disparity
The small difference between the images projected on the two retinas when looking at an object or scene. When one of the eyes is not seeing that well, the brain removes one of the images.
