Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

ap psych > Sensation and Perception Test > Flashcards

Sensation and Perception Test Flashcards

1
Q

what are the Four Components of Sensation Seeking

A

1.thrill and adventure seeking
2.experience seeking
3.disinhibition
4.boredom susceptibility

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

thrill and adventure seeking

A

The desire to engage in risky but exciting activities — often physical.

Examples: skydiving, bungee jumping, extreme sports, racing.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

experience seeking

A

The pursuit of new experiences through the mind and senses, travel, music, art, or lifestyle choices.

Examples: trying psychedelic substances, backpacking off the grid, exploring new subcultures.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

disinhibition

A

The tendency to seek release through social disinhibition, partying, drinking, sexual variety, or unconventional social experiences.

Examples: heavy partying, spontaneous travel, casual relationships.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

boredom susceptibility

A

An aversion to repetition and routine, and a strong dislike of dull or predictable environments.

Examples: switching hobbies frequently, struggling in 9-to-5 desk jobs, needing constant stimulation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Sensation and bottom-up processing

A

helps sorts shapes and colors
involve receiving raw sensory input from the environment and sending it to the brain for interpretation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

perception and top down processing

A

Perception and top-down processing
involve using prior knowledge, experiences, and expectations to interpret and make sense of sensory information.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

prosopagnosia

A

face blindness, you can’t recognize faces, even your own face. our right hemisphere helps us recognizes faces

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

physcophysics

A

the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Absolute threshold

A

minimum stimulus energy needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Difference threshold (Just Noticeable Difference)

A

the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time. We experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference
EX: holding a ten pound and somebody keeps adding a tiny bit more weight to it. The difference threshold would be the minimum weight added or taken away for you to notice the change in weight 50% of the time. .

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

webers law

A

you notice changes based on percent not exact amount, bigger things need bigger changes for you to notice
the jnd for any stimulus is a constant proportion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

fechners law

A

-We perceive changes in a stimulus based on a logarithmic scale, meaning bigger increases are needed for us to notice changes as intensity grows.
-EX: Turning up the volume slightly in a quiet room feels like a big change, but the same increase in a loud room feels barely noticeable—

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

signal detection theory

A

how we detect a stimulus based on both the strength of the signal and our psychological state (like attention, expectations, or fatigue).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

sensory adaptation

A

diminished sensitivity as a result of constant stimulation. when constantly exposed to unchanging stimulus our nerve cells fire less frequently

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

subliminal perception

A

We sense stimuli below our conscious awareness, meaning we’re influenced by things we don’t even realize we saw or heard.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Transduction

A

conversion of one form of energy to another
physical energy transformed into neural impulses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

steps of transduction

A
  1. our senses receive stimulation
  2. then they transform stimulation into neural impulses
  3. finally they deliver the neural information to our brain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

accomodation

A

the process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to help focus near or far objects on the retina

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Color constancy

A

our brain’s ability to perceive an object as the same color even under different lighting conditions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Parallel processing

A

simultaneous processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously
the brain divides a visual scene into subdivisions such as color, depth, form, movement, etc.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

gestalt

A

a whole

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Feature detectors

A

nerve cells in the visual cortex respond to specific features
shape
angle
movement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

characteristics of rods?

A

photoreceptors that help us see in low light and detect motion, but they don’t detect color.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
characteristics of cones?
photoreceptors responsible for color vision and fine detail, working best in bright light.
26
sensorinueral hearing loss
results from damage to the cochelas hair cells(cillia)
27
conductive hearing loss
Caused by the failure of the three tiny bones inside the middle ear to pass along sound waves to the inner ear or the failure of the eardrum to vibrate in response to sound waves Possible cause is a build-up of fluid
28
sensory restriction
the reduction or elimination of sensory input, which can impair sensory development and potentially lead to cognitive and perceptual deficits.
29
vision- what type of physical energy?
light energy
30
vision- receptors and location?
rods and cones in the retina
31
vision- route of stimuli processing?
Light enters the eye through the cornea. -It passes through the pupil and lens, which focus the light on the retina. -The photoreceptors (rods and cones) detect the light and convert it to electrical signals. -Signals are sent through the optic nerve to the visual cortex in the occipital lobe
32
Hue
color
33
saturation
color intensity
34
vision- related perception
Perception of objects' shape, size, distance, and depth
35
trichromatic theory
the theory that we see color through three types of cones in the retina—red, green, and blue
36
hearing- what type of physical energy?
sound waves
37
opponent process theory
the theory that color vision is controlled by opposing pairs like red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white.
38
hearing- receptors and location?
hair cells inside of the cochlea
39
hearing- route of stimuli processing?
-sound waves strike your eardrum causing its membrane to vibrate -the vibrations are passed through the middle ear to the cochlea -this causes fluid in the cochlea to jossle -the jossling causes ripples in the basilar membrane bending its hair cells -this triggers neural messages to be sent by the to the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe
40
frequency
high pitch= high frequency
41
amplitude
high amplitude= high amplitude
42
wavelength
short wavelength= high frequency= high pitched sound
43
whats frequency measured in?
hertz
44
whats intensity measured in?
decibels
45
place theory
This theory says we hear different pitches because sound waves activate different spots on the cochlea’s basilar membrane, with high pitches near the base and low pitches near the tip.
46
frequency theory
It suggests that the brain reads pitch by how fast the auditory nerve fires—faster firing means a higher pitch, which works well for low-frequency sounds.
47
volley principle
Since individual neurons can't fire fast enough for very high-frequency sounds, groups of neurons take turns (volley) firing to keep up with the frequency.
48
taste- what type of physical energy?
chemical molecules in food
49
taste- receptors and location?
Taste buds, primarily located on the tongue (also the roof of the mouth and throat)
50
taste- route of stimuli processing?
-Molecules from food dissolve in saliva and stimulate taste receptors in taste buds. -Each receptor transmits its message to a matching partner cell in your brain’s temporal lobe
51
what do sweet tastes indicate
energy source
52
what do salty tastes indicate
Sodium essential to physiological processes
53
what does sour tastes indicate
Potentially toxic acid
54
what does bitter tastes indicate?
potential posions
55
what does umami taste indicate?
proteins to grow and repair tissue
56
smell- what type of physical energy?
chemical molecules in the air
57
smell- receptors and location?
Olfactory receptor cells in the nose
58
smell- route of stimuli processing?
-Odor molecules enter the nose. -They bind to olfactory receptor cells i -Signals go to the olfactory bulb. -Then signals travel to the olfactory cortex in the temporal lobe, and also to the limbic system
59
touch- what type of physical energy?
Pressure, temperature, and pain stimuli
60
touch- receptors and location?
Skin, muscles, joints
61
touch- route of stimuli processing?
Pressure, temperature, and pain signals are detected by receptors in the skin and deeper tissues. Signals are transmitted through sensory neurons to the spinal cord and then to the somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe.
62
gate control theory
the theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological “gate” that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. The “gate” is opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers or by information coming from the brain.
63
kinesthesis- what type of physical energy?
Movement and position of body parts
64
kinesthesis- receptors and location?
Proprioceptors in muscles, tendons, and joints
65
kinesthesis- route of stimuli
Proprioceptors detect changes in the position or movement of the body. Signals are sent to the brain, particularly the somatosensory cortex, for perception of body movement.
66
vestibular- what type of physical energy
Gravitational forces and acceleration
67
vestibular- receptors and locations?
Hair cells in the semicircular canals and otolith organs(inner ear)
68
vestibular- route of stimuli processing?
Movement of the head causes fluid in the semicircular canals to move, stimulating hair cells. Signals are sent through the vestibular nerve to the brain, particularly to the cerebellum for balance and coordination.
69
Selective attention
Our failure to notice part of our environment when our attention is directed elsewhere.
70
Inattentional Blindness
inability to perceive something that is within one’s direct perceptual field because one is attending to something else.
71
change blindness
failing to detect non-trivial changes in the visual field
72
visual capture
the tendency for vision to dominate other senses when there is a conflict between visual and sensory information.
73
Gestalt psychology and principles
Described principles by which we organize sensations into perceptions.
74
proximity
Perceiving objects close to each other as forming a group.
75
Continuity
individuals perceive elements in ways that follow smooth, continuous patterns rather than abrupt changes or disruptions.
76
closure
We tend to see complete figures even when part of the information is missing.
77
similarity
People tend to group together elements that look alike, such as those with the same shape, color, or size, perceiving them as part of the same pattern or group.
78
connectedness
elements that are visually connected by lines or other shapes are perceived as more related or grouped together than elements that are not.
79
what does the visual cliff test
The visual cliff tests an infant's perceptual sensitivity to texture gradient
80
Binocular cues of depth perception
Clues to relative distance of different objects
81
retinal desparity
Diff between the two images -Closer the object = the larger the disparity
82
convergence
Degree to which eyes face inward Closer the object = the greater convergence
83
relative size
If two objects are similar in size, we perceive the one that casts a smaller image to be farther away
84
Interposition
If one object partially blocks our view of another object, we perceive it as closer
85
Relative height
We perceive objects that are higher in our field of vision to be farther away than those that are lower.
86
Linear perspective
Parallel lines appear to converge in the distance. The more the lines converge, the greater their perceived distance.
87
Relative motion (motion parallax)
Objects closer to (in front of )a fixation point move faster and in opposing direction to those objects that are farther away from (behind) a fixation point, moving slower and in the same direction.
88
Relative clarity
We perceive hazy objects to be farther away than those objects that appear sharp and clear
89
texture gradient
Indistinct (fine) texture signals an increasing distance, while coarse texture signals a close distance.
90
principle of light and shadow
Nearby objects reflect more light to our eyes, so dimmer objects appear to be farther away and brighter objects seem closer
91
relative brightness
Nearby objects reflect more light to our eyes, so dimmer objects appear to be farther away and brighter objects seem closer
92
Size and shape constancy
our brain's ability to perceive an object as having a constant size and shape, even when its image on the retina changes due to distance or angle.
93
Phi phenomenon
Illusion of motion when lights flash in rapid sequence
94
ponzo illusion
two identical lines placed over converging railroad tracks appear different in length because our brain interprets the upper line as farther away and therefore larger.
95
Muller-Lyer illusion
Outward pointing arrows signify that the top horizontal line is farther and thus looks longer; while (b) inward pointing arrows signify that the horizontal line is closer and thus looks shorter. The illusion is not cross-cultural. Non-Western subjects, and particularly subjects whose day-to-day surroundings are usually not rectangular (few buildings, doors, walls) are much less likely to be affected by it
96
sensory restriction
the deliberate reduction or removal of stimuli from one or more of the senses, often used to study the effects of sensory deprivation on perception, cognition, and behavior.
97
human factors psychology
98
ESP (extrasensory perception)
the claimed ability to perceive information without using the five physical senses. While often used to describe telepathy (mind reading) or precognition (foreseeing the future), ESP is generally considered a pseudoscience due to a lack of scientific evidence.
99
Experience and culture
The predominating norms, behavior patterns, artifacts, institutions, and attitudes of a group of people. In addition, past learning shapes perception.
100
cognitive style
Way of processing the stimuli within the environment, which affects how we see the world.
101
field independant
perceive the elements of the environment as separate and distinct from one another and to draw each element as standing out from the background. A lot of details. “Sharpeners”
102
field dependent
perceive the environment as a whole and do not clearly distinguish in their minds the shape, color, size, or other qualities of individual items. No details. “Levelers”
103
Expectations
Preconceptions about what we are supposed to perceive may also influence perception by causing us to delete, insert, transpose, or otherwise modify what we perceive.. A readiness to perceive a stimulus in a particular way.
104
perceptual set
what we expect to see, which influences what we do see. Perceptual set is an example of top-down processing .
105
context effects
the immediate context of a figure influences one’s perception of it.
106
schemas
mental framework that organizes and interprets information
107
stereotypes
influence how we interpret sensory information by causing us to perceive people or situations based on preconceived expectations rather than objective sensory input.
108
Personality
Person’s unique pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect perception.
109
Motivation
Our desires and needs strongly shape our perceptions. People in need are more likely to perceive something that they think will satisfy that need.
110
values
What we deem as important will shape our perceptions.
111
psychokinesis
the supposed ability to move or control objects with the mind without any physical interaction.
112
perceptual constancy
As we move, viewed objects cast changing shapes on our retinas, although we do not perceive the objects as changing.
113
What does the inner ear contain receptors for?
vestibular sense and audition
114
What is the size of the pupils controlled by?
the iris
115
best way to explain how we process color?
1st is a trichromatic process that occurs in our retina then is the opponent process that occurs with cells on the way to the visual cortex
116
Where do we transduce sound?
in the basilar membrane
117
why does near sightedness occur
the image falls infront of the retina
118
What did experiments with distorted visual environmentss demonstrate?
that' humans adapt while lower animals typically do not
119
What did locke suggest?
we learn to perceive the world

ap psych (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions