Sensation And Perception (unit 3)

Question 1

Sensation

Answer 1

The process by which our sensory receptors & nervous system receives & represents stimulus energies from our environment

Question 2

Sensory receptors

Answer 2

Sensory nerve endings that responds to stimuli

Question 3

Perception

Answer 3

The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events

Question 4

Bottom-up processing

Answer 4

Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information

Question 5

Top-down processing

Answer 5

Info processing guided by higher level mental processes, like when we construct perceptions based on past experiences

Question 6

Selective attention

Answer 6

The focusing of consciousness on a particular stimulus

Question 7

Transduction

Answer 7

Conversion of one form to another. In sensation the transformation of stimulus energies to neural impulses that the brain can interpret

Question 8

Psychophysics

Answer 8

The study or relationships between the physical characteristics of a stimuli (such as their intensity) and our psychological experience of them

Question 9

Absolute threshold

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Signal detection theory

Answer 10

A theory predicting when and how we detect a stimuli, based on past experiences

Question 11

Subliminal

Answer 11

Below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness

Question 12

Difference threshold

Answer 12

The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time. Just a noticeable difference

Question 13

Priming

Answer 13

The activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perception, memory, or responce

Question 14

Webers law

Answer 14

The principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage

Question 15

Sensory adaption

Answer 15

Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

Question 16

Perceptual set

Answer 16

A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another

Question 17

Extra sensory perception (ESP)

Answer 17

Perception can occur apart from sensory input; includes telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition

Question 18

Precognition

Answer 18

Perceiving future events

Question 19

Parapsychology

Answer 19

The study of paranormal phenomena, including ESP and telekinesis

Question 20

Clairvoyance

Answer 20

Perceiving remote events, such as a house being on die in another state

Question 21

Wavelength

Answer 21

Distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next

Question 22

Intensity (in a light or sound wave)

Answer 22

Amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which influences what we perceive as brightness or loudness.

Question 23

What is intensity determined by

Answer 23

The waves amplitude (height)

Question 24

Hue

Answer 24

Dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light

Question 25

Short wavelength=

Answer 25

High frequency (bluish colors, high-pitched sounds)

Question 26

Long wavelength=

Answer 26

Low frequency (reddish colors, low-pitched sounds)

Question 27

Great amplitude=

Answer 27

Bright colors, loud sounds

Question 28

Small amplitude=

Answer 28

Dull colors, soft sounds

Question 29

Feature detectors

Answer 29

Nerve cells in the brain’s visual cortex that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement

Question 30

Gestalt

Answer 30

The idea that the brain wants to see things in a complete whole

Question 31

Figure-ground

Answer 31

The organization of the visual field into objects (the figures) that stand out from their surroundings (the ground)

Question 32

Depth perception

Answer 32

The ability to see objects in 3D. Allows us to see distance

Question 33

Binocular cue

Answer 33

A depth cue, such as retinal disparity that depends on the use of two eyes

Question 34

Retinal disparity

Answer 34

A binocular cue to perceive depth by comparing retinal images from the two eyes

Question 35

Monocular cue

Answer 35

A depth cue such as interposition or linear perspective, available to either eye

Question 36

Phi phenomenon

Answer 36

An illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession

Question 37

Perceptual constancy

Answer 37

Perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change

Question 38

Color constancy

Answer 38

Perceiving familiar objects as having constant color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object

Question 39

Perceptual adaption

Answer 39

The ability to adjust to changed sensory input

Question 40

Interposition

Answer 40

Objects that block other objects are perceived as closer to

Question 41

Kinethesia

Answer 41

Our movement sense. Our system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts

Question 42

Vestibular sense

Answer 42

Our sense of body movement that enables our sense of balance

Question 43

Sensory interaction

Answer 43

The principal that one sense may influence another.

Question 44

Embodied cognition

Answer 44

The influence of bodily sensations, gestures and other states on cognition and judgment