Sensation and Perception Week 7 Flashcards
sensation
The physical processing of environmental stimuli by the sense organs.
transduction
A process in which physical energy converts into neural energy.
perception
The psychological process of interpreting sensory information.
absolute threshold
The smallest amount of stimulation needed for detection by a sense.
signal detection
Method for studying the ability to correctly identify sensory stimuli.
differential threshold
The smallest difference needed in order to differentiate two stimuli.
just noticeable differences (JND)
The smallest difference needed in order to differentiate two stimuli.
Weber’s law
States that just noticeable difference is proportional to the magnitude of the initial stimulus.
bottom up processing
Building up to perceptual experience from individual pieces.
top-down processing
Experience influencing the perception of stimuli.
sensory adaptation
Decrease in sensitivity of a receptor to a stimulus after constant stimulation.
retina
Cell layer in the back of the eye containing photoreceptors.
binocular disparity
Difference is images processed by the left and right eyes.
binocular vision
Our ability to perceive 3D and depth because of the difference between the images on each of our retinas.
rods
Photoreceptors of the retina sensitive to low levels of light. Located around the fovea.
cones
Photoreceptors of the retina sensitive to color. Located primarily in the fovea.
primary visual cortex
Area of the cortex involved in processing visual stimuli.
agnosia
Loss of the ability to perceive stimuli.
ventral pathway
Pathway of visual processing. The “what” pathway.
dorsal pathway
Pathway of visual processing. The “where” pathway.
dark adaptation
Adjustment of eye to low levels of light.
light adaptation
Adjustment of eye to high levels of light.
trichromatic theory
Theory proposing color vision as influenced by three different cones responding preferentially to red, green and blue.
opponent process theory
Theory proposing color vision as influenced by cells responsive to pairs of colors.
pairs of colors (red-green, blue-yellow, black-white).
sound waves
Changes in air pressure. The physical stimulus for audition.
audition
Ability to process auditory stimuli. Also called hearing.
amplitude (or intensity)
loudness of a stimulus
pitch
frequency of a sound wave
timbre
complexity of the sound wave. This allows us to tell the difference between bright and dull sounds as well as natural and synthesized instruments
pinna
Outermost portion of the ear.
auditory canal
Tube running from the outer ear to the middle ear.
tympanic membrane
Thin, stretched membrane in the middle ear that vibrates in response to sound. Also called the eardrum.
ossicles
A collection of three small bones in the middle ear that vibrate against the tympanic membrane.
- the malleus (hammer), the incus (anvil), and the stapes (stirrup)
cochlea
Spiral bone structure in the inner ear containing auditory hair cells.
Depending on age, humans can normally detect sounds between:
20 Hz and 20 kHz
primary auditory cortex
Area of the cortex involved in processing auditory stimuli.
vestibular system
Parts of the inner ear involved in balance.
somatosensation
Ability to sense touch, pain and temperature.
Tactile sensation
associated with texture
mechanoreceptors
Mechanical sensory receptors in the skin that response to tactile stimulation.
primary somatosensory cortex
A strip of cerebral tissue just behind the central sulcus engaged in sensory reception of bodily sensations.
somatotopic map
Organization of the primary somatosensory cortex maintaining a representation of the arrangement of the body.
- Put simply, various areas of the skin, such as lips and fingertips, are more sensitive than others, such as shoulders or ankles
nociception
Our ability to sense pain.
phantom limbs
The perception that a missing limb still exists.
phantom limb pain
Pain in a limb that no longer exists.
chemical sense
Our ability to process the environmental stimuli of smell and taste.
olfaction
Ability to process olfactory stimuli. Also called smell.
gustation
Ability to process gustatory stimuli. Also called taste.