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Psych for the MCAT :) > Sensation & Perception > Flashcards

Sensation & Perception Flashcards

1
Q

Sensation

A

Transduction - conversion of information from our internal and external environment to electrical signals in the nervous system

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2
Q

Perception

A

Processing to make sense of sensations, interpret them and their significance

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3
Q

Sensory Receptors

A

Respond to stimuli and trigger electrical signals

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4
Q

Ganglia

A

Transmit data from receptors to the Central Nervous System

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5
Q

Photoreceptors

A

Detect electromagnetic waves (vision)

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6
Q

Hair Cells

A

Fluid in inner ear responsible for hearing, linear and rotational acceleration

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7
Q

Nocioreceptors

A

For painful or Noxious stimuli

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8
Q

Thermoreceptors

A

Detect changes in temperature

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9
Q

Osmoreceptors

A

Detect the osmolarity of blood; responsible for water homeostasis

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10
Q

Olfactory Receptors

A

Detect volatile compounds through smell

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11
Q

Taste Receptors

A

Detect dissolved compounds through taste

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12
Q

Threshold

A

Minimum amount of stimuli resulting in perception of difference

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13
Q

Absolute Threshold

A

Minimum stimuli needed to stimulate / activate a sensory system where the stimulus is converted into action potentials; It is the amount of stimulus that an individual can perceive

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14
Q

Conscious Perception

A

Evoke action potentials long enough to be noticed

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15
Q

Difference Threshold

A

Minimum difference between 2 stimuli necessary to be perceived by the organism

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16
Q

Weber’s Law

A

Constant ratio between stimuli to produce a just noticeable difference

change in Intensity of Stimuli (a jnd)
_____________________________ x 100 = K
Intensity of original stimuli

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17
Q

Signal Detection Theory

A

Changes in our perception of the same stimuli depending on nonsensory internal factors (memories, motive, experiences, expectations etc…) and external (environmental) context

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18
Q

Adaptation

A

Physiological (sensory) component and psychological (perceptual) component changes our detection of stimuli over time

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19
Q

Cornea

A

Clear dome-like window in the front of eye

*Gathers and focuses incoming light

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20
Q

Pupil

A

Hole in the iris

*Allows passage of light from anterior to posterior chamber; contracts in bright light and expands in dim light

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21
Q

Iris

A

Colored part of the eye

*Controls the size of the pupil thus the amount of light entering the eye

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22
Q

Ciliary Body

A

Provides aqueous humor (clear liquid in the front of the eye between the lens and the cornea)

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23
Q

Canal of Schlemm

A

Drains the aqueous humor (clear liquid in the front of the eye between the lens and the cornea)

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24
Q

Lens

A

Lies right behind the Iris

*Refracts and Controls the curvature of light coming in and can focus near or distant objects on the retina

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25
Q

Retina

A

In the back of the eye

*Detects images through rods and cones

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26
Q

Sclera

A

Structural Support

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27
Q

Visual Pathway

A 
Cornea
Lens
Vitreous
Retina (rods and cones)
Bipolar Cells
Ganglion Cells
Optic Nerve
Optic Chiasm
Optic Tract
Lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of thalamus
Radiation through temporal and parietal lobes
Visual cortex (occiptal lobe)
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28
Q

Rods

A

Are responsible for Night Vision (active at low levels of light): Light and dark

  • Increase in number toward the edge (periphary) of the eye
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29
Q

Cones

A

Are responsible for color detection and fine details (active at higher levels of light)

  • Centered in the fovea
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30
Q

Duplicity Theory of Vision

A

Rods (dim light) and cones (bright light) both create vision

  • Light passes through intermediate sensory neurons before reaching and stimulating photoreceptors
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31
Q

Fovea

A

Middle section of the Retina

Center of eye; only cones (best in daylight vision)

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32
Q

Optic Nerve

A

Contains no photocepetors; formed bu groups of ganglion cells

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33
Q

Ganglion Cells

A

Grouped together to form the Optic Nerve
*Receives visual information from photoreceptors via two intermediate neuron types: bipolar cells and retina amacrine cells.

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34
Q

Bipolar Cells

A

Highlight gradients between adjacent rods and cones

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35
Q

Horizontal Cells (Amacrine)

A

Important for edge detection and perception of contrasts

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36
Q

Parallel Processing

A

Simultaneously analyze and combine information regarding

  • color (cones)
  • shape (parvocellular cells)
  • motion (magnocellular cells)
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37
Q

Parvocellular Cells

A

Responsible for shape; see fine detail in stationary or slow moving objects

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38
Q

Magnocellular cells

A

Responsible for motion; blurry but moving image

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39
Q

Pinna (Auricle)

A

Cartilage (fleshy part of the outer ear) that channels sound waves into the external auditory canal

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40
Q

Tympanic Membrane (Eardrum)

A
  • Divides outer ear from middle ear

- Vibrates in phase with the incoming sound wave

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41
Q

Ossicles

A

3 Smallest bones in the middle ear that transmit and amplify vibrations to the inner ear

  1. Malleus (hammer)
  2. Incus (anvil)
  3. Stapes (stirrup)
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42
Q

Eustacian Tube

A

Equalizes pressure between middle ear and environment

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43
Q

Endolymph

A

K+ rich fluid that fills the membranous labyrinth of the ear

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44
Q

Perilymph

A

Transmits vibrations via fluid from outside world and cushions the inner ear

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45
Q

Organ of Corti

A

Actual hearing apparatus; hair cells (receptors of hearing) bending is converted from physical stimulus into an electrical signal carried along the nerve fiber connecting to the auditory nerve and the Central Nervous System

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46
Q

Vestibule

A

Composed of the Utricle and Saccule; sensitive to linear acceleration, balance, determines ones orientation; hair cells resist the motion

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47
Q

Semicircular Canals

A

Sensitive to rotational acceleration; endolymph resists the motion

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48
Q

Auditory Pathway

A 
Pinna
External Auditory Canal
Tympanic Membrane
Malleus
Inca
Stapes
Oval Window
Perilymph Coclea
Basilar Membrane
Hair cells
Vestbulocochlear Nerve
Brainstem
Medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) of thalamus
Auditory Cortex (Temporal Lobe)
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49
Q

Tonotopically

A

Organization of the cochlea (basilar membrane and apex) allows hair cells to vibrate

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50
Q

Basilar Membrane

A

High frequency base of the cochlea

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51
Q

Apex

A

Low Frequency top of the cochlea

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52
Q

Smell

A

Olfactory chemoreceptors respond to volatile or aerolized compounds

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53
Q

Pheremones

A

Secreted by an organism to compel another organism to behave a certain way

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54
Q

Olfactory Pathway

A 
Nostril
Nasal Cavity
Olfactory Chemoreceptors
Olfactory bulb
Olfactory tract
Higher order brain regions (Limbic system)
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55
Q

Tastes

A
  1. Sweet
  2. Salty
  3. Sour
  4. Bitter
  5. Umami (savory)
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56
Q

Somatosensation

A

Sensitive to pressure, vibration, pain and temperature

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57
Q

Pacinian Corpuscles

A

Detects deep pressure and vibration

58
Q

Messiner Corpuscles

A

Detects light touch

59
Q

Merkel Discs

A

Detects deep pressure and texture

60
Q

Ruffini Endings

A

Detects stretch

61
Q

Free Nerve Endings

A

Detects pain and temperature

62
Q

2 Point Threshold

A

Minimum distance between two points of stimulation felt as two distinct stimuli

63
Q

Physiological Zero

A

Normal temperature of the skin (86-97 degrees F)

64
Q

Gate Theory of Pain

A
  • Special “gating” mechanism (located in the spinal cord) can block sensory input from large, thick sensory fibers before the pain is able to receive the pain signals
  • Turns pain signals on and off and determine whether we receive it
65
Q

Kinesthetic Sense

A
  • Perception of the body’s movements and where it is in space; detected by propioceptors (movement sensors)
  • Specifically muscle, tendon and joint position
66
Q

Bottom Up (Data Driven) Processing

A
  • Individual sensory stimuli that combines to create a cohesive image before determining what the object is
  • Object perception that responds directly to the components / specific parts of an incoming stimulus on the basis of fixed rules; Then summing up the components to arrive at the whole pattern or object
67
Q

Top Down (Conceptually Driven) Processing

A

Object perception that is guided by conceptual processes (memories, expectations, etc…) that allow the brain to recognize the whole object quickly before recognizing its components / specific parts

68
Q

Perceptual Organization

A

2 Above processes in tandem with other sensory clues will create a complete picture or idea

69
Q

Gestalt Principles

A

Ways for the brain to infer missing parts of a picture when a picture is incomplete

  • Proximity
  • Similarity
  • Good Continuation
  • Subjective Contours
  • Closure
  • Prägnanz
70
Q

Proximity Principle

A

Components close together are seen as one unit

Ex; . . . . . . . . . . dots close together seen as one unit not separate dots

71
Q

Similarity Principe

A

Similar components (color, shape, size) tend to be grouped together

72
Q

Good Continuation Principle

A

Components that appear to follow the same path / direction are grouped; continuation is more likely than abrupt changes in pattern

Ex: ~~~~~~~~~ seen as a continuous squiggle rather than separate components

73
Q

Subjective Contour Principle

A

Edges and shapes not actually present are implied by the surrounding objects

74
Q

Closure Principle

A

Space enclosed by contour line is perceived as a complete figure

Ex: < > shows a diamond despite not being connected

75
Q

Prägnanz Principle

A
  • Gestalt Laws operate to create the most stable, consistent and simple figures possible within a given array
  • Perceptual organization - regular, simple and symmetrical
76
Q

Psychophysics

A

Measures the relationship between physical stimuli and psychological responses to stimuli

77
Q

Limen

A

Another word for Threshold

78
Q

Subliminal Perception

A

Perception of stimuli below the threshold of conscious awareness

79
Q

Standard Stimulus

A

Basis of comparison for other stimuli

80
Q

Comparison Stimulus

A

Different from the value of the standard stimulus

81
Q

Just Noticeable Difference (JND)

A

Amount of change necessary to predict the difference between two stimuli

82
Q

Weber’s Constant (Weber’s Fraction

A

K: the smaller the value the better the sensitivity

change in Intensity of Stimuli (a jnd)
_____________________________ x 100 = K
Intensity of original stimuli

83
Q

Fechner’s Law

A
  • Expresses the relationship between the intensity of the sensation and the intensity of the stimulus
  • Sensation increases more slowly as intensity increases
84
Q

Response Bias

A

Tendency of subjects to respond in a particular way due to nonsensory factors (motives, experience, expectations, memories, etc…)

85
Q

Noise Trial (Catch Trial)

A

Trial in which the stimulus is NOT presented

86
Q

Signal Trial

A

Trial in which the stimulus IS presented

87
Q

Hits (Trial)

A

Signal (stimulus) is presented and the subject perceives the stimulus

88
Q

Misses (Trial)

A

Signal (stimulus) is presented and the subject does not perceive the stimulus

89
Q

False Alarm (Trial)

A

No signal (stimulus) is presented and the subject perceives a stimulus

90
Q

Correct Negative (Trial)

A

No signal (stimulus) is presented and the subject does not perceive the stimulus

91
Q

Sensitivity

A

Measures how well the subject can sense the stimulus

92
Q

Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve

A

Graphically summarizes a subject’s response in a signal detecting experiment

93
Q

Sensory Information Processing Steps

A
  1. Reception
  2. Transduction
  3. Electrochemical energy is sent to various Projection Areas
  4. Electrochemical energy sent along varoius Neural Pathways to be processed by the Nervous System
94
Q

Reception

A

Receptors react to physical external energy

95
Q

Transduction

A

Translation of physical energy into neural impulses or action potentials (electrochemical energy)

96
Q

Projection Areas

A

Brain areas that further analyze sensory input

97
Q

Optic Chiasm

A

Fibers from the nasal half of both retinas cross paths

  • Nasal fibers from the right eye go to the left side of the brain
  • Nasal fibers from the left eye go to the right side of the brain
98
Q

Temporal Fibers

A

Temporal Fibers of both retinas remain on the same side

  • Temporal fibers from the right eye go to the right side of the brain
  • Temporal fibers from the left eye go to the left side of the brain
99
Q

Feature Detection Theory

A

Cetain cells in the cortex are maximally sensitive to certain features of stimuli

100
Q

Simple Cells

A

Give information about orientation and boundaries of an object

101
Q

Complex Cells

A

Give more advanced information about orientation such as movement

102
Q

Hypercomplex Cells

A

Give information about abstract concepts such as object shape

103
Q

Illumination

A

Physical, Objective measurement that is simply the amount of light falling on a surface

104
Q

Brightness

A

Subjective impression of the intensity of a light stimulus

105
Q

Rhodopsin

A

Photopigment found in Rods

  • Contains Retinal (Vitamin A derivative)
  • Contains Opsin (protein)
106
Q

Bleaching

A

When a molecule of rohodpsin absorbs a photon of light and the pigment is decomposed or split into Retinene and Opsin

  • Takes time for the pigments to regenerate
107
Q

Simultaneous Brightness Contrast

A

Target area of a particular luminance appears brighter when surrounded by a darker stimulus than when surrounded by a lighter stimulus

108
Q

Lateral Inhibition

A
  • Adjacent retinal cells inhibit one another; if a cell is excited, neighboring cells will be inhibited
  • Sharpens and highlights the borders between dark and light areas
109
Q

Trichromatic Theory (Young-Helmholtz)

A
  • Retina contains 3 different types of color receptors (cones) sensitive to different colors: Red, Blue and Green
  • All colors are produced by combined stimulation of these receptors; ratio of activity in the receptors that determines color
110
Q

Opponent-Process Theory of Color Vision

- (Ewald Hering)

A

Color receptors are arranged in opposing pairs: Red-Green, Blue-Yellow and Black-White; one color inhibits the pair and the other excites the pair

111
Q

AfterImages

A

Visual sensation that appears after prolonged or intense exposure to a stimulus

112
Q

Interposition (Overlap)

A

Cue for Depth Perception; when one object (A) covers or overlaps with object (B) we determine object (A) as being in front

113
Q

Relative Size

A

Cue for Depth Perception; as an object gets farther away the image gets smaller on the retina

114
Q

Linear Perspective

A

Cue for Depth Perception; Convergence of parallel lines in the distance

115
Q

Texture Gradients

A

Cue for Depth Perception; Variations in perceived surface texture as a function of the distance from the observer

116
Q

Motion Parallax

A

When an observer moves; the apparent relative motion of several stationary objects against a background hints to their relative distance

117
Q

Kinetic Depth Effect

A

When the object (not the observer) moves; the motion of that object gives us cues about the relative depth of parts of the object

118
Q

Binocular Disparity (Stereopsis)

A

Cue for Depth Perception requiring 2 eyes; Distance between the eyes provides us with two slightly disparate view of the world

119
Q

Figure

A

The integrated visual experience that stands out at the center of attention (what we focus on)

120
Q

Ground

A

Background against which the figure appears

121
Q

Real Motion

A

Actually moving the light

122
Q

Apparent Motion

A

Illusion that occurs when two dots flashed in different locations on screen seconds apart are perceives as one moving dot

123
Q

Induce Motion

A

Illusion of movement occuring when everything around the spot of light is moved

124
Q

Autokinetic Effect

A

Illusion that occurs when a spot of light appears to move erratically in a dark room, simply because there is no frame of reference

125
Q

Motion Aftereffect

A

When you first view a moving pattern and then you view a spot of light; the light will appear to move in the opposite direction of the pattern

126
Q

Distal Stimulus

A

The actual object or even out there in the world

127
Q

Proximal Stimulus

A

The information our sensory receptors receive about the object

128
Q

Habituation (Visual Perception in Infants)

A
  • When a new stimulus (A) is presented the infant will orient toward it. When the infant stops attending to the stimulus (A) a new stimulus (B) will be introduced - if the infant orients toward the newest stimulus (B) it is inferred that the infant can tell the difference between the 2 stimulus (A and B)
129
Q

Preferential Looking

A

Visual Perception in Infants:

  • When two different stimuli are presented side by side - the one the infant looks at the longest is the preferred stimuli
  • Generally prefer looking at relatively complex and socially relevant stimuli
130
Q

Frequency

A

Number of cycles per second (measure in Hertz (Hz))

  • the shorter the wavelength the higher the frequency
  • Humans sensitivity ranges from 20Hz - 20,000Hz
131
Q

Intensity

A

Amplitude or height of the air-pressure wave (measured in bels or decibels (dB)
- The more dB the noisier the sound is

132
Q

Loudness

A

Subjective experience of the magnitude or intensity of the sound

133
Q

Pitch

A

Subjective experience of the frequency of the sound

134
Q

Timbre

A

Quality of a particular sound; related to the complexity of the sound wave or the mixture of frequencies

135
Q

Cochlea

A

Part of the inner ear filled with saltwater-like fluid called Cochlear Fluid

136
Q

Place Theory

A

Each different pitch causes a different place of the basilar membrane to vibrate; The place of disturbances causes different hair cells to bend

137
Q

Frequency Theory

A

Basilar membrane vibrates as a whole - that rate of vibration equals the frequency of the stimulus and is directly translated into the appropriate number of neural impulses per second

138
Q

Taste Buds

A

found in little bumps on the tongue called Papillae

139
Q

Smell Receptors

A

Located in the upper nasal passage of the nose called the Olfactory Epithelium

140
Q

Vestibular Sense

A

Sense of balance and of our bodily position relative to gravity; Receptors for balance are found in the semicircular canals in the inner ear

141
Q

Selective Attention

A

Filter between sensory stimuli and our processing systems; Controls loudness that dampens (but does not completely block out) ancillary stimuli

Psych for the MCAT :) (8 decks)

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