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Psychology 110-2nd exam > Sensation/Perception > Flashcards

Sensation/Perception Flashcards

1
Q

sensation

A

the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment

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2
Q

perception

A

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

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3
Q

bottom-up processing

A

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

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4
Q

top-down processing

A

information processing guided by hight-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

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5
Q

transduction

A

conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brain can interpret

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6
Q

psychophysics

A

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

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7
Q

absolute threshold

A

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

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8
Q

signal detection theory

A

a theory predicting how and when we dent the presence of faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on person’s experience, expectations, motivation and alertness

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9
Q

subliminal

A

below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness

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10
Q

priming

A

the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perception, memory, or response

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11
Q

difference threshold

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 (or jnd)

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12
Q

weber’s law

A

the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount)

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13
Q

sensory adaptation

A

diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

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14
Q

perceptual set

A

a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another

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15
Q

wave length

A

the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next. Electromagnetic wavelengths vary from short blips of cosmic rays to the long pulses of radio transmission

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16
Q

hue

A

the dimension of colour that is determined by the wavelengths of light; what we know as the colour names blue, green and so forth

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17
Q

intensity

A

the amount of energy in a light wave or sound wave, which influences what we precede as brightness or loudness. Intensity is determined by wave’s amplitude (height)

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18
Q

pupil

A

the adjustable opening in the centre of the eye through which light enters

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19
Q

iris

A

a ring of muscle tissue that forms the coloured portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size if the pupil opening

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20
Q

tens

A

the transparent structure behind the pupil that changed shape to help focus images on the retina

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21
Q

retina

A

the light-senstive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptors rods and cones plus layer if neurons that begin the process if visual information

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22
Q

accommodation

A

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

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23
Q

rods

A

retinal receptors that detection black, white and grey; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don’t respond

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24
Q

cones

A

retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. the cones detect fine deal and give rise to colour sensation

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25
optic nerve
the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
26
blind spot
the point at which the optic nerve leave the eye, creating a "blind" spit because no receptor cells are located there
27
fovea
the cobra focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster
28
young-helmholtz trichromatic (three-colour) theory
the theory that the retina contains three different colour receptors-one most sensitive to red, one to green,one to blue-which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any colour
29
opponent-process theory
the theory that opposing retinal process (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable colour vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green.
30
feature detectors
nerve cells in the brain that respond to the specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement
31
parallel processing
the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision
32
gestalt
an organized whole, Gestalt psychologists emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes
33
figure-ground
the organization of the visual field into objects (the figures) that stand out from their surroundings (the ground)
34
grouping
the perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups
35
depth perception
the ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional; allows us to judge distance.
36
visual cliff
a laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals
37
binocular cues
depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two eyes
38
retinal disparity
a binocular cue for perceiving depth; By comparing images from the retinas in the two eyes, the brain computes distance-the greater the disparity (difference) between the two images, the closer the object
39
monocular cues
depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone
40
phi phenomenon
an illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
41
perceptual constancy
perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent colour, brightness, shape, and size) even as illumination and retinal images change
42
colour constancy
perceiving familiar objects as having consistent colour, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the objects
43
perceptual adaptation
in vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field
44
audition
the sense or act of hearing
45
frequency
the number if complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time (for example, per second)
46
pitch
a tone's experienced highness or lowness; depends on frequency
47
middle ear
the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval window
48
cochlea
a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear; sound waves traveling through the cochlear fluid trigger nerve impulse
49
inner ear
the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
50
sensorineural hearing loss
the most common form of hearing loss, is called nerve deafness, caused by damage to the cochlea's receptor cells or to auditory nerves
51
conduction hearing loss
less common form of hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea
52
cochlear implant
a device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
53
place theory
in hearing, the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlear's membrane is stimulated
54
frequency theory
in hearing, the theory that the rate of the nerve impulses traveling up the auditor nerve matches the frequency of tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch. (also called the temporal theory)
55
nociceptors
sensory receptors that enable the perception of pain in response to potentially harmful stimuli
56
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 fibres and is closed by activity in larger fibres or by information coming from tight brain
57
hypothesis
a social interaction in which one person (the hypnotist) suggests to another (the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts or behaviours will spontaneously occur
58
dissociation
a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviours to occur simultaneously with other
59
posthypnotic suggestion
a suggestion, made spring a hypothesis session, to be carried out after the subject us no longer hypnotized; used by some clinicians to help control undesired symptoms and behaviours
60
kinesthesia
the system for sensing the portion and movement of individual body parts
61
vestibular sense
the sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance
62
sensory interaction
the principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste
63
embodied cognition
is psychological science, the influence or bodily sensations, gestures, and other states on cognitive preferences an judgement

Psychology 110-2nd exam (3 decks)

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