SENSING AND PERCEIVING Flashcards

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1
Q

`Sensation

A

Awareness resulting from the stimulation of a sense organ

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2
Q

Perception

A

The organization and interpretation of sensations

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3
Q

Six senses

A

Seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, tasting, and proprioception

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4
Q

Transduction

A

The conversion of stimuli detected by receptor cells to electrical impulses that are then transported to the brain

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5
Q

Psychophysics

A

Branch of psychology that studies the effects of physical stimuli on sensory perceptions and mental states

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6
Q

Absolute threshold of a sensation

A

The intensity of a stimulus that allows an organism to just barely detect it (about 50% of the time)

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7
Q

Signal detection analysis

A

Technique used to determine the ability of the perceiver to separate true signals from background noise

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8
Q

“Hit”

A

Say “yes” when there is a sound

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9
Q

“False alarm”

A

Say “yes” to no signal

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10
Q

“Miss”

A

Say “no” when there is a sound

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11
Q

“Correct rejection”

A

Say “no” when there is no signal

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12
Q

Sensitivity

A

The true ability of the individual to detect the presence or absence or signals

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13
Q

Response bias

A

A behavioural tendency to respond “yes” to the trials, which is independent of sensitivity

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14
Q

Difference threshold (JND):

A

Refers to the change in a stimulus that can just barely be detected by the organism

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15
Q

Weber’s Law

A

Just noticeable difference of a stimulus is a constant proportion of the original intensity of the stimulus

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16
Q

Subliminal stimuli

A

Events that occur below the absolute threshold and of which we are not conscious

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17
Q

Blindsight

A

A condition in which people are able to consciously report on visual stimuli but nevertheless are able to accurately answer questions about what they are seeing

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18
Q

Electromagnetic energy

A

Pulses of energy waves that can carry information from place to place

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19
Q

Wavelength

A

The distance between one wave peak and the next wave peak

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20
Q

Visible spectrum

A

Our eyes only detect the range from about 400 to 700 billionths of a meter

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21
Q

Near sighted

A

Focus in front of the retina - eye is too long

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22
Q

Far sighted

A

Focus is behind the retina - eye is too short

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23
Q

Optic nerve

A

Collection of millions of ganglion neurons that sends vast amounts of visual information, via the thalamus, to the brain

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24
Q

Rods

A

Visual neurons that specialize in detecting black, white and grey colours - help us see in dim light (at night) and is active in peripheral vision – sensitive to light/dark

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25
Q

Cones

A

Visual neurons that are specialized in detecting fine detail and colours - colour and bright light - located around the fovea - sensitive to colour

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26
Q

Fovea

A

the central point of the retina

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27
Q

Blind spot

A

A hole in our vision - no photoreceptor cells at the place where the optic nerve leaves the retina – but the visual system overcomes this

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28
Q

Feature detector neurons

A

Specialized neurons, located in the visual cortex, that respond to the strength, angles, shapes, edges and movements of a visual stimulus

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29
Q

Hue

A

Shade of colour conveyed by the wavelength of the light that enters the eye - length and intensity/height

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30
Q

Trichromatic colour theory

A

Helmholtz theorized that colour is perceived because the cones in the retina come in three types 1.) Reacts primarily to blue light (short wavelengths) 2.) Reacts primarily to green light (medium wavelengths 3.) reacts primarily to red light (long). The strength of these waves are then compared to create colour

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31
Q

Colour-blindness

A

The inability to detect green and or red colours

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32
Q

Opponent-process colour theory

A

Proposes that we analyze sensory information not in terms of 3 colours but rather in three sets of “opponent colours”: red-green, yellow-blue, white-black - neurons in the retina – this explains after images

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33
Q

Figure and ground

A

We structure input so that we always see a figure (image) against a ground (background)

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34
Q

Similarity

A

Stimuli that are similar to each other tend to be grouped together

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35
Q

Proximity

A

We tend to group nearby figures together

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36
Q

Continuity

A

We tend to perceive stimuli in smooth, continuous ways rather than in more discontinuous ways

37
Q

Closure

A

We tend to fill in gaps in an incomplete image to create a complete, whole object

38
Q

Depth perception

A

The ability to perceive three - dimensional space and to accurately judge distance

39
Q

Depth cues

A

Messages from our bodies and the external environment that supply us with information about space and distance

40
Q

Binocular depth cues

A

Depth cues that are created by retinal image (both eyes)

41
Q

Disparity

A

Space between our eyes and which therefore require the coordination of both eyes

42
Q

Convergence

A

The inward turning of our eyes that is required to focus on objects that are less than about 50 ft away from us

43
Q

Accommodation

A

Helps determine depth

44
Q

Monocular depth cues

A

Depth cues that help us perceive depth using only one eye

45
Q

Position

A

We tend to see objects higher up in our field of vision as father away

46
Q

Relative size

A

Assuming that the objects in a scene are the same size, smaller objects are perceived as farther away

47
Q

Linear perspective

A

Parallel lines appear to converge at a distance

48
Q

Light and shadow

A

The eye receives more reflected lights from objects that are closer to us. Normally, light comes from above, so darker images are in shadow

49
Q

Interposition

A

When one object overlaps another object, we view it as closer

50
Q

Aerial perspective

A

Objects that appear hazy, or that are covered with smog or dust, appear farther away

51
Q

Motion parallax

A

Objects moving at a constant speed across the frame will appear to move a greater amount if they are closer to an observer than they oddly if they were at a greater distance

52
Q

McGurk Effect

A

Visual processing, influences auditory processing

53
Q

Synesthesia

A

Condition in which people experience cross-modal sensations

54
Q

Grapheme-colour

A

See letters/numbers as colours

55
Q

Lexical-taste

A

Taste when they read/hear words

56
Q

Criterion Point

A

When the presence/absence of the signal is unclear, how likely are you to say it is present?

57
Q

Beta effect

A

Refers to the perception of motion that occurs when different images are presented next to each other in succession - the visual cortex fills in the missing part of the motion and we see the object moving

58
Q

Phi phenomenon

A

We perceive a sensation of motion caused by the appearance and disappearance of objects that are near each other

59
Q

Frequency

A

Wavelength of the sound wave that is measured in terms of the number of the waves that arrive per second and determines our perception of pitch

60
Q

Pitch

A

The perceived frequency of a sound - longer sound waves have a lower frequency and produce a lower pitch while shorter waves have a high frequency and produce a higher pitch

61
Q

Amplitude

A

Height of the sound wave, determines how much energy it contains - perceived as loudness

62
Q

Loudness

A

The degree of sound volume

63
Q

Decibel

A

Unit of relative loudness

64
Q

Cilia

A

Tip on the hair cells

65
Q

Frequent theory of hearing

A

Proposes that whatever the pitch of a sound wave, nerve impulses of a corresponding frequency will be sent to the auditory nerve - this theory causes problems with high pitch sounds but explains low pitch sounds

66
Q

Place theory of hearing

A

Proposes that different areas of the cochlea respond to different frequencies - this explains high pitches and also hearing loss that comes with age

67
Q

Conductive hearing loss

A

Caused by physical damage to the ear that reduces the ability of the ear to transfer vibrations from the outer ear to the inner ear

68
Q

Sensorineural hearing loss

A

Caused by damage to the cilia or to the auditory nerve - less common but frequently occurs with age

69
Q

Cochlear implant

A

Device made up of series of electrodes that are placed inside the cochlea - if the auditory nerve is still intact - this utilizes place theory

70
Q

6 taste sensations

A

Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, piquancy, and umami

71
Q

Taste buds

A

Designed to sense chemicals in the mouth

72
Q

Olfactory membrane

A

Located in the upper nasal passage and detects 10 million-20 million receptor cells when we breathe in through our nostrils

73
Q

Olfactory receptor cells

A

Topped with tentacle like protrusions that contain receptor proteins

74
Q

The skin

A

The largest organ in the body and is the sensory organ for touch

75
Q

Proprioception

A

The ability to sense the position and movement of our body parts - specialized neurons

76
Q

Vestibular system

A

A set of liquid-filled areas in the inner ear that monitors the head’s position and movement

77
Q

Semicircular canals

A

Rotational movement

78
Q

Vestibular canals

A

Linear movement

79
Q

Bottom-up processing

A

(1) Features of stimulus (2) Combine features into complex forms (3) Recognize stimulus – accurate, detailed, new unfamiliar scenes

80
Q

Top-down processing

A

(1) Perceptual Hypothesis (expectations) (2) Select features to analyze (3) Recognize stimulus – fast, easy, not as accurate, reduces the workload

81
Q

Visual Agnosia

A

Inability to recognize objects (1) apperceptive agnosia - combining features into objects (2) associative agnosia - can’t name objects

82
Q

Prosopagnosia

A

Inability to detect and remember faces

83
Q

Gate control theory of pain

A

Proposes that pain is determined by the operation of two types of nerve fibres in the spinal cord, the smaller set carries pain away from the body and the larger set is designed to stop/start the flow of pain

84
Q

Selective attention

A

The ability to focus on some sensory inputs while tuning out others

85
Q

Cocktail party phenomenon

A

Partying and talking to someone in one part of the room, when suddenly you hear your name being mentioned by someone in another part of the room

86
Q

Sensory adaptation

A

A decreased sensitivity to a stimulus after prolonged and constant exposure

87
Q

Perceptual constancy

A

The ability to perceive a stimulus as constant despite changes in sensation

88
Q

Illusions

A

occur when the perceptual processes that normally help us correctly perceive the world around us are fooled by a particular situation so that we see something that does not exist or that is incorrect