Test 1 Flashcards
Neuron
A specialized cell of the nervous system that receives and transmits messages.
Dendrites
Root-like structures, attached to the cell body of a neuron that transmits impulses to other neurons from bulb-shaped structures called axon terminals or terminal buttons.
Myelin
A fatty substance that encases and insulates axons, facilitating transmission of neural impulses.
Sensation
The stimulation of sensory receptors and the transmission of sensory information to the central nervous system.
Perception
The process by which sensations are organized into an inner representation of the world.
Visible light
The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that stimulates the eye and produces visual sensations.
Hue
The color of light, as determined by its wavelength.
Cornea
Transparent tissue forming the outer surface of the eyeball.
Iris
Muscular membrane whose dilation regulates the amount of light that enters the eye.
Pupil
The black-looking opening in the center of the iris, through which light enters the eye.
Lens
A transparent body behind the iris that focuses an image on the retina.
Retina
The area of the inner surface of the eye that contains rods and cones
Photoreceptors
Cells that respond to light
Bipolar Cells
Neurons that conduct neural impulses from rods and cones to ganglion cells
Ganglion cells
Neurons whose axons form the optic nerve.
Optic nerve
The nerve that transmits sensory information from the eye to the brain.
Rods
Rod-shaped photoreceptors that are sensitive only to the intensity of light.
Cones
Cone-shaped photo-receptors that transmit sensations of color.
Fovea
An area near the center of the retina that is dense with cones and where vision is consequently most acute.
Blind spot
The area of the retina where axons from ganglion cells meet to form the optic nerve.
Visual acuity
Sharpness of vision
Presbyopia
A condition characterized by brittleness of the lens
Dark adaptation
The process of adjusting to conditions of lower lighting by increasing the sensitivity of rods and cones.
Complementary
Descriptive of colors of the spectrum that when combined produce white or nearly white light.
Afterimage
The lingering visual impression made by a stimulus that has been removed.
Trichromatic theory
The theory that color vision is made possible by three different types of cones, some of which respond to red light, some to green, and some to blue.
Opponent-process theory
The theory that color vision is made possible by three different types of cones, some of which respond to red or green light, some to blue or yellow, and some to the intensity of light.
Trichromat
A person with normal color vision
Monochromat
A person who is sensitive to black and white only and hence color-blind.
Dichromat
A person who is sensitive to black-white and either red-green or blue-yellow and hence is partially color blind.
Closure
The tendency to perceive a broken figure as being complete or whole.
Perceptual organization
The tendency to integrate perceptual elements into meaningful patterns.
Proximity
Nearness; the perceptual tendency to group together objects that are near one another.
Similarity
The perceptual tendency to group together objects that are similar in appearance.
Continuity
The tendency to perceive a series of points or lines as having unity.
Common fate
The tendency to perceive elements that move together as belonging together.
Top-down processing
The use of contextual information or knowledge of a pattern in order organize parts of the pattern.
Bottom-up processing
The organization of the parts of a pattern to recognize, or form an image of, the pattern they compose.
Three general steps
- Detect stimuli (sensation) 2. Transduction (transform physical energy into neural impulses in receptors) 3. Send to brain and organize (representations)
Texture Gradient
Objects that are evenly spaced, but the texture changes to demonstrate distance, further distance, looks closer.
Relative size
Objects that are the same size have a bigger visual angle when they’re closer to you. Bigger on retina, closer to you. Signals depth.
Relative height
Position on image: As an object approaches the horizon line, the further away it gets.
Linear perspective
Parallel lines converge in the distance: i.e. narrow road.
Occlusion
Objects that are closer to you may partially block objects that are further away.