Unit 1 - Biological Bases of Behavior Part 2 Flashcards
Absolute Threshold
Minimum amount of stimulus energy required for a stimulus to be detected at least 50% of the time.
Afterimage
Continuation of visual stimulation after removal of stimuli.
Amplitude
Height of a wavelength.
Basilar Membrane
Thin strip of tissue within the cochlea that contains the hair cells which serve as the sensory receptors for the auditory system.
Binaural Cue
Two-eared cue to localize sound.
Binocular Cue
Cue that relies on the use of both eyes.
Binocular Disparity
The slight difference in which the eyes view the world
Blind Spot
Point in vision field in which visual information is not detected.
Bottom-up Processing
A system in which perceptions are built from sensory imput.
Closure
Organizing perceptions into complete objects rather than parts.
Cochlea
Fluid-filled, snail-shaped structure that contains the sensory receptor cells of the auditory system.
Cochlear Implant
Electronic device that consists of a microphone, a speech processor, and an electrode array to directly stimulate the auditory nerves to transfer information to the brain.
Conductive Hearing Loss
Failure in the vibration of the eardrum and/or movement of the ossicles.
Cone
Specialized photoreceptor that works best in bright light and detects color.
Congenital Deafness
Deafness at birth.
Congenital Analgesia
Genetic Disorder in which pain cannot be felt.
Cornea
Transparent covering over eye.
Deafness
Partial/complete inability to hear.
Decibel (dB)
Logarithmic unit of sound intensity.
Depth Perception
Ability to perceive depth.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
All of the electromagnetic radiation that occurs in the environment.
Figure-ground Relationship
The segmentation of vision into figure and ground.
Fovea
Small indentation in the retina that contains the cones.
Frequency
The amount of waves that pass through a point in a given time.
Gestalt Psychology
The belief that the whole is different from the sum of its parts.
Good Continuation
The phenomenon where it is more likely that one perceives smooth connected lines rather than broken jagged lines.
Hair Cell
Auditory receptor in the inner ear.
Hertz (Hz)
Cycles per second; unit for frequency.
Inattentional Blindness
Failure to notice something completely visible due to lack of attention.
Incus
Middle ear ossicle; also known as the anvil.
Inflammatory Pain
Sign that tissues have sustained damage.
Interaural Level Difference
Sound coming from one side is more intense at the closer ear because of heightened awareness of the sound wave as it passes through the year.
Interaural Timing Difference
The small difference it takes for sound waves to arrive at each ear.
Iris
Colored portion of the eye.
Just Noticeable Difference
The minimum difference in stimuli level to be able to be detected.
Kinesthesia
Perception of the body moving through space.
Lens
Curved, transparent structure that focuses light travelling into the eye.
Linear Perspective
The perception of depth as two parallel lines which appear to converge.
Malleus (Hammer)
The middle ear ossicle.
Meissner’s Corpuscle
Touch receptor that responds to pressure and low frequency vibrations.
Ménière’s Disease
Degeneration in inner ear that needs to hearing loss, increased vertigo, tinnitus, and an increase in pressure in the inner ear.
Merkel’s Disk
Touch receptor that responds to light touch.
Monaural Cue
One-eared cue to localize sound.
Monocular Cue
Cue that only requires one eye.
Neuropathic Pain
Pain caused by damage to peripheral and/or central nervous system.
Nociception
Sensory signal that indicates harm and possibly pain.
Olfactory Bulb
Bulb-like structure at the tip of the frontal lobe, where the olfactory lobes begin.
Olfactory Receptor
Sensory cell for the olfactory system.
Opponent-process Theory of Color Perception
Color is coded in opponent pairs: black/white, yellow/blue, red/green.
Optic Chiasm
X-shaped structure that sits just below the brain’s ventral surface; represents the merging of the optic nerves from the two eyes and the separation of information from the two sides of the visual field to the opposite side of the brain
Optic Nerve
Carries visual information from the retina to the brain.
Ossicles
Three tiny bones in the middle ear consisting of the malleus, incus, and stapes
Pacinian Corpuscle
Touch receptor that detects transient pressure and higher frequency vibrations.
Pattern Perception
Ability to discriminate amongst different figures and shapes.
Peak (Crest)
Highest point of a wave.
Perception
The way that sensory information is interpreted and consciously experienced.
Perceptual Hypothesis
Educated guess used to interpret sensory information.
Pheromone
Chemical message sent by another individual.
Photoreceptor
Light detecting cell.
Pinna
The visible part of the ear.
Pitch
Perception of a sound’s frequency.
Place Theory of Pitch Perception
Different portions of the basilar membrane are sensitive to sounds of different frequencies.
Principle of Closure
The organization of perception into a whole rather than a series of parts.
Proprioception
Perception of body position.
Proximity
Things that are close together tend to be grouped together.
Pupil
Small opening in the eye in which light passes.
Retina
Light-sensitive lining of the eye.
Rod
Specialized photoreceptor that works well in low light conditions.
Ruffini Corpuscle
Touch receptor that detects stretch.
Sensation
What happens when sensory information is picked up by a sensory receptor.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Failure of cochlea to transmit signals to the brain.
Sensory Adaptation
The loss of perception of constant stimuli.
Signal Detection Theory
Change in stimulus detection as a function of current mental state.
Similarity
Things that are alike tend to be grouped together.
Staples (Stirrup)
Middle ear ossicle.
Subliminal Message
A message presented below the threshold of awareness.
Taste Bud
Grouping of taste receptor cells with hair-like extensions that protrude into the central pore of the taste bud.
Temporal Theory of Pitch Perception
Sound frequency is encoded in the activity level of a sensory neuron.
Thermoception
Temperature perception.
Timbre
Descriptive term that refers to a sounds quality
Top-down Processing
Interpretation of sensations is influenced by available knowledge, experiences, and thoughts.
Transduction
Conversion from sensory stimulus energy to action potential.
Trichromatic Theory of Color Perception
Color vision is mediated by the activity across the three groups of cones.
Trough
Lowest point of a wave.
Tympanic Membrane
Eardrum.
Umami
Taste for MSG.
Vertigo
Spinning sensation.
Vestibular Sense
The ability to maintain balance and body posture.
Visible Spectrum
Portion of electromagnetic spectrum that can be seen.
Wavelength
Length of wave from one peak to another peak.
