Unit 2 Terms Topic 4 Flashcards
Define sensory adaption
the way our senses adjust to different stimuli
define retina
the light sensitive inner surface of eye contains the receptor rods and cones,
define pupil
adjustable opening in the eye where light enters
define cones
retinal receptor cells near center of retina functions in daylight. detect fine detail
define rods
retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don’t respond.
what is the trichromatic theory
the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors—one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue—which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color.
what is sensation
process where sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
what is perception
process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events
what is webers law
the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount).
optic nerve
the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain.
define absolute threshold
the minimum stimulation needed to
detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time.
define cochlea
a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner
ear; sound waves traveling through the cochlear fluid trigger nerve impulses.
what is frequency
the number of
complete wavelengths that pass a
point in a given time (for example,
per second).
what is amplitude
determines loudness
frequency theory
in hearing, the
theory that the rate of nerve impulses
traveling up the auditory nerve
matches the frequency of a tone, thus
enabling us to sense its pitch.
