unit 3: sensation and perception Flashcards
sensation
raw information that comes from the senses
perception
the process through which people take raw sensations from the environment and give them meaning
bottom-up processing
information processing of analyzing raw stimuli then processing it
top-down processing
information processing that draws on experience to interpret new sensory information
absolute threshold
the weakest amount of stimulation needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time
signal-detection theory
a theory that predicts how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amidst background noise
subliminal
below your absolute threshold
priming
exposure to one stimulus influencing how one responds to a subsequent stimulus
difference threshold
aka, just noticeable difference. the minimum amount of difference needed to detect a change in stimulus 50% of the time
weber’s law
two stimuli have to differ by a constant minimum percentage to be perceived as different
fechnor’s law
constant increases in physical energy will produce smaller increases in perceived magnitude
sensory adaptation
our diminishing sensitivity to an unchanging stimulus
transduction
conversion of one form of energy to another
what does wavelength in light determine?
hue/color
what is the order of longest to shortest wave length colors?
red > orange > yellow > green > blue > indigo > violet
what does amplitude in light determine?
brightness of color
cornea
covers and protects the eye
pupil
opening in the eye behind the cornea which light passes through
iris
gives color to the eye and adjusts the amount of light entering it
lens
behind the pupil that focuses the light into the retina
retina
at the back of the eye which lens focuses light rays into
blind spot
the pint at which the optic nerve leaves the eye because no receptor cells are there
what is the path that light follows when entering the eye?
light ➔ cornea ➔ pupil ➔ lens ➔ retina
visual acuity
the sharpness of vision
accommodation
the process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to focus objects on the retina
rods
retinal receptors that detect monochrome colors. necessary for peripheral and twilight vision