Unit 3 Sensation and Perception

Question 1

The light-sensitive, inner surface of the eye, containing rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information.

Answer 1

Retina

Question 2

The brain’s ability to process many things at once.

Answer 2

Parallel Processing

Question 3

The theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological “gate” that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain.

Answer 3

Gate Control Theory ex- small nerve fiber open when you hit your head , close by a large nerve ( blocking)

Question 4

The theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, blue-yellow, and white-black) enable color vision.

Answer 4

Opponent process theory ex- afterimage of staring at black for long is white

Question 5

The process by which our sensory receptors and the nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environments.

Answer 5

Sensation

Question 6

A coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses.

Answer 6

Cochlea

Question 7

This refers to a stimulus that is below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness.

Answer 7

Subliminal Stimulation , so weak we don’t notice, does not persuade ex-

Question 8

The minimum difference a person can detect between two stimuli. We experience it as a just noticeable difference.

Answer 8

Difference threshold ex-how much louder you have to turn music on to hear difference

Question 9

A condition in which nearby objects are seen more clearly than distant objects because the lens focuses the image of distant objects in front of the retina.

Answer 9

Near sighted , distant image focuses before hitting retina

Question 10

The nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain.

Answer 10

Optic Nerve

Question 11

The distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next. It determines color with respect to light waves and pitch with respect to sound waves.

Answer 11

Wavelength

Question 12

Retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray. They are necessary for peripheral and twilight vision.

Answer 12

Rods , light sensitive

Question 13

The central focal point in the retina, around which the eye’s cones cluster.

Answer 13

Fovea

Question 14

The part of the ear containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs.

Answer 14

Inner ear

Question 15

The principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste.

Answer 15

Sensory interaction ex- vision+hearing, closed captions while hearing movie

Question 16

The process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to focus the image of an object on the retina.

Answer 16

Accommodation

Question 17

Nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement.

Answer 17

Feature detectors

Question 18

The theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea’s membrane is stimulated.

Answer 18

Place theory , location

Question 19

The minimum stimulation needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time.

Answer 19

absolute threshold

Question 20

Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea (i.e. damage to the tiny bones in the ear or the eardrum).

Answer 20

Conductive hearing loss, inability to conduct vibrations is gone, muffled hearing

Question 21

The system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts.

Answer 21

Kinesthetic, ex-driving with foot on pedal and knowing foot is on pedal but not looking at it

Question 22

Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.

Answer 22

Sensory adaption , ex- new room with strong smell doesn’t feel strong anymore

Question 23

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.

Answer 23

Frequency theory

Question 24

The theory that the retina contains three different color receptors-one most sensitive to red, one to blue, and one to green-which when stimulated in combination can produce the perception of any color.

Answer 24

Young Helmholtz trichromatic theory

Question 25

Receptor cells that are concentrated in the fovea of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. They detect fine detail and give rise to the perception of color.

Answer 25

Cones

Question 26

The conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies into neural impulses.

Answer 26

Transduction

Question 27

The point at which the optic nerve leaves the back of the eye. No receptor cells are located there.

Answer 27

Blind spot

Question 28

Depth cues, such as retinal disparity and convergence, that depend on the use of two eyes.

Answer 28

Binocular Depth cues ex- holding marble in front of your face and moving it

Question 29

The focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus, as in the cocktail party effect.

Answer 29

Selective attention , cocktail party effect- people attend to to mentions of their named even though they are in a loud enviroment and wasnt listening before

Question 30

A laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals.

Answer 30

Visual cliff

Question 31

The tendency to fill in gaps in order to create a complete, whole object. (This is one of the Gestalt principles of grouping).

Answer 31

Closure

Question 32

If we assume that two objects are the same size, we perceive the one that casts the smaller retinal image as farther away.

Answer 32

Relative size cues, objects appear smaller if they are far away

Question 33

In vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field.

Answer 33

Perceptual Adaptation
ex- new glasses when playing tnennis

Question 34

Parallel lines, such as railroad tracks, appear to converge with distance. The more the lines converge, the greater their perceived distance.

Answer 34

Linear Perspective

Question 35

If one object partially blocks our view of another, we perceive it as closer.

Answer 35

interposition

Question 36

We perceive objects higher in our visual field as farther away.

Answer 36

Relative height ex-painting with mountain behind and trees in front

Question 37

If one object partially blocks our view of another, we perceive it as closer.

Answer 37

interposition

Question 38

A binocular cue for perceiving depth: The greater the difference between the two images the retina receives of an object, the closer the object is to the viewer.

Answer 38

Retinal disparity, left and right vision field see slight different images when focusing on a single object, ex- focus on an object and close on eye and then the other

Question 39

The organization of the visual field into objects (figures) that stand out from their surroundings (ground).

Answer 39

Figure ground , separating objects from background, main object

Question 40

Distance cues, such as linear perspective and overlap, available to either eye alone.

Answer 40

Monocular cues