Unit 3 Vocab Quiz

Question 1

absolute threshold

Answer 1

the minimum stimulus energy needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time

Question 2

basilar membrane

Answer 2

a fibrous membrane within the cochlea
In response to sound, the basilar membrane vibrates; this leads to stimulation of the hair cells

Question 3

closure

Answer 3

states that people tend to perceive incomplete forms as complete, synthesizing the missing units so as to perceive the image or sound as a whole—in effect closing the gap in the incomplete forms to create complete forms

Question 4

cocktail party effect

Answer 4

the ability to attend to one of several speech streams while ignoring others, as when one is at a cocktail party

For example, the mention of one’s name is processed even if it occurs in an unattended speech stream

Question 5

color blindness

Answer 5

genetic disorder which prevents individuals from discriminating between certain colors due to a weakness in or lack of a cone

Question 6

difference threshold

Answer 6

the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time

we experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference

Question 7

feature detectors

Answer 7

nerve cells in the brain’s visual cortex that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement

Question 8

figure-ground

Answer 8

the organization of the visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings

Question 9

fovea

Answer 9

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

Question 10

inattentional blindness

Answer 10

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

Question 11

proximity

Answer 11

states that people tend to organize objects close to each other into a perceptual group and interpret them as a single entity

Question 12

retinal disparity

Answer 12

a binocular cue for perceiving depth

by comparing retinal images from two eyes, the brain computes distance–the greater the disparity/difference between the two images, the closer the object

Question 13

rods

Answer 13

retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray, and are sensitive to movement; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don’t respond

Question 14

selective attention

Answer 14

the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

Question 15

sensory adaptation

Answer 15

diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

concentration on certain stimuli in the environment and not on others, enabling important stimuli to be distinguished from peripheral or incidental ones