Unit 4 Flashcards
Perception
Direct attention toward organizing and interpret stimuli.
Transduction
Process of turning physical energy into electrical impulses. Sensory receptors involved, different to each sense.
Primary function of human eye
Gather light and change it into neuron signals.
Human eye wave lengths
Long= red
Medium= green
Short= blue
Amplitude- the eye
Low amplitude= dim colours
High amplitude= bright colours
What is the fovea?
Central region of retina, densely packed, surrounded by rods.
Photoreceptors
Cones: colour vision, high acuity
Rods: sensitive under low light, no colour, low acuity
Function of the ear
Capture sound waves
Frequency- ear
Measured in hertz, humans detect frequencies of 20Hz- 20,000Hz
Pitch: perceptual experience
High-frequency: short wavelengths, high pitch
Low-frequency: long wavelengths, low pitch
Amplitude- the ear
Higher=louder
Lower-quieter
Measured in decibels
Humans detect noice levels above 20dB
Outer ear
Sound waves enter pinna and travel through auditory canal. Sound waves cause eardrum to vibrate.
Middle ear
Ossicles, malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), stapes (stirrup).
Basilar membrane: movement of hair cells stimulate auditory nerve cells.
Auditory nerve: sends message to thalamus.
Pitch perception
High frequency: sound stimulated hairs close to ossicles.
Low frequency: sound stimulates hairs farther along membrane.
Theories of pitch perception
Place theory of hearing: how we perceive pitch based on location along basilar membrane stimulated by sound.
Frequency theory: perception relayed to frequency which basilar membrane vibrates (how many hairs vibrated).
Primary auditory cortex
Responsible for sound processing and perception, distribution of cells organized by specific frequencies.
