Unit 4 Flashcards
sensation
the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
perception
the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events
bottom-up processing
analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration of sensory information
top-down processing
information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations
selective attention
the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus
inattentional blindness
failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere
change blindness
failing to notice changes in the environment
psychophysics
the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them.
absolute threshold
the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time
signal detection theory
a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person’s experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness.
subliminal
below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness
priming
the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perceptions, memory, or response.
difference threshold
the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time. We experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference (jnd).
Weber’s Law
the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant percentage (rather than a constant amount)
sensory adaptation
diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
top down processing
information and perception based off of past experiences and expectations.
bottom up processing
analysis and perception based off of the sense receptors
selective attention
pereceptions about objects change from moment to moment (know what the cocktail party effect is)
inattentional blindness
inability to see an object because our attention is elsewhere
change blindness
inattentional blindness in which people don’t expect a change. when the change happens, they doubt that they perceived a change in the first place
transduction
in sensation, the transformation of stimulus energy into neural impulses
vision
phototransduction: converts light energy into neural iompulses that we can understand
wavelength (hue)
dimension of color dteremined by the wavelength of the light. wavelength is determined by the distance from one peak of a wave to another
intensity
amount of energy in a light wave determined by the amplitude (the width of the wavelength).
the lens
transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to focus imagges on the retina
rods
high sensitivity to light. low sense to color. low sense to detail.
cones
low sensitivity to liht. high sense to color. high sense to detail
Bipolar Cells
receive messages from photoreceptors and transmits them to anaglion cells
Ganglion Cells
transmits messages from bipolar cells to the optuic nerve
optic nerve
carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
blind spot
point where the optic nerve leaves eye because there are no receptor cells located there
Fovea
central point in the retina around which the eye’s cones cluster
subdivisions of visual processing
color, depth, form, motion
Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic Theory
retina contains three receptors sensitive to red, blue, and green colors
Opponent Process Theory
we process four primary colors combined in pairs of red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white
three sound characteristics
frequency (pitch), intensity (loudness), quality (timbre)
Place Theory
sound frequencies stimulate the basilar membrane at specific places resulting in perceived sounds
Frequency Theory
rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch
conduction hearing loss
caused by damage to system that conducts sounds waves to the cochlea
sensorineural hearing loss
hearing loss caused by damage to cochlea’s receptor cells or the auditory nerve. aka nerve deafness
skin senses
pressure, warmth, cold, pain
5 basic tastes
sweet, salty, umami, sour, bitter
umami
savory taste (soup stock)
why does scent trigger memories so fast?
brain region for smell is closely related to the regions associated with memory
synesthesia
mixing of the scents. (7 looks yellow)
gestalt grouping principles
proximity, similarity, continuity, closure,connectedness
binocular cues
retinal disparity, convergence
retinal disparity
images from two eyes differ. (touching finger tips together in front of your eyes trick)
convergence
crossing your eyes
monocular cues
relative size interposition relative clairty texture relative height relative motion linear perspective light and shadow motion
Phi Phenomenon
When lights flash at a certain speed they tend to present illusions of motion. (ex: Christmas lights, neon signs)
Size Constancy
we perceive forms as distant or close by the size of them
shape constancy
texture helps us determine shapes better
Ponzo Illusion
(railroad tracks) converging lines indicate that top line is farther away than bottom line
Lightness / Color Constancy
Color of an object remains the same under different illuminations. When the context of the color changes, the color appears different
Perceptual Adaptation
Visual ability to adjust to an artificially displaced visual field. (upside-down glasses)
Perception is…
Biophsychosocial
