Unit 4 Key Terms

Question 1

Sensation

Answer 1

Information received from the environment.
(Ex. Feeling heat from the sun)

Question 2

Perception

Answer 2

The way sensations are interpreted.
(Ex. One might feel the heat from the sun and interpret as good weather, while another might perceive it as too hot)

Question 3

Transduction

Answer 3

The translation of a psychological stimulus into an emotional response.
(Ex. The smell of smoke is sent as a signal to the brain, and the signal is translated in the assumption that something is burning)

Question 4

Absolute Threshold

Answer 4

The lowest level of stimuli that a person can detect.
(Ex. Someone whispers to their friend very quietly but makes sure that it isn’t too quiet to the point where their friend can’t hear it.)

Question 5

Difference Threshold

Answer 5

The smallest possible change in a stimulus that a person can detect.
(Ex. A person is showering and only notices that the water is colder after it drops 5 degrees)

Question 6

Top-Down Processes

Answer 6

When information is perceived based on knowledge or past experiences
(Ex. A person sees a dog and avoids it because they were bitten by one in the past)

Question 7

Bottom-Up Processes

Answer 7

When sensory receptors receive signals for the brain to process
(Ex. A person touches a hot stove, the touch is detected by sensory receptors and sent to the brain to be processed as pain)

Question 8

Sclera

Answer 8

The white part of the eye which supplies protection and construction to the eye

Question 9

Cornea

Answer 9

The outermost transparent layer, which protects the iris and pupil. It allows light to enter the eye

Question 10

Iris

Answer 10

The colored part of the eye which controls the size of the pupil (dilates or contracts)

Question 11

Pupil

Answer 11

The opening (black part) in the center of the eye that allows for light to enter the eyeball

Question 12

Lens

Answer 12

A transparent, curved structure which is located behind the pupil. It focuses on light coming in from the pupil and bends light to focus it on the retina

Question 13

Retina

Answer 13

The tissue on the back of the eye which is sensitive to light. It contains two types of photoreceptors, rods and cones, which sees images upside down, but our brain turns it right-side up

Question 14

Optic Nerve

Answer 14

It sends messages from the eye to the brain to help you analyze what you’re seeing. For example, the image in front of you, lets say a dog, is sent to the brain to be interpreted as a dog

Question 15

Rods

Answer 15

A type of photoreceptor cell located in the outer parts of the retina. They help with peripheral vision and good vision in low light settings, but NOT with color

Question 16

Cones

Answer 16

A type of photoreceptor cell located in the retina, that shows colors and small details

Question 17

Opponent-Process Theory

Answer 17

A theory that states that color perception is managed by three receptor complexes with opposite actions. The three complexes are the red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white complex

Question 18

Feature Detection

Answer 18

A process where the nervous system organizes stimuli into three categories: color, form, and motion

Question 19

Audition (+ Sound)

Answer 19

When sound hits the ear. Sound is mechanical energy that is usually caused by the vibration of objects. These vibrations create sound waves (air molecules moving)

Question 20

Frequency

Answer 20

The pitch of a sound. It is basically how high or low a sound is.

Question 21

Amplitude

Answer 21

Corresponds to volume and is measured in decibals

Question 22

Complexity

Answer 22

Corresponds to quality and is measured by looking at the shape of the soundwave

Question 23

Place Theory

Answer 23

Differences in pitch result from stimulation of different areas of the basilar membrane. In other words, different sounds stimulate different parts of the ear, so we hear different pitches.

Question 24

Frequency Theory

Answer 24

Differences in pitch result in different frequencies of sound waves that are sent to the auditory nerve. That is how we register different sounds.

Question 25

Conductive deafness

Answer 25

When sound waves are unable to be transferred from outer to inner ear; causes include tumors, objects in ear canal, infections, otosclerosis (genetic; degeneration of the middle ear bones)

Question 26

Sensorineural deafness

Answer 26

Damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve leading to the brain. Causes include infections, genetic defects, exposure to loud noises, trauma, high blood pressure, diabetes, MS

Question 27

Gustation

Answer 27

The taste cells that are a chemical-sensitive receptors that are located in the taste bud clusters.

Question 28

Touch Plasticity

Answer 28

When one of the areas of the skin is used a lot, it becomes a lot more sensitive, and the receptors start to “take over” more of the space in your brain that is corresponding to the sensory region of the brain

Question 29

Depth Perception

Answer 29

The ability to see three dimensions (including the width, length, and depth) and is there to judge how far away an object is

Question 30

Binocular Cues

Answer 30

The depth cues that are provided by both eyes

Question 31

Monocular Cues

Answer 31

The depth cues that are provided by one eye

Question 32

Sensory Adaptation

Answer 32

The reduction that comes from sensitivity to a stimulus after constant exposure to it

Question 33

Relative Size

Answer 33

A monocular cue: All else being equal, more distant objects look smaller

Question 34

Texture Gradient

Answer 34

A monocular cue: Object textures become less apparent farther away

Question 35

Interposition

Answer 35

A monocular cue: If Object A is blocking our view of Object B, this must mean that Object A is closer to us than Object B. Also known as: occlusion.

Question 36

Linear Perspective

Answer 36

A monocular cue: Parallel lines converge as distance increases, eventually meeting at a vanishing point

Question 37

Height in Plane

Answer 37

A monocular cue: Distant objects tend to appear higher than closer objects.

Question 38

Light and Shadow

Answer 38

A monocular cue: Objects cast shadows that show their 3-dimensional shape.

Question 39

Binocular Disparity

Answer 39

Because our two eyes are offset, they produce two different images. Our brains use the disparity between these images to calculate depth.

Question 40

Binocular Convergence

Answer 40

Looking at closer objects causes our eyes to converge. Our brains use this information to calculate depth. There is more convergence with closer objects.