Unit 4: Sensation and Perception Flashcards
Gestalt
organized whole
Gestalt psychologists
Emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes
Figure-ground
The organization of the visual field into objects (figures) that stand out from their surroundings
Grouping
The perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups
Depth perception
The ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina or two dimensional; allows us to judge distance
Visual cliff
Lab device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals
Binocular cues
Depth cues, such as retinal disparity, the depend on the use of two eyes
Retinal disparity
A binocular cue for perceiving depth by comparing images from the retina is in the two eyes, the brain computes distance – the greater the disparity (difference) between the two images, the closer the object
Monocular cues
Depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone
Phi phenomenon
And illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
Perceptual constancy
Perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change
Color constancy
Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if the changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object
Perceptual adaptation
In vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field
Optic nerve
The nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
Blind spot
The point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye creating a “blind spot” because no receptor cells are located there
Fovea
The central focal point in the retina
Feature detectors
Nerve cells in the brain that respond to the specific features of the stimuli, such as shape, angle or movement
Parallel processing
Processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brains natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. This contrast with the step-by-step processing of most computers and conscious problem-solving
Sensory adaptation
Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Webers law
The principle that to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage
Difference threshold
Minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection
Priming
The activation, unconsciously, of certain associations thus predisposing one’s perception, memory or response
Subliminal
Below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Signal detection theory
Predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint signal amid background noise… this assumes that there is no single absolute threshold of and that the section depends partly on experience, expectation, motivation and alertness
Absolute threshold
The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimuli
Psychophysics
The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity and our psychological experience of them
Transduction
Conversion of one form of energy into another, in sensation, the transformation of stimulus and it’s energy coming from the senses into neural impulses
Change blindness
Failing to notice changes in environment
Inattentional blindness
Failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere
Selective attention
The focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus
Top-down processing
Information processing guided by higher level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations
Bottom up processing
Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration of sensory information
Perception
The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events
Sensation
The process by which are sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
Cones
Retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and function in daylight or in well lit conditions cones detect fine detail and give rise to color
Rods
Retinal receptors that detect black/white/gray, they are necessary for peripheral and twilight vision when cones don’t respond
Wavelength
The distance from the peak of one light or soundwave to the peak of the next
Hue
The dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light; what we know is the color names
Intensity
The amount of energy in a light or soundwave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, determined by wave amplitude
Pupil
The adjustable opening at center of the eye where light enters
Iris
A ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye and controls the size of the pupil
Retina
Light-sensitive inner surface of eye, containing receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin processing visual information
Accommodation
The process by which the eyes lens changes shape to focus near or far objects
Parapsychology
The study of paranormal phenomena, including ESP and psychokinesis
Extrasensory perception
The controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input; includes telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition
Perceptual set
A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not the other
Audition
The sense or act of hearing
Frequency
The number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in the given time
Pitch
The tones experienced highness or lowness based on frequency
Middle ear
Chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones that concentrate the vibrators of the eardrum on the cochlea’s oval window
Three bones in the chamber of the ear
Hammer, anvil, stirrup
Cochlea
A coiled, bony, fluid filled tube in the inner ear, sound waves travel through the cochlear fluid to trigger nerve impulses
Inner ear
The innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
Sensorineural hearing loss
Hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea’s receptor cells, hair cells or to the auditory nerves; also called deafness
Cochlear implant
A device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
Conduction hearing loss
Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts soundwaves to the cochlea
Place theory
Theory that links the pitch that we here with the place where the cochlea’s membrane is stimulated
Frequency theory
The theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense pitch
Gate control theory
The theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological gate that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. The gate is open by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by the activity in larger fibers or by information coming from the brain
Kinesthesia
The system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
Vestibular sense
The sense of body movement and position, including sense of balance
Sensory interaction
The principle that one sends me influence another, as when the smell of food influences it’s taste
Olfactory bulb
Combine smell and taste, these cells line the top of the nasal cavity
Embodied cognition
In psychological science, the influence of bodily sensations, gestures and other states on cognitive preferences and judgments
Telepathy
Mind to mind communication
Clairvoyance
Perceiving remote events, from a distance
Precognition
Seeing future events
Trichromatic theory
The idea that three primary colors of light: red, green, blue, are the most sensitive wavelengths to the cones
Opponent process theory
The idea that when you focus on a set of colors for a long period of time, the cones for those colors will become fatigued and you will see the opposite colors
Cornea
Located the front of the eye, bends and focuses light waves
Lens
Transparent structure behind the pupil, changes shape to help focus images on the retina
Ways to group
Proximity, continuity, enclosure
Relative height
Perceive objects higher in our field of vision as farther away because we assume the lower part of the figure ground illustration is closer
Relative size
Assuming two objects are similar in size, most people perceive the one that cast a smaller retinal image is farther away
Interposition
Interpose means to come between, if one object partially blocks our view of another we perceive it is closer
Relative motion
As we move, objects that are actually stable may appear to move
Linear perspective
Parallel lines appear to me in the distance. The sharper angle of convergence, the greater perceive distance
Light and shadow
Shading produces a sense of depth consistent with our Sumption that light comes from above
Volley principle
Explains how we hear pitches in the middle range
Eardrum
Tight membrane separating the middle ear from the outer ear
Oval window
The point at which vibrations enter the cochlea
Sweet taste
Indicates energy source
Salty taste
Sodium essential to psychological processes
Sour taste
Potentially toxic
Bitter taste
Potentially poisonous
Umami
Proteins to grow and repair tissue
