Unit Three: Sensation and Perception Flashcards

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1
Q

Sensation

A

the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment

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2
Q

Perception

A

the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events

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3
Q

Bottom-up processing

A

analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information

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4
Q

Top-down processing

A

information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

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5
Q

Selective attention

A

the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

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6
Q

Inattentional blindness

A

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

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7
Q

Change blindness

A

failing to notice changes in the environment

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8
Q

Transduction

A

conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brain can interpret

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9
Q

Psychophysics + Scientist

A

the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them

Gustov Fechner- absolute thresholds

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10
Q

Absolute thresholds

A

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

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11
Q

Signal detection theory

A

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

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12
Q

Subliminal

A

below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness

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13
Q

Priming

A

the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perception, memory, or response

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14
Q

Difference threshold

A

the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time. We experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference

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15
Q

Weber’s law

A

the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount)

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16
Q

Sensory adaptation

A

diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

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17
Q

Absolute threshold for vision

A

Candle 30 miles away

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18
Q

Absolute threshold for hearing

A

Watch 20ft away

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19
Q

Absolute threshold for taste

A

Tsp of sugar in 2 gallons of water

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20
Q

Absolute threshold for smell

A

Drop of perfume in small 3bed apartment

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21
Q

Absolute threshold for touch

A

Bee’s wing on cheek from one centimeter away

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22
Q

Perceptual set

A

a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another

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23
Q

Extrasensory perception (ESP)

A

the controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input; includes telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition

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24
Q

Parapsychology

A

the study of paranormal phenomena, including ESP and psychokinesis

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25
Q

Telepathy

A

Mind to mind

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26
Q

Clairvoyance

A

Perceiving remote events

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27
Q

Precognition

A

Perceiving future events

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28
Q

Psychokinesis

A

Mind over matter

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29
Q

Hubel and Wiesel

A

Ind. cells in the brain determine ind. things (lines vs shapes) called feature detectors

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30
Q

Wavelength

A

the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next. Electromagnetic wavelengths vary from the short blips of cosmic rays to the long pulses of radio transmission

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31
Q

Hue

A

the dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light; what we know as the color names blue, green, and so forth.

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32
Q

Intensity

A

the amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, as determined by the wave’s amplitude

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33
Q

Cornea + water under

A

protects the eye and bends light to provide focus, aqueous humor

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34
Q

Pupil

A

the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters

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35
Q

Iris

A

a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening

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36
Q

Lens + jelly behind

A

the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina, vitreous humor

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37
Q

Retina

A

the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information

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38
Q

Accommodation

A

(1) in sensation and perception, the process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina
(2) in developmental psychology, adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information

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39
Q

Rods

A

retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral (they are away from he fovea) and twilight vision, when cones don’t respond. They share bipolar cells and there are more of them then cones

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40
Q

Cones

A

retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina (fovea) and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. The cones detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations. They have their own bipolar cells and there is less of them.

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41
Q

Optic nerve

A

the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

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42
Q

Blind spot + other name

A

the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a “blind” spot because no receptor cells are located there, optic disk

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43
Q

Fovea

A

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

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44
Q

Feature detectors and scientists

A

nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement (Hubel and Wiesel)

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45
Q

Parallel processing

A

the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain’s natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving

46
Q

Young-Helmholtz trichromatic (three-color) theory

A

the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors—one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue—which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color

47
Q

Opponent-process theory

A

the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green

48
Q

Ponzo illusion

A

lines on a railroad track, “farther” line looks bigger

49
Q

Mueller-Lyer illusion

A

two lines, with regular and inverted arrowheads, inverted looks longer

50
Q

Poggendorf

A

parallel lines crossed over with lines in different directions look crooked

51
Q

Hermann Grid

A

set of black boxes, white intersections look like black dots until you look at them

52
Q

Gestalt

A

an organized whole. Gestalt psychologists emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes

53
Q

Necker cube

A

eight blue circles, each containing three converging white lines that forms a cube that sometimes reverses direction

54
Q

Figure-ground

A

the organization of the visual field into objects (the figures) that stand out from their surroundings (the ground)

55
Q

Grouping

A

the perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups

56
Q

Proximity

A

we group nearby figures together

57
Q

Continuity

A

we perceive smooth, continuous patterns rather than discontinuous ones

58
Q

Closure

A

we fill in gaps to create a complete, whole object

59
Q

Depth perception

A

the ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional; allows us to judge distance

60
Q

Visual cliff + scientists

A

a laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals

Gibson and Walk

61
Q

Binocular cues

A

depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two eyes

62
Q

Retinal disparity

A

a binocular cue for perceiving depth: By comparing images from the retinas in the two eyes, the brain computes distance—the greater the disparity (difference) between the two images, the closer the object

63
Q

Monocular cues

A

depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone

64
Q

Phi phenomenon

A

an illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession

65
Q

Stroboscopic movement

A

continuous movement is perceived as a rapid series of slightly varying images

66
Q

Perceptual constancy

A

perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent shapes, size, brightness, and color) even as illumination and retinal images change

67
Q

Color constancy

A

perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object

68
Q

Moon illusion

A

the moon looks 50% larger near the horizon

69
Q

Perceptual adaptation

A

in vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field

70
Q

Snellen chart

A

measure visual acuity

71
Q

Rodopsin

A

dark vision, helps your rods pick up light

72
Q

Audition

A

the sense or act of hearing

73
Q

Frequency

A

the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time (for example, per second).

74
Q

Pitch

A

a tone’s experienced highness or lowness; depends on frequency

75
Q

Middle ear

A

the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea’s oval window

76
Q

Cochlea

A

a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear; sound waves traveling through the cochlear fluid trigger nerve impulses

77
Q

Inner ear

A

the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs

78
Q

Sensorineural hearing loss

A

hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea’s receptor cells or to the auditory nerves. (Also called nerve deafness.)

79
Q

Conduction hearing loss

A

hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea

80
Q

Cochlear implant

A

a device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea

81
Q

Place theory

A

in hearing, the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea’s membrane is stimulated

82
Q

Frequency theory

A

in hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch

83
Q

Gate-control theory + two scientists

A

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 opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers or by information coming from the brain (Ronald Melzack and Patrick Wall)

84
Q

Nociceptors

A

sensory receptors that detect hurtful temperatures, pressure, or chemicals

85
Q

Linda Buck and Richard Axel

A

discovered (in work for which they received a 2004 Nobel Prize) that these receptor proteins are embedded on the surface of nasal cavity neurons

86
Q

Kinesthesia

A

the system for sensing the position and movement of individual body part

87
Q

Vestibular sense

A

the sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance

88
Q

Sensory interaction

A

the principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste

89
Q

McGurk effect + scientists

A

while seeing the mouth movements for ga while hearing ba we may perceive da. Harry McGurk and John MacDonald

90
Q

Embodied cognition

A

in psychological science, the influence of bodily sensations, gestures, and other states on cognitive preferences and judgments

91
Q

Synesthesia

A

where one sort of sensation (such as hearing sound) produces another (such as seeing color)

92
Q

Ames room

A

The thing busby built, two same size objects loom different sizes

93
Q

Outer ear

A

Auditory canal and eardrum

94
Q

Other name for ear drum

A

Tempanic membrane

95
Q

Long name for hair cells in the ear

A

Stereocillia

96
Q

Other name for the auditory nerve

A

Cochlear nerve

97
Q

Place where stirrup attaches to cochlea

A

Oval window

98
Q

Basilar membrane

A

Surface of the inside of the cochlea

99
Q

Pitch theory

A

Different hairs deal with different pitches

100
Q

Range of Hz

A

20-2000

101
Q

Infrasound

A

Sounds below us

102
Q

Tinnitus

A

Ringing in the ears after hearing loss

103
Q

Substance P

A

Neurotransmitter, swells things (sprains)

104
Q

Name for natural pain-killers

A

Endogenous opioid peptides

105
Q

Three types of pain

A

Visceral-organs
Referred-away from starting point
Somatic-ankle, hand, etc

106
Q

Two major types of pain

A

Warning and reminding

107
Q

Other name for taste buds

A

Papillae

108
Q

Olfaction

A

Smell

109
Q

Which organ acts like a gyroscope?

A

Semicircular canals

110
Q

Olfactory bulb

A

Surface of nasal cavity

111
Q

Prosopagnosia

A

Face blindness