vocab sensation and perception Flashcards
unit 5 basic definitions
sensation
how we detect physical energy from environment and encode it as neural signals
sensation provides information by ____
activating our senses
perception
how we select, organize and interpret information
perception draws from ______
experiences and process of understanding
bottom-up processing
analysis that begins with sensory receptors (ex. puzzle w/o picture)
top-down processing
constructs perceptions by drawing on experience and expectations (ex. puzzle w/ picture)
psychophysics is
how physical energy relates to our psychological experience
absolute threshold
minimum amount of stimulation to detect 50% of the time
difference threshold
minimum difference between two stimuli to detect change 50% of the time
method of limits
minimal stimulation to hear/see it (ex. volume on tv)
method of right & wrong cases
identical stimuli presenteed repeatedly, being able to tell if they are different or the same (ex. hearing test)
method of adjustment
adjusting a a comparison stimuli until it appears identical (ex. vision test)
Weber’s Law
law that difference threshold grows with magnitude of stimulus
sensory habituation
receptor cells become less responsive in response to repeated stimulation
ex. ringtone
sensory adaptation
diminished sensitivity after constant stimulation ex. cold pool
