Week 9: Sensation and Perception Flashcards
Define “Sensation”
The process by which sensory organs gather information and send it to the brain for processing
Define “Perception”
The process by which the brain selects, organises and interprets sensations
Explain “Sensory Threshold”
The minimum amount of stimulus required to activate a sensory system
What are the two components of Signal Detection Theory?
Initial sensory process (observers sensitivity) and Decision process (observers response bias)
What are the two laws which govern difference thresholds?
Weber’s law and Fechner’s law
Explain Weber’s Law
Regardless of the magnitude of two stimuli, the second must differ by a constant proportion to be perceived as different
Explain Fechner’s Law
As the perceived intensity of stimuli grows, the subjective experience grows arithmetically
What is “Transduction”?
The process of converting stimuli into neural impulses
What is the role of the “Sensory Receptors”?
To detect physical energy and convert stimuli into neural impulse (Transduction)
