1 Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is the function of senses?
Detect energy or substances in the environment to sample and interpret surroundings.
What are the types of senses?
- Detect energy (e.g., vision).
- Sample substances (e.g., taste).
What are the limitations of senses?
Can only detect a small portion of available environmental information (e.g., visible light for vision).
What is sensation?
Receiving environmental information and converting it into neural impulses for the brain.
What is perception?
Organizing and interpreting sensory patterns to understand objects and events.
What is transduction?
The conversion of physical stimuli into neural signals.
What is the absolute threshold?
The minimum stimulus intensity detectable 50% of the time.
What is the difference threshold (Just Noticeable Difference, JND)?
Smallest detectable change in stimulus intensity, depending on the magnitude of the standard stimulus.
What is Weber’s Law?
JND is a constant proportion of the stimulus.
What does Signal Detection Theory examine?
Sensitivity and response criteria for detecting stimuli.
What outcomes are defined in Signal Detection Theory?
- Hit: Detect stimulus when present.
- Miss: Fail to detect present stimulus.
- False Alarm: Detect stimulus when absent.
- Correct Rejection: Do not detect absent stimulus.
What is adaptation in sensory systems?
Reduced sensitivity from continuous exposure to a stimulus (e.g., adapting to background noise).
What are non-adapting stimuli?
Stimuli that do not lead to adaptation, such as sirens or emergency lights.
What are the components of eye anatomy?
- Cornea: Transparent covering.
- Pupil/Iris: Controls light entry.
- Lens: Focuses light on the retina.
- Retina: Contains sensory cells (cones and rods).
- Fovea: High concentration of cones for detailed vision.
- Optic Nerve: Transmits signals to the brain.
What is the role of cones and rods in vision?
Cones are color-sensitive and used in bright light; rods are monochrome-sensitive and used in dim light.
What is visual chemistry?
Chemicals in rods and cones trigger action potentials sent to the occipital lobe.
What is the Trichromatic Theory?
Red, green, blue cones combine to create colors.
What is the Opponent-Process Theory?
Pairs of receptors (e.g., red/green) work in opposition.
What are saccades?
Rapid movements of the eyes to scan the environment.
What are the components of hearing anatomy?
- Outer Ear: Guides sound waves.
- Middle Ear: Vibrations of eardrum transfer to tiny bones (malleus, incus, stapes).
- Inner Ear: Cochlea houses the Organ of Corti (sensitive hairs attached to nerve fibers).
What theories explain pitch perception?
- Place Theory: Specific parts of the basilar membrane vibrate for specific frequencies.
- Frequency Theory: Frequency of sound waves matches the vibration rate of hair cells.
How does smell (olfaction) work?
Molecules bind to receptors in a lock-and-key fashion to produce different smells.
What are the four primary tastes?
Sweet, sour, salty, bitter.
What is the function of taste buds?
Taste buds regenerate.
