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Psychology > 5. Sensation > Flashcards

5. Sensation Flashcards

1
Q

What is sensation?

A

Sensory organs react to stimuli

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2
Q

What is perception?

A

Make meaning of the stimuli

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3
Q

What are the 3 basic elements of sensation?

A
  1. Reception of incoming stimuli from our environment (Each person has a different sensitivity to the stimuli e.g. oriental women are best at tasting)
  2. Transduction of those stimuli to electrical stimuli that the brain can read
  3. Process –> human experience
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4
Q

What is an absolute threshold? Give an example

A

The smallest amount that we can detect e.g. dog has lower threshold in smell and sound that us

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5
Q

What is a difference threshold?

A

Detect change: just noticeable difference

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6
Q

What is Weber’s law?

A

It determine the SMALLEST amount of change we can detect: ORIGINAL STIMULA X CONSTANT

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7
Q

Name weber’s constant for…

a) saltiness of food
b) pressure on skin
c) loudness of sounds
d) Odor
c) heaviness of weights

A 
A) 1/5
B) 1/7
C) 1/10
D) 1/20
E) 1/50
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8
Q

A stone weighing 100g is placed in your hand. How much would a second stone need to weigh for you to know it was lighter?

A

2 g

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9
Q

o Your dad asks you to turn DOWN the volume of your television. The television is presently set at 80 db. You lower the volume to 75 db. Will dad be satisfied?

A

No (need 1/10)

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10
Q

What does signal detection depend on? (3)

A

The stimuli itself
Background “noise” (what is interfering (e.g. where’s waldo)
Biological and physiological state of the receiver

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11
Q

What is sensory adaptation? Give examples

A

Sensory adaptation is the process in which changes in the sensitivity of sensory receptors occur in relation to the stimulus. All senses are believed to experience sensory adaptation.
 you never notice the music at the grocery store until it stops playing
 You go into the hot bath, hurts at the beginning but then you accommodate to it

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12
Q

What is transduction? Give an example

A

the conversion of physical energy we tale in… into ELECTRICAL input that the brain can interpret
E.g. sound waves (pressure) enter our auditory system and must be converted into electrical impulses

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13
Q

Where does transduction occur for vision?

A

o the conversion of light waves into electrical impulses occurs in the RETINA at the back of the eye
o Light sensitive cells (receptors – rods and cones) are activated and release chemicals… these chemicals convert the light energy into ELECTRICAL IMPULSES

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14
Q

Where are electrical impulses relayed for vision after transduction occurs?

A

Impulses are relayed to GANGLIONIC cells whose axons form the OPTIC NERVE
Optic nerve –> Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus –> Visual cortex
Visual cortex has FEATURE DETECTORS: Specialized cells
Builds “picture” ——- and moved forward to understand what has been seen

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15
Q

What do rods do?

A

Rods can give us vision in light but cannot read wavelengths

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16
Q

What is the blind spot?

A

blind spot: optic nerve attached to retina (no rods or cones there). If the light hits there –> blind spot

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17
Q

What in the eye is needed for color vision?

A

color vision: RODS and CONES in the retina: only the cones ‘read’ wavelength, but NEED LIGHT in order to fire

18
Q

What are the 2 theories of color processing? Explain them.

A
  1. Trichromatic Theory: Colour is a MIX of: Red, Blue, Green
  2. Opponent Process Theory: Cells fire to signal color – causes a decrease in the firing rate of its opposite colour:
    a. RED —-> Green
    b. BLUE —> YELLOW
19
Q

What is color based on? Give examples

A 
the characteristics of the waves
Short, frequent waves: Bluish colour
Long, low frequency waves: Red colour
High waves: Bright colors
Low, flat waves: Dull colors
20
Q

What determines the sense we hear?

A

Characteristics of the sound waves.
Height of wave: LOUDNESS
Frequency of wave: PITCH

21
Q

What are the 3 stages of hearing?

A

OUTER EAR
MIDDLE EAR
INNER EAR

22
Q

What is included in the outer ear?

A

Eardrum

23
Q

What is included in the middle ear?

A

Hammer
Anvil
Stirrup

24
Q

What is included in the inner ear?

A

Cochlea

25
Q

Where does transduction take place for hearing?

A

Inner ear

26
Q

How does the message reach the brain after transduction in hearing?

A

Auditory nerve sends message to auditory cortex (temporal lobe)

27
Q

What is deafness caused by?

A

Damage to hair cells in the inner ear

28
Q

What is the range of human hearing?

A

20-20,000 cycles per second

29
Q

What is the unit of measurement for loudness?

A

Decibels (Db)

30
Q

How does the loudness of a sound change as it increases of 10 Db?

A

It becomes 10x louder

31
Q

How do we sense smell?

A

Airborne molecules bind to receptors in nose –> Lock and key mechanism –> olfactory bulb (brain)

32
Q

How does smell interact with taste?

A

Block nose: Cannot distinguish between coffee-chocolate
• Pheromones… animal mating (smell of sex)
• Male sweat regulates menstrual cycle

33
Q

How do we sense taste?

A

Receptors: Taste buds on the tongue and roof or mouth

34
Q

What are the 4 basic tastes?

A

SWEET – SOUR – SALTY — BITTER

35
Q

Where does the most pleasure for food come from?

A

Smell

36
Q

How does expectancy affect smell?

A

For the same smell, subjects were told in advance the smell was body odour or cheddar cheese
Different brain patterns of activity in olfactory cortex
Word label of smell influenced their limbic system
Expectancy factor

37
Q

What are the 4 skin senses?

A

Touch
Pain
Pressure
Hot-cold

38
Q

Where is the action for skin sensing in the brain?

A

Sensory cortex in front part of the PARIETAL lobe

39
Q

Who did the gate control theory and how does it work?

A

Melzack
Gate opens and closes
Acute pain: Short and strong; gate opens and closes and opens and closes
Chronic pain: you’re never totally free; the gate opens and it stays open
Example: rub area closes gate

40
Q

What does acuponcture lead to?

A

Releases endorphins

41
Q

Why is post-partum depression happening?

A

Hooked onto endorphin sensation of pregnancy

Psychology (7 decks)

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