III. Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Cornea

Answer 1

Layer that covers and protects the eye.

Question 2

Pupil

Answer 2

Center of the eye where light enters.

Question 3

Iris

Answer 3

Colored muscles surrounding the eye, it determines the amount of light entering the eye as it expands or contracts the pupil.

Question 4

Lens

Answer 4

Behind the pupil, reflects the light waves to the back of the eye.

Question 5

eye

Accommodation

Answer 5

Adjusting the focus of the eyes to certain areas and objects.

Question 6

Transduction

Answer 6

The process in which light waves/sound waves transform into neural impulses.

Question 7

Retina

Answer 7

Back of the eye where transduction takes place.

Question 8

Rods

Answer 8

Process black and white.

Question 9

Cones

Answer 9

Process colors. Cones = Color.

Question 10

Optic nerve

Answer 10

Sends messages from the eye to the brain, specifically the occipital lobe.

Question 11

Blind spot

Answer 11

The point at which the optic nerve leaves the retina and processes into the brain. (Occurs when the eye blinks).

Question 12

Fovea

Answer 12

Center of the retina, containing the highest concentration of cones.

Question 13

Wavelength

Answer 13

Length of waves that determine the color. Longer wavelengths are red, whereas shorter wavelengths are blue.

Question 14

Hue

Answer 14

Dimension of color.

Question 15

Intensity

Answer 15

The quantitative value of stimulus or sensation.

Question 16

Outer ear

Answer 16

Transmits sound waves into the ear.

Question 17

Pinna

Answer 17

Relays sound waves into the auditory canal.

Question 18

Auditory canal

Answer 18

Processes the sound waves into the middle ear.

Question 19

Middle ear

Answer 19

Processes the auditory information through the ossicles.

Question 20

Tympanic membrane

Answer 20

Separates the outer ear from the middle ear.

Question 21

Ossicles(Hammer, Anvil, Stirrup)

Answer 21

Amplify sound waves and transmit them to the inner ear.

Question 22

Inner ear

Answer 22

Transforms sound waves into neural impulses.

Question 23

Cochlea

Answer 23

Converts sound waves into neural impulses.

Question 24

Basilar membrane

Answer 24

Bends hair cells in the Cochlea and processes vibrations.

Question 25

Auditory nerve

Answer 25

Neural impulses are transmitted from the ear to the brain, specifically the temporal lobe.

Question 26

Audition

Answer 26

Sense of hearing.

Question 27

Frequency

Answer 27

The number of waves in a period of time.

Question 28

Pitch

Answer 28

Intensity of sound. Amplitude of waves determines the loudness.

Question 29

Sensorineural hearing loss

Answer 29

Damage to the hair cells, thus preventing transduction. It results in deafness and is more common. Fortunately, the hair cells can regrow.

Question 30

Conduction hearing loss

Answer 30

Damage done to ossicles, preventing sound waves from transferring into the inner ear. Unfortunately, the ossicles can not be regenerated.

Question 31

Cochlear implant

Answer 31

Electronic hearing device, stimulating nerves in the inner ear. It aids individuals experiencing deafness.

Question 32

Signal detection theory

Answer 32

Predicts when an individual will detect weak signals. (Hit, Miss, False Alarm, Correct Rejection).

Question 33

Absolute threshold

Answer 33

The level of stimulation required to detect a stimulus 50% of the time.

Question 34

Subliminal

Answer 34

Below the threshold for consciousness.

Question 35

Priming

Answer 35

The activation, often unconscious, of certain associations.

Question 36

Difference threshold

Answer 36

The smallest amount of distinction between two stimuli required to detect a difference.

Question 37

Weber’s Law

Answer 37

Demonstrates that it is difficult to detect a difference with high stimulus intensity, whereas, it is easier to detect a difference with a low stimulus intensity.

Question 38

Bottom up processing

Answer 38

The idea that sensory information influences thinking in an unfamiliar environment. Sensation over perception.

Question 39

Top down processing

Answer 39

The idea that an individual brings prior knowledge to an environment/situation they are familiar with. Perception over sensation.

Question 40

Selective attention

Answer 40

The process of focusing on one particular situation or object.

Question 41

Inattentional blindness

Answer 41

Failing to notice changes in the environment as an individual has their selective attention focused elsewhere.

Question 42

Sensory adaptation

Answer 42

No longer feeling the effects of a certain stimulus—an individual has adjusted to the incoming stimuli.

Question 43

Perceptual set

Answer 43

A predisposition to perceive things a certain way. While noticing some details, an individual might leave others out.

Question 44

Feature detectors

Answer 44

Cells(retinal ganglion) that process information in the brain, specifically the occipital lobe.

Question 45

Parallel processing

Answer 45

The ability to process multiple stimuli simultaneously.

Question 46

Trichromatic theory

Answer 46

The idea that there are only three colors: red, green, and blue. They mix together to create other colors.

Question 47

Opponent-process theory

Answer 47

The idea that when one color is stimulated, another color is inhibited.

Question 48

Gestalt

Answer 48

An organized whole.

Question 49

Figure-ground

Answer 49

The tendency to perceive the main object as the figure, and the rest as the ground.

Question 50

Grouping

Answer 50

Perceiving items as one united object or situation.

Question 51

Depth perception

Answer 51

The ability to perceive the world in 3-D