Psych Chapter 3

Question 1

Sensation

Answer 1

The process of detecting a sound, physical stimulus, such as light, sound, heat or pressure

Question 2

Perception

Answer 2

The process of integrating, organizing, and interpreting sensations

Question 3

Sensory Receptors

Answer 3

Specialized cells unique to each organ that respond to a particular form of sensory stimulation.

Question 4

Absolute Threshold

Answer 4

The smallest possible strength of a stimulus that can be detected half the time.

Question 5

Transduction

Answer 5

The process by which physical energy is converted into a coded neural signal that can be processed by the nervous system.

Question 6

Difference Threshold

Answer 6

The smallest possible difference between 2 stimuli that can be detected half the time. Also called “Noticeable Difference”.

Question 7

sensory adaptation

Answer 7

The gradual decline in sensitivity ti a constant stimulus.

Question 8

Wavelength

Answer 8

the distance from one wave peak to another

Question 9

Pupul

Answer 9

The opening in the middle of the iris that changes size to let in different amounts of light

Question 10

Lens

Answer 10

A transparent structure located behind the pupil that actively focuses or bends light as it enters the eye.

Question 11

Accommodation

Answer 11

the process by which the lens changes shape to focus incoming light falls into the retina

Question 12

retina

Answer 12

a thin light-sensitive membrane located at the back of the eye which contains the sensory receptors for vision

Question 13

rods

Answer 13

the long thin blunt sensory receptor of the eye that are highly sensitive to light but not color

Question 14

cones

Answer 14

a short thick pointed sensory receptor of the eye that detects color

Question 15

fovea

Answer 15

a small area of the center of the retina composed entirely of cones, where visual info is most sharply focused

Question 16

blind spot

Answer 16

the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, producing a small gap in the field of vision

Question 17

optic nerve

Answer 17

the thick nerve that exits from the back of the eye and carries visual info to the visual cortex in the brain

Question 18

optic chiasm

Answer 18

the point in the brain where the optic nerve fibers from each eye meet and partly cross over the opposite side of the brain

Question 19

trichromatic theory of color vision

Answer 19

theory that the sensation of color results because cones are especially sensitive to red light, green light, or blue light.

Question 20

opponent process theory of color vision

Answer 20

Color vision is the product of opposing pairs of color receptors. (Red-green) (Blue-yellow) (Black white). When one is stimulated the other is inhibited.

Question 21

audition

Answer 21

Term for sense of hearing

Question 22

pitch

Answer 22

relative high or lowness of a sound, determined by the frequency of a sound wave.

Question 23

frequency

Answer 23

rate of vibration or number of sound waves per second

Question 24

outer ear

Answer 24

part of the ear that collects all of the sound waves, includes the pinna the ear canal and the ear drum

Question 25

middle ear

Answer 25

the part of the ear that amplifies sound wave consisting of the hammer, anvil, and stirrup.

Question 26

cochlea

Answer 26

The coiled fluid-filled inner ear structure that contains basilar membrane and hair cells

Question 27

basilar membrane

Answer 27

Membrane within the cochlea of the ear containing hair cells

Question 28

hair cells

Answer 28

sensory receptors for sound which are embedded in the basilar membrane

Question 29

frequency theory

Answer 29

view that basilar membrane vibrates at the same frequency as the sound

Question 30

olfaction

Answer 30

sense of smell

Question 31

gustation

Answer 31

sense of taste

Question 32

pheromones

Answer 32

chemical signals that have evolved for communication with other members of the same species called chemosignals

Question 33

olfactory bulb

Answer 33

enlarged ending of the olfactory cortex at the front of the brain where sensation of smell is registered

Question 34

taste buds

Answer 34

sensory receptors for taste

Question 35

pain

Answer 35

unpleasant sensory emotion associated with body harm

Question 36

gate control theory of pain

Answer 36

the theory that physiological and psychological factors cause spinal gates to open and relay to the brain patterns of stimulation that are perceived as pain

Question 37

proprioception

Answer 37

sense of body movement and position

Question 38

ESP (extrasensory perception)

Answer 38

perception of info caused by means other than through the normal process of sensation

Question 39

parapsychology

Answer 39

investigation of claims of paranormal phenomena and abilites

Question 40

bottom-up processing

Answer 40

Emphasizes sensory receptors in detecting the basic features of a stimulus. Attention focuses on the parts of the pattern before moving the whole.

Question 41

top-down processing

Answer 41

Emphasizes the observer's experiences in arriving at the meaningful perceptions. Attention moves from the whole to the part of the pattern.

Question 42

gestalt psych

Answer 42

School of psych that maintained sensations are actively processed according to consistent perceptual rules, producing meaningful whole perceptions or gestalts

Question 43

figure-ground relationship

Answer 43

gestalt principle states that perception is automatically separated into the figure, which is the main element of the scene, and the ground, which is its background.

Question 44

depth perception

Answer 44

The use of visual cues to perceive the distance of the three-dimensional characteristics of an object.

Question 45

monocular cues

Answer 45

Distance or depth cues that can be processed by either eye alone

Question 46

binocular cues

Answer 46

Distance or depth cues that can be processed by either eye alone

Question 47

perceptual constancy

Answer 47

the tendency to perceive objects, especially familiar objects, as constant and unchanging despite changes in sensory input

Question 48

size constancy

Answer 48

The perception that a familiar object remains the same size regardless of the image produced on our retinas

Question 49

shape constancy

Answer 49

The perception that a familiar object remains the same shape regardless of the image produced on our retinas

Question 50

perceptual illusion

Answer 50

The misperception of the true characteristic of an object or an image

Question 51

Müller-Lyer illusion

Answer 51

a famous visual illusion involving the misperception of the identical length of two lines, one with arrows pointed inward and one with arrows pointed outward

Question 52

moon illusion

Answer 52

a visual illusion involving the misperception that the moon is larger when it is on the horizon than when it is directly overhead.

Question 53

perceptual set

Answer 53

the tendency to perceive objects or situations from a particular frame of reference

Question 54

Inner ear

Answer 54

Part of the ear where sound is transduced into neural impulses. consists of cochlea and semicircular canals

Question 55

place theory

Answer 55

different frequencies cause larger vibrations at different locations along the basilar membrane

Question 56

Myopia

Answer 56

Nearsighted (distant)

Question 57

Presbiopia

Answer 57

Farsighted (nearby)

Question 58

Cataract

Answer 58

Tissue in lens becomes cloudy

Question 59

Astigmatism

Answer 59

Irregular shape of eyeball

Question 60

Nociceptors

Answer 60

React to skin temp and strong pressure. Skin temp full below 59 degrees and above 113 degrees.

Question 61

Thermoreceptors

Answer 61

Contain cold & warm fiber. Cold fibers are 30:1 warm receptors. Cold fibers react less than 86 and warm fibers more than 96.

Question 62

Law of Pragnons

Answer 62

The brain seeks simple, efficient solution to a stim (law of simplicity)

Question 63

A-Beta fibers

Answer 63

Fast pain system thalamus->thalamus->sensory cortex. Sharp intense short-lived pain.

Question 64

C Fibers

Answer 64

Slow pain system, hypo & thalamus -> limbic system (Amygdala) lost lasting throbbing burning pain

Question 65

motion paralax

Answer 65

While moving, objects appear to be moving in the opposite direction

Question 66

mechanoreceptors

Answer 66

detectors that can sense pressure, vibration, and other physical changes

Question 67

webber's law

Answer 67

explain how we perceive differences in things like weight, brightness, or sound. It tells us that the noticeable change depends on the starting point or intensity of the stimulus.

Question 68

volley theory

Answer 68

how groups of neurons work together to transmit signals quickly

Question 69

vestibular sacs

Answer 69

maintain balance and body equalibrium

Question 70

Akinetopsia

Answer 70

motion blindness

Question 71

Capgras Delusion

Answer 71

false belief that an identical duplicate has replaced someone significant to the patient

Question 72

Prosopagnosia

Answer 72

a condition where you have difficulty recognising people's faces

Question 73

Synesthesia

Answer 73

Synesthesia is a neurological condition that causes one sense to be experienced through another

Question 74

mcgurk effect

Answer 74

The illusion occurs because what you are seeing clashes with what you are hearing. Your brain comes up with some third thing that it believes true reality to be. This is called the mcgurk-a-thon