Sensation

Question 1

depth perception

Answer 1

one’s cognitive understanding of how close or distant objects (or parts of objects) are located

Question 2

form perception

Answer 2

one’s cognitive understanding of an object’s visible shape and configuration

Question 3

motion perception

Answer 3

one’s cognitive understanding of an object’s speed and direction

Question 4

constancy perception

Answer 4

one’s cognitive understanding that despite variable views of an object, it is still the same object with the same intrinsic characteristics

Question 5

visual cues

Answer 5

perceptual strategies used by our brains to perceive optic information
includes binocular and monocular cues

Question 6

binocular cues

Answer 6

visual cues that rely on visual information from both eyes

includes retinal disparity and convergence

Question 7

retinal disparity

Answer 7

a binocular cue based on the idea that each eye provides a slightly different view of an object and comparing these two views aids our brain with depth perception

Question 8

convergence

Answer 8

a binocular cue based on the idea that our eyes turn inward to a greater degree when looking at objects up close, and our brains consider the degree of inward turning to enhance their depth perception

Question 9

monocular cues

Answer 9

visual cues that rely on information from a single eye
includes relative size, interposition, relative height, shading and contour, motion parallax (relative motion), size/shape/color constancy

Question 10

relative size

Answer 10

a monocular cue based on the idea that when object A is visually smaller than object B, object A is perceived to be smaller (form perception) and farther away (depth perception)

Question 11

interposition

Answer 11

a monocular cue based on the idea that when object A is obstructing one’s view of object B, object A is perceived to be farther away (depth perception)

Question 12

relative height

Answer 12

a monocular cue based on the idea that when object A is visually shorter or higher up in the visual field than object B, object A is perceived to be farther away (depth perception)

Question 13

shading and contour

Answer 13

a monocular cue in which shadows and outlines are used by the brain to enhance depth perception

Question 14

motion parallax (relative motion)

Answer 14

a monocular cue in which fast-moving objects are perceived as being close and slow-moving objects are perceived as being distant (depth perception)

Question 15

size constancy

Answer 15

a monocular cue in which the brain perceives an object as having a constant largeness despite one view of it being visually larger than another view (constancy perception)

Question 16

shape constancy

Answer 16

a monocular cue in which the brain perceives an object as having a constant form despite one view of it being visually different than another view (constancy perception)

Question 17

color constancy

Answer 17

a monocular cue in which the brain perceives an object as having a constant coloration despite one view of it being visually different than another view (constancy perception)

Question 18

sensory adaption

Answer 18

the process by which receptors become less sensitive to a constant stimuli over time

Question 19

auditory sensory adaptation

Answer 19

hearing becomes less sensitive over time due to contraction of the inner ear muscle

Question 20

tactile sensory adaptation

Answer 20

touch sensing nerves become saturated and less sensitive with constant stimuli

Question 21

olfactory sensory adaptation

Answer 21

desensitization to smell when exposed to the same smell for an extended period of time

Question 22

sight sensory adaptation

Answer 22

process of up or downregulation of sensitivity in order to adjust to the amount of ambient light

Question 23

Weber’s Law

Answer 23

states that there is a linear relationship between the background intensity and the threshold of the just noticeable difference
deltaI/I=k

Question 24

just noticeable difference

Answer 24

the smallest change in stimuli that can be sensed

related to intensity through Weber’s Law

Question 25

Weber's Law equation

Answer 25

deltaI/I=k, where I is the original intensity of the stimulus, deltaI is the smallest just noticeable difference, and k shows that this ratio equals some constant

Question 26

absolute threshold of sensation

Answer 26

the lowest amount of stimulation that can still be detected more than 50% of the time

Question 27

subliminal stimuli

Answer 27

stimuli that are perceived less than 50% of the time (below the absolute threshold of sensation)

Question 28

vestibular system

Answer 28

apparatus that helps with balance and positioning, relies heavily on the inner ear

Question 29

cochlea

Answer 29

part of the inner ear that contains sensory receptors

Question 30

semicircular canals

Answer 30

anterior, lateral, and posterior tubes of the inner ear that contain endolymph to help determine speed and direction of head movement

Question 31

endolymph

Answer 31

fluid in the inner ear that helps with the detection of movement

Question 32

otolithic organs

Answer 32

the part of the inner ear that allows for the sensation of linear and angular acceleration (includes the utricle and saccule)

Question 33

calcium carbonate crystals of hair cells

Answer 33

these structures allow for the detection of movement in the inner ear because they move with acceleration

Question 34

vertigo

Answer 34

a sensation of loss of balance or spinning resulting from issues in the inner ear

Question 35

signal detection theory

Answer 35

the idea that the perception of a stimulus is dependent on both the intensity of the stimulus and the uncertainty around the stimuli

Question 36

noise in signal detection

Answer 36

random factors that interfere with the correct discernment of a stimulus including the physiological state of the individual and random errors with equipment

Question 37

hit in signal detection

Answer 37

when a stimulus is present and sensed

Question 38

false alarm in signal detection

Answer 38

when a stimulus is not present but something is said to have been perceived

Question 39

miss in signal detection

Answer 39

when a stimulus is present but it is not perceived

Question 40

correct rejection in signal detection

Answer 40

when a stimulus is not perceived when not present

Question 41

conservative strategies of signal detection

Answer 41

a method in which one will not say there is not a stimulus unless 100% certain that there is one this minimizes false alarms, but results in many misses

Question 42

liberal strategies of signal detection

Answer 42

a method in which one will say there is a signal unless 100% certain there is not one this minimizes misses, but results in many false alarms

Question 43

ideal observer

Answer 43

a person who minimizes misses and false alarms in signal detection

Question 44

bottom up processing

Answer 44

a method of stimulus perception that begins with the stimulus, considered to be data driven

Question 45

top down processing

Answer 45

a method of stimulus perception that begins with a person's background knowledge, considered to be theory driven

Question 46

Gestalt principles

Answer 46

a set of laws that aim to explain how a whole object can be perceived differently than simply the sum of its parts includes laws of similarity, Pragnanz, proximity, continuity, closur

Question 47

law of similarity

Answer 47

Gestalt principle that explains the grouping together of like objects

Question 48

law of Pragnanz

Answer 48

Gestalt principle that explains how ambiguous objects are perceived in the simplest way possible

Question 49

law of proximity

Answer 49

Gestalt principle that explains the grouping together of items that are physically close to each other

Question 50

law of continuity (Law of Good Continuation)

Answer 50

Gestalt principle that explains the likelihood of perceiving uninterrupted lines over perceiving sharp or jagged lines

Question 51

law of closure

Answer 51

Gestalt principle that explains the grouping of items to form whole objects rather than seeing them as discontinuous segments