Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Sensation

Answer 1

The detection of physical energy by sense organ, which then sends info to the brain

Question 2

Perception

Answer 2

The brain’s interpretation of raw sensory input

Question 3

Transduction

Answer 3

Process of converting external energy or substance into electrical activity within neurons

Question 4

Absolute Threshold

Answer 4

Lowest level of a stimulus need for the nervous system to detect a change 50% of the time

Question 5

Weber’s Law

Answer 5

Constant proportional relationship between the smallest change we can detect and the original stimulus intensity

This means that the larger the original stimulus, the larger the just noticeable difference needs to be for it to be detected.

Question 6

Vestibular Sense

Answer 6

Inner ear senses balance, spatial orientation
How one’s body is oriented with respect to gravity

Question 7

Proprioception/Kinaesthetic Sense

Answer 7

Body position and movement of body parts relative to one another

Question 8

Sensory Capacities at Birth - Hearing

Answer 8

Babies can hear before birth
Preference for complex sounds

Question 9

Sensory Capacities at Birth - Vision

Answer 9

Limited Focus / Poor Acuity
Difficulty Discriminating Colour - Less intense
Rapid development, by 11 months acuity adult level (2 months focus)

Question 10

Early Vision

Answer 10

Prefer Faces Overall
Contrast Sensitivity
Depth Sensitivity

Question 11

Sensory Capacities at Birth - Pain

Answer 11

CNS Immaturity
May feel pain more intensely
Risk of pain medication
Pain relief from - Breast milk, Sugar Solution , Comfort from holding

Question 12

Vision as we age

Answer 12

Visual Acuity worsens
Increase in use of corrective lenses

Question 13

Acuity

Answer 13

sharpness or keenness of thought, vision or hearing

Question 14

Macular Degeneration

Answer 14

Causes loss in the centre of the field of vision

Question 15

Presbyopia

Answer 15

Harder to focus on nearby objects

Question 16

Impaired Eyesight can happen due to ….

Answer 16

Reduction in light reaching retina
-Increased sensitivity to glare
-Harder to perceive colour
-Harder to see in dim light

Question 17

Presbycusis

Answer 17

Age related hearing loss

Question 18

Why does hearing decline?

Answer 18

Degeneration of neural pathways
- Reduced Blood Supply
- Cell Death

Question 19

Sensation

Answer 19

The detection of physical energy by sense organ, which then sends info to the brain

Question 20

Perception

Answer 20

The brain’s interpretation of raw sensory input

Question 21

Ambiguous Figures

Answer 21

Perception not fixed/absolute - single image can have multiple interpretations

Question 22

Perceptual Organisation

Answer 22

The way information is received by our senses and interpreted to make it meaningful.

Question 23

What are the 4 aspects of perceptual organisation?

Answer 23

Form Perception
Depth or Distance Perception
Motion Perception
Perceptual Constancy

Question 24

Form Perception

Answer 24

Organises sensory information into meaningful shapes and patterns

Question 25

Perceptual Set

Answer 25

Expectations influence perception Only see certain aspects, ignore details

Question 26

Gestalt View

Answer 26

The whole is more than the sum of the parts We tend to organise visual elements into groups or unified wholes

Question 27

6 Gestalt Principles

Answer 27

Law of proximity Law of similarity Law of continuity Law of closure Law of symmetry Form and Ground

Question 28

Depth or Distance Perception

Answer 28

The organisation of perception in three dimensions Monocular Cues Binocular Cues Motion Perception

Question 29

Monocular cues

Answer 29

Uses visual input from one eye

Question 30

Binocular Cues

Answer 30

Uses visual input integrated from the two eyes

Question 31

Binocular Disparity

Answer 31

Each eye gets a different picture of the world The greater the difference between pictures the closer the object

Question 32

Binocular Convergence

Answer 32

Eyes points inwards when looking toward close objects Eyes move outwards when looking at distant objects

Question 33

Perceptual Constancy

Answer 33

Ability to maintain an unchanging perception of an object despite variations in retinal image

Question 34

Three main types of Perceptual Constancy

Answer 34

Size Constancy Shape Constancy Colour Constancy

Question 35

Shape Constancy

Answer 35

Perceive true shape of object despite variations in shape in the retinal image

Question 36

Colour Constancy

Answer 36

the perceived color of objects remains relatively constant under varying illumination conditions.

Question 37

Size Constancy

Answer 37

Ability to perceive the true size of an object despite variations in the size of the retinal image

Question 38

Inattentional Blindness

Answer 38

Failure to perceive a prominent object because attention is on another task

Question 39

Change Blindness

Answer 39

Failure to perceive changes in a scene when there is a momentary interruption to views of that scene