Sensation and Perception Terms

Question 1

Signal Detection theory

Answer 1

detection depends on experience, expectations, alertness, etc.
(more likely to notice a door slam outside when waiting for the pizza guy)

Question 2

sensory adaptation

Answer 2

diminished sensitivity as a result of constant stimulation
(can you feel your underwear?)

Question 3

sensory habituation

Answer 3

diminished sensitivity due to regular exposure

Question 4

perceptual set

Answer 4

tendency to see something as part of a group
-speeds up signal processing

Question 5

inattentional blindness

Answer 5

failure to notice something added because your so focused on another task

Question 6

change blindness

Answer 6

failure to notice a change in the scene

Question 7

cornea

Answer 7

protects the eye

Question 8

pupil/iris

Answer 8

controls light entering the eye

Question 9

lens

Answer 9

focuses light on retina

Question 10

retina

Answer 10

contains rods and cones

Question 11

fovea

Answer 11

area of best vision (cones here)

Question 12

rods

Answer 12

black and white, dim light

Question 13

cones

Answer 13

color, bright light (red, green, blue)

Question 14

bipolar cells

Answer 14

connect rods and cones and ganglion cells

Question 15

ganglion

Answer 15

create optic nerve

Question 16

blind spot

Answer 16

occurs where the optic nerve leaves the eye

Question 17

feature detectors

Answer 17

specialized cells that see shapes, lines, etc. located in occipital lobe

Question 18

constancies

Answer 18

recognize that objects do not physically change despite changes in sensory imput (size, shape, brightness)

Question 18

visual capture

Answer 18

visual system overwhelm all others
-nauseous in IMAX theater co

Question 18

phi phenomenon

Answer 18

adjacent light blink on/off succession
-looks like movement (traffic signs with arrows)

Question 19

stroboscopic movement

Answer 19

motion produces by a rapid succession of slightly varying images (animations)

Question 20

monocular cues

Answer 20

how we form a 3D image from a 2D image

Question 21

binocular cues

Answer 21

how both eyes make up a 3D image

Question 22

place theory

Answer 22

location where hair cells bend determines sound (high pitches)

Question 23

frequency theory

Answer 23

rate at whoch action potentials are sent determines sound (low pitches)

Question 24

muller-lyer illusion

Answer 24

doesnt work on cultures without exposure to modern architecture -has to do with person placing a mid-point on 3 different arrows

Question 25

ponzo illusion

Answer 25

happens due to linear perspective -vanishing point

Question 26

McGurk Effect

Answer 26

see mouth saying ba or fa overides what you actually hear, va -interactions between hearing and visual perception

Question 27

vestibular

Answer 27

sense of balance (semicircular canals in ear)

Question 28

kinesthetic

Answer 28

sense of body positon

Question 29

gestalt psychology

Answer 29

whole is greater than the sum of its parts