Sensations and Perception

Question 1

The process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment.

Answer 1

Sensation

Question 2

The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events.

Answer 2

Perception

Question 3

Analysis process that begins with the sensory receptors and works its way up to the brain’s integration of sensory information.

Answer 3

Bottom-up processing

Question 4

Information processing guided by higher level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions from our experience and expectations.

Answer 4

Top-down processing

Question 5

The study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them.

Answer 5

Psychophysics

Question 6

The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time.

Answer 6

Absolute threshold

Question 7

A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background stimulation; assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person’s experience, expectations, motivation, and level of fatigue.

Answer 7

Signal detection theory

Question 8

Below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness.

Answer 8

Subliminal

Question 9

The activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one’s perception, memory, or response.

Answer 9

Priming

Question 10

The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time. We experience the difference threshold as just a noticeable difference.

Answer 10

Difference threshold

Question 11

The principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage.

Answer 11

Weber’s law

Question 12

Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.

Answer 12

Sensory adaptation

Question 13

The conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, it is the transformation of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains can interpret.

Answer 13

Transduction

Question 14

The distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next; the dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light.

Answer 14

Wavelength and hue

Question 15

The amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, as determined by the wave’s amplitude.

Answer 15

Intensity

Question 16

The adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters.

Answer 16

Pupil

Question 17

A ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening.

Answer 17

Iris

Question 18

The transparent structure behind the pupil that changed shape to help focus images on the retina.

Answer 18

Lens

Question 19

The process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina.

Answer 19

Accommodation

Question 20

The light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones, plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information.

Answer 20

Retina

Question 21

The sharpness of vision.

Answer 21

Acuity

Question 22

A condition in which faraway objects are seen more clearly that near objects because the image of near objects is focused behind the retina.

Answer 22

Farsightedness

Question 23

Retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in the daylight or in well-lit conditions. The cones detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations.

Answer 23

Rods and cones

Question 24

The nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain.

Answer 24

Optic nerve

Question 25

The point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a “blind” spot because no receptor cells are located there.

Answer 25

Blind spot

Question 26

The central focal point in the retina, around which the eye’s cones cluster.

Answer 26

Fovea

Question 27

Nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement.

Answer 27

Feature detectors

Question 28

The processing of several aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain’s natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving.

Answer 28

Parallel processing

Question 29

The theory that the retina contains three different color receptors-one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue-which when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color.

Answer 29

Young-Helmholtz trichromatic (three-color) theory

Question 30

The theory that opposing retinal processes enabled color vision.

Answer 30

Opponent-processing theory

Question 31

Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color even when changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object.

Answer 31

Color constancy

Question 32

The sense or act of hearing.

Answer 32

Audition

Question 33

When tones experience highness or lowness; the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point at a given time.

Answer 33

Pitch and frequency

Question 34

The chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval window.

Answer 34

Middle ear

Question 35

A coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses.

Answer 35

Cochlea

Question 36

The innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs.

Answer 36

Inner ear

Question 37

In hearing, the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea's membrane is stimulated.

Answer 37

Place theory

Question 38

In hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch.

Answer 38

Frequency theory

Question 39

Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea.

Answer 39

Conduction hearing loss

Question 40

Hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea’s receptor nerves or the auditory nerves, also called nerve deafness.

Answer 40

Sensorineural hearing loss

Question 41

A device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea.

Answer 41

Cochlear implant

Question 42

The theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological “gate” that blocks pain signals or allows the to pass on to the brain. The “gate” is opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and closed by activating in larger fibers, or by information coming from the brain.

Answer 42

Gate-control theory

Question 43

The principle that one sense may influence another.

Answer 43

Sensory interaction

Question 44

The system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts.

Answer 44

Kinesthesis

Question 45

The sense of body movement and position.

Answer 45

Vestibular sense

Question 46

The focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus.

Answer 46

Selective attention

Question 47

Failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere.

Answer 47

Inattentional blindness

Question 48

The tendency for vision to dominate other senses.

Answer 48

Visual capture

Question 49

An organized whole.

Answer 49

Gestalt

Question 50

The organization of the visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings.

Answer 50

Figure-ground

Question 51

The perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups.

Answer 51

Grouping

Question 52

The ability to see objects in 3D although the images that strike the retina are 2D.

Answer 52

Depth perception

Question 53

A laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals.

Answer 53

Visual cliff

Question 54

Depth cues, such as retinal disparity and convergence, that depend on the use of two eyes.

Answer 54

Binocular cue

Question 55

A binocular cue for perceiving depth: by comparing images from the two eyeballs, the brain computes distance-the greater the difference between the two images, the closer the object.

Answer 55

Retinal disparity

Question 56

A binocular cue for perceiving depth; the extent to which the eyes converge inward when looking at an object. The greater the strain, the closer the object.

Answer 56

Convergence

Question 57

Depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective,available to either eye alone.

Answer 57

Monocular cue

Question 58

An illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession.

Answer 58

Phi phenomenon

Question 59

Perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change.

Answer 59

Perceptual constancy

Question 60

The ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field.

Answer 60

Perceptual adaptation

Question 61

A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another.

Answer 61

Perceptual set

Question 62

A branch of psychology that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use.

Answer 62

Human factor psychology

Question 63

The controversial claim the perception can occur apart from sensory input. Said to include telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition.

Answer 63

Extra sensory perception (ESP)

Question 64

The study of paranormal phenomena, including ESP and psychokinesis.

Answer 64

Parapsychology

Question 65

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment.

Answer 65

Consciousness

Question 66

Periodic psychological fluctuations.

Answer 66

Biological rhythm

Question 67

The biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24 hour cycle.

Answer 67

Circadian rhythm

Question 68

Rapid eye movement sleep, a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed but other body systems are active.

Answer 68

REM sleep

Question 69

The relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state.

Answer 69

Alpha waves

Question 70

A periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness.

Answer 70

Sleep

Question 71

False sensory experiences, such as seeing something thin the absence of an external visual stimulus.

Answer 71

Hallucinations

Question 72

The large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.

Answer 72

Delta waves

Question 73

Recurring problems in falling or staying asleep.

Answer 73

Insomnia

Question 74

A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.

Answer 74

Narcolepsy

Question 75

A sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings.

Answer 75

Sleep apnea

Question 76

A sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during Stage 4 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep and are seldom remembered.

Answer 76

Night terrors

Question 77

A sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind. Dreams are notable for their hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities, and incongruities, and for dreamer’s delusional acceptance to ht content and later difficulties remembering it.

Answer 77

Dream

Question 78

According to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream.

Answer 78

Manifest content

Question 79

The underlying meaning of a dream.

Answer 79

Latent content

Question 80

The tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation.

Answer 80

REM rebound

Question 81

A social interaction in which one person suggests to another that certain perceptions, feeling, thoughts, or behaviors will occur.

Answer 81

Hypnosis

Question 82

A suggestion made during a hypnosis session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized; used by some clinicians to help control undesired symptoms and behaviors.

Answer 82

Posthypnotic suggestion

Question 83

A split in consciousness which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others.

Answer 83

Dissociation

Question 84

A chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood.

Answer 84

Psychoactive drugs

Question 85

The diminishing effect with regular uses of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's effect.

Answer 85

Tolerance

Question 86

The discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug.

Answer 86

Withdrawl

Question 87

A physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued.

Answer 87

Physical dependence

Question 88

A psychological need to use a drug, such as to relieve negative emotions.

Answer 88

Psychological dependence

Question 89

Compulsive drug craving and use.

Answer 89

Addiction

Question 90

Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions.

Answer 90

Depressants

Question 91

Drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment.

Answer 91

Barbiturates

Question 92

Opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; the depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety.

Answer 92

Opiates

Question 93

Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.

Answer 93

Stimulants

Question 94

Drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing sped up body functions and associated energy and mood changes.

Answer 94

Amphetamines

Question 95

A powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with sped up body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels.

Answer 95

Methamphetamines

Question 96

A synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen. Produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with short term health risks and longer-term harm to serotonin producing neurons and to mood and cognition.

Answer 96

Ecstasy (MDMA)

Question 97

Psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input.

Answer 97

Hallucinogens

Question 98

A powerful hallucinogenic drug.

Answer 98

LSD

Question 99

The major active ingredient in marijuana; trigger a variety effects, including mild hallucinations.

Answer 99

THC

Question 100

An altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death; often similar to drug induced hallucinations.

Answer 100

Near-death experience

Question 101

The presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact.

Answer 101

Dualism

Question 102

The presumption that mind and body are different aspects of the same thing.

Answer 102

Monism