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SENSING AND PERCEIVING Flashcards

1
Q

`Sensation

A

Awareness resulting from the stimulation of a sense organ

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2
Q

Perception

A

The organization and interpretation of sensations

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3
Q

Six senses

A

Seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, tasting, and proprioception

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4
Q

Transduction

A

The conversion of stimuli detected by receptor cells to electrical impulses that are then transported to the brain

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5
Q

Psychophysics

A

Branch of psychology that studies the effects of physical stimuli on sensory perceptions and mental states

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6
Q

Absolute threshold of a sensation

A

The intensity of a stimulus that allows an organism to just barely detect it (about 50% of the time)

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7
Q

Signal detection analysis

A

Technique used to determine the ability of the perceiver to separate true signals from background noise

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8
Q

“Hit”

A

Say “yes” when there is a sound

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9
Q

“False alarm”

A

Say “yes” to no signal

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10
Q

“Miss”

A

Say “no” when there is a sound

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11
Q

“Correct rejection”

A

Say “no” when there is no signal

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12
Q

Sensitivity

A

The true ability of the individual to detect the presence or absence or signals

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13
Q

Response bias

A

A behavioural tendency to respond “yes” to the trials, which is independent of sensitivity

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14
Q

Difference threshold (JND):

A

Refers to the change in a stimulus that can just barely be detected by the organism

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15
Q

Weber’s Law

A

Just noticeable difference of a stimulus is a constant proportion of the original intensity of the stimulus

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16
Q

Subliminal stimuli

A

Events that occur below the absolute threshold and of which we are not conscious

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17
Q

Blindsight

A

A condition in which people are able to consciously report on visual stimuli but nevertheless are able to accurately answer questions about what they are seeing

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18
Q

Electromagnetic energy

A

Pulses of energy waves that can carry information from place to place

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19
Q

Wavelength

A

The distance between one wave peak and the next wave peak

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20
Q

Visible spectrum

A

Our eyes only detect the range from about 400 to 700 billionths of a meter

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21
Q

Near sighted

A

Focus in front of the retina - eye is too long

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22
Q

Far sighted

A

Focus is behind the retina - eye is too short

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23
Q

Optic nerve

A

Collection of millions of ganglion neurons that sends vast amounts of visual information, via the thalamus, to the brain

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24
Q

Rods

A

Visual neurons that specialize in detecting black, white and grey colours - help us see in dim light (at night) and is active in peripheral vision – sensitive to light/dark

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25
Cones
Visual neurons that are specialized in detecting fine detail and colours - colour and bright light - located around the fovea - sensitive to colour
26
Fovea
the central point of the retina
27
Blind spot
A hole in our vision - no photoreceptor cells at the place where the optic nerve leaves the retina -- but the visual system overcomes this
28
Feature detector neurons
Specialized neurons, located in the visual cortex, that respond to the strength, angles, shapes, edges and movements of a visual stimulus
29
Hue
Shade of colour conveyed by the wavelength of the light that enters the eye - length and intensity/height
30
Trichromatic colour theory
Helmholtz theorized that colour is perceived because the cones in the retina come in three types 1.) Reacts primarily to blue light (short wavelengths) 2.) Reacts primarily to green light (medium wavelengths 3.) reacts primarily to red light (long). The strength of these waves are then compared to create colour
31
Colour-blindness
The inability to detect green and or red colours
32
Opponent-process colour theory
Proposes that we analyze sensory information not in terms of 3 colours but rather in three sets of "opponent colours": red-green, yellow-blue, white-black - neurons in the retina -- this explains after images
33
Figure and ground
We structure input so that we always see a figure (image) against a ground (background)
34
Similarity
Stimuli that are similar to each other tend to be grouped together
35
Proximity
We tend to group nearby figures together
36
Continuity
We tend to perceive stimuli in smooth, continuous ways rather than in more discontinuous ways
37
Closure
We tend to fill in gaps in an incomplete image to create a complete, whole object
38
Depth perception
The ability to perceive three - dimensional space and to accurately judge distance
39
Depth cues
Messages from our bodies and the external environment that supply us with information about space and distance
40
Binocular depth cues
Depth cues that are created by retinal image (both eyes)
41
Disparity
Space between our eyes and which therefore require the coordination of both eyes
42
Convergence
The inward turning of our eyes that is required to focus on objects that are less than about 50 ft away from us
43
Accommodation
Helps determine depth
44
Monocular depth cues
Depth cues that help us perceive depth using only one eye
45
Position
We tend to see objects higher up in our field of vision as father away
46
Relative size
Assuming that the objects in a scene are the same size, smaller objects are perceived as farther away
47
Linear perspective
Parallel lines appear to converge at a distance
48
Light and shadow
The eye receives more reflected lights from objects that are closer to us. Normally, light comes from above, so darker images are in shadow
49
Interposition
When one object overlaps another object, we view it as closer
50
Aerial perspective
Objects that appear hazy, or that are covered with smog or dust, appear farther away
51
Motion parallax
Objects moving at a constant speed across the frame will appear to move a greater amount if they are closer to an observer than they oddly if they were at a greater distance
52
McGurk Effect
Visual processing, influences auditory processing
53
Synesthesia
Condition in which people experience cross-modal sensations
54
Grapheme-colour
See letters/numbers as colours
55
Lexical-taste
Taste when they read/hear words
56
Criterion Point
When the presence/absence of the signal is unclear, how likely are you to say it is present?
57
Beta effect
Refers to the perception of motion that occurs when different images are presented next to each other in succession - the visual cortex fills in the missing part of the motion and we see the object moving
58
Phi phenomenon
We perceive a sensation of motion caused by the appearance and disappearance of objects that are near each other
59
Frequency
Wavelength of the sound wave that is measured in terms of the number of the waves that arrive per second and determines our perception of pitch
60
Pitch
The perceived frequency of a sound - longer sound waves have a lower frequency and produce a lower pitch while shorter waves have a high frequency and produce a higher pitch
61
Amplitude
Height of the sound wave, determines how much energy it contains - perceived as loudness
62
Loudness
The degree of sound volume
63
Decibel
Unit of relative loudness
64
Cilia
Tip on the hair cells
65
Frequent theory of hearing
Proposes that whatever the pitch of a sound wave, nerve impulses of a corresponding frequency will be sent to the auditory nerve - this theory causes problems with high pitch sounds but explains low pitch sounds
66
Place theory of hearing
Proposes that different areas of the cochlea respond to different frequencies - this explains high pitches and also hearing loss that comes with age
67
Conductive hearing loss
Caused by physical damage to the ear that reduces the ability of the ear to transfer vibrations from the outer ear to the inner ear
68
Sensorineural hearing loss
Caused by damage to the cilia or to the auditory nerve - less common but frequently occurs with age
69
Cochlear implant
Device made up of series of electrodes that are placed inside the cochlea - if the auditory nerve is still intact - this utilizes place theory
70
6 taste sensations
Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, piquancy, and umami
71
Taste buds
Designed to sense chemicals in the mouth
72
Olfactory membrane
Located in the upper nasal passage and detects 10 million-20 million receptor cells when we breathe in through our nostrils
73
Olfactory receptor cells
Topped with tentacle like protrusions that contain receptor proteins
74
The skin
The largest organ in the body and is the sensory organ for touch
75
Proprioception
The ability to sense the position and movement of our body parts - specialized neurons
76
Vestibular system
A set of liquid-filled areas in the inner ear that monitors the head's position and movement
77
Semicircular canals
Rotational movement
78
Vestibular canals
Linear movement
79
Bottom-up processing
(1) Features of stimulus (2) Combine features into complex forms (3) Recognize stimulus -- accurate, detailed, new unfamiliar scenes
80
Top-down processing
(1) Perceptual Hypothesis (expectations) (2) Select features to analyze (3) Recognize stimulus -- fast, easy, not as accurate, reduces the workload
81
Visual Agnosia
Inability to recognize objects (1) apperceptive agnosia - combining features into objects (2) associative agnosia - can't name objects
82
Prosopagnosia
Inability to detect and remember faces
83
Gate control theory of pain
Proposes that pain is determined by the operation of two types of nerve fibres in the spinal cord, the smaller set carries pain away from the body and the larger set is designed to stop/start the flow of pain
84
Selective attention
The ability to focus on some sensory inputs while tuning out others
85
Cocktail party phenomenon
Partying and talking to someone in one part of the room, when suddenly you hear your name being mentioned by someone in another part of the room
86
Sensory adaptation
A decreased sensitivity to a stimulus after prolonged and constant exposure
87
Perceptual constancy
The ability to perceive a stimulus as constant despite changes in sensation
88
Illusions
occur when the perceptual processes that normally help us correctly perceive the world around us are fooled by a particular situation so that we see something that does not exist or that is incorrect

Psychology (3 decks)

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