Topic 3 Perception pt 1

Question 1

True or False: What we sense (in our sensory organs) is the same as what we perceive (in our minds)

Answer 1

false: they are NOT the same

Question 2

We are asked to find the cat in an image. After a few minutes, we spot that cat. What happened?

Answer 2

the light entering our eyes remained the same, but our perception of the image changed

Question 3

What is the problem with perception?

Answer 3

We are trying to understand what is out there in the world

Question 4

What is the challenge with perception?

Answer 4

The inverse problem: how we determine the distal stimulus from the proximal stimulus

Question 5

distal stimulus

Answer 5

what is out there in the world

Question 6

proximal stimulus

Answer 6

what we sense (the image on the retina)

Question 7

What sources of information contribute to our perception? (5 points)

Answer 7

1. ) Genes
2. ) Past experience
3. ) Internal state
4. ) Environmental context
5. ) Proximal stimulus

Question 8

Information learned on a timescale of current episode

Answer 8

internal state

Question 9

information learned on a timescale of human life

Answer 9

past experiences

Question 10

information learned on a timescale of evolution

Answer 10

genes

Question 11

Touch, Thermal, and Pain are all part of

Answer 11

somatosensory system

Question 12

define and give examples of a proximal stimulus

Answer 12

proximal stimulus is what stimulates the sensory receptors

examples of proximal stimulus includes light, sound waves, touch

Question 13

sensory receptors

Answer 13

specialized cells that convert external phenomena into neural signals

Question 14

neural pathway of senses

Answer 14

from sensory receptors via thalamus to cerebral cortex

Question 15

percept

Answer 15

mental representation of a distal stimulus

Question 16

wherever it is we are looking, the light from that location arrives in the ______

Answer 16

fovea

Question 17

What is the blind spot

Answer 17

a hole in the retina where all the axons depart. In the blind spot, there are no photoreceptors, caused by optic chiasm

Question 18

where are the photoreceptors?

Answer 18

back of the retina

Question 19

What are the types of photoreceptors?

Answer 19

rods (1 type) and cones (3 types)

Question 20

What are the 3 types of cones

Answer 20

S (smallest wavelength)
M (middle wavelength)
L (longest wavelength)

Question 21

What happens to the density of cones as it gets closer to the fovea?

Answer 21

increases

Question 22

what happens to the density of cones at it gets further away from the fovea?

Answer 22

decreases

Question 23

what happens to the density of the rods at it gets further away from the fovea

Answer 23

increases

Question 24

what happens to the density of the rods at it gets closer to the fovea

Answer 24

decreases

Question 25

how is sound created

Answer 25

Sound is created by changes in air pressure.

Question 26

organ of corti

Answer 26

responsible for transduction and is located in the inner ear

Question 27

what is the basilar membrane

Answer 27

stiff structural element within the cochlea of the inner ear

Question 28

in the basilar membrane, the location of maximal excitation depends on the _______.

Answer 28

Location of maximal excitation depends on the frequency.

Low frequency causes vibration near the end
High frequency causes vibration near the base

Question 29

Summarize the primary auditory pathway (7 points)

Answer 29

1. ) Auditory Nerve
2. ) Cochlear nuclei (medulla)
3. ) Superior olivary nucleus (pons)
4. ) Nucleus of lateral lemniscus (pons)
5. ) Inferior colliculus (midbrain)
6. ) Medial geniculate nucleus (thalamus)
7. ) Primary auditory cortex

Question 30

Which mechanoreceptors are most superficial?

Answer 30

Meisser and Merkel

Question 31

Which mechanoreceptors are deepest?

Answer 31

Pacinian and Ruffini

Question 32

Which mechanoreceptors are fast adapting?

Answer 32

Pacinian and Meissner

Question 33

Which mechanoreceptors are slow adapting?

Answer 33

Ruffini and Merkel

Question 34

Summarize the somatosensory pathway (4 points)

Answer 34

1. ) Dorsal root ganglion
2. ) Cuneate / Gracile nuclei (medulla)
3. ) Ventral posterior nuclei (thalamus)
4. ) Primary somatosensory cortex

Question 35

2 layers of cells that light has to pass through to get to the rods and cones of the retina

Answer 35

1. ) ganglion cells

2. ) bipolar cells

Question 36

What does the medial geniculate nucleus do?

Answer 36

detects sound waves and is responsible for thalamic relay between the inferior colliculus and the auditory cortex