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AP Psych > Unit 3 > Flashcards

Unit 3 Flashcards

Sensation and Perception

1
Q

sensation

A

process of sensory receptors and nervous system receiving and representing stimulus energy from our environment

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2
Q

perception

A

process of organizing and interpreting sensory info thus recognizing meaningful things/events

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3
Q

sensory receptors

A

sensory nerve endings that respond to stimuli

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4
Q

bottom up processing

A

analysis starts at receptors and works up to higher levels of processing

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5
Q

top down processing

A

constructs perceptions from sensory input by drawing on experiences and expectations

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6
Q

selective attention

A

consciously focusing awareness on specific stimulus

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7
Q

inattentional blindness

A

failing to see VISIBLE objects when attention is diverted elsewhere

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8
Q

change blindness

A

failing to notice CHANGES in the environment

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9
Q

transduction

A

conversion of one energy form into another (physical sensory energy into neural impulses)

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10
Q

absolute threshold

A

minimum stimulus energy needed to detect particular stimulus 50% of the time

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11
Q

signal detection theory

A

assumes there’s no universal absolute threshold but detection depends on person’s mood expectation alertness etc

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12
Q

subliminal

A

noise below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness

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13
Q

difference threshold

A

minimum difference between stimuli for detection 50% of time until we notice JUST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE

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14
Q

weber’s law

A

2 stimuli must differ by a % not a fixed amount

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15
Q

sensory adaptation

A

decreased sensitivity to constant stimulation

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16
Q

sensory habituation

A

decreased reaction to stimulus after periodic exposure

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17
Q

priming

A

activation (often unconsciously) of certain associations predisposing perceptions memory and responses

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18
Q

perceptual set

A

mental processes color perceptions from CONTEXT

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19
Q

extrasensory perception

A

claimed perceptions possible without sensation

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20
Q

short wavelength/high frequency

A

BLUE colors / HIGH pitch

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21
Q

long wavelength/low frequency

A

RED colors / LOW pitch

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22
Q

great amplitude

A

BRIGHT colors/LOUD noises

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23
Q

small amplitude

A

DULL colors/QUIET noises

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24
Q

cornea

A

he transparent part of the outer covering of the eye, through which light first passes

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25
iris
muscle controls pupil and dilates it to let light in
26
lens
behind pupil focuses light rays into image
27
retina
receives upside down image contains receptors to receive light rays
28
accommodation
changes lens curvature or thickness based on focus' distance
29
rods
retinal receptors that detect black white and gray; sensitive to movement; peripheral & twilight vision
30
cones
retinal receptors concentrated near center of retina; function in well lit condition; detect fine detail and color sensation
31
blind spot
point at which optic nerve leaves eye no receptors there
32
young-helmholtz trichromatic theory
retina contains 3 different types of color receptors sensitive to red green or blue; stimulating together to create any color
33
opponent process theory
opposing retinal processes (red-green; blue-yellow; white-black) enable color vision; some cells are stimulated by green but inhibited by red
34
feature detectors
nerves cells in visual cortex respond to specific features of stimulus like shape angle etc; passed on to SUPERCELL CLUSTERS which analyze for complex patterns
35
parallel processing
processing many aspects of problem simultaneously; brain's natural information processing for functions
36
gestalt
an organized whole; emphasizing tendency to integrate pieces into a meaningful whole
37
figure-ground
organization of visual fields into objects and background
38
grouping
perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into groups (proximity continuity closure emergence multistability)
39
depth perception
ability to see objects in 3D and judge distance
40
retinal disparity
brain composes image from 2 eyes; greater the disparity between 2 images the closer the object is
41
monocular cues
relative height relative size relative motion interposition linear perspective light/shadow texture
42
phi phenomenon
illusion of movement when 2+ adjacent lights blink on & off in quick succession
43
perceptual constancy
perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color despite illumination changing wavelengths reflected by object
44
shape constancy
neurons learn to reorganize objects from different angles despite shape change
45
perceptual adaptation
ability to adjust to changed sensory input
46
outer ear (pinna)
funnels sound waves to eardrum
47
eardrum
vibrates from vibrations in air
48
middle ear
3 small bones (hammer anvil stirrup)
49
cochlea
snail shaped tube in inner ear has small hairs lining it which shake when fluid moves
50
sensorineural hearing loss
caused by damage to cochlear receptor cells or auditory nerve (nerve deafness)
51
conduction hearing loss
hearing loss caused by damage to mechanical system
52
cochlear implant
device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes into cochlea
53
place theory
links pitch we hear with place on cochleas membrane stimulated (explains high frequencies)
54
frequency theory
rate of nerve impulses traveling up auditory nerve matches frequency of tone (100 sound waves/sec-> 100 pulses/sec)
55
volley principle
neurons alternate firing in rapid succession to achieve COMBINED frequency of 1000+ waves/sec
56
touch receptors
pressure cold warmth pain
57
pain
biological: nociceptors detect harmful chemicals, temps, pressure; phantom pains psychological: attention, memories differ social: expectations, empathy
58
gate control theory
spinal cord contains neurological "gate" that blocks/allows pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in large fibers (massage
59
taste sensations
sweet salty sour bitter umami/savory
60
kinesthesia
movement sense; system of sensing position & movement of body parts
61
vestibular sense
sense of body movement and position; enables balance
62
sensory interaction
senses influence each other and rely on each other (less taste when nose is clogged)
63
embodied cognition
influence of body sensations gestures and other states on cognitive preferences and judgements
64
McGurk Effect
visual perceptions can overpower auditory sensations
65
sense - location
vision - bottom, occipital lobe hearing - middle, temporal lobe taste - parietal lobe, above hearing smell - amygdala, limbic system, behind eyes kinesthesia/ vestibular - cerebellum touch - somatosensory cortex, parietal

AP Psych (12 decks)

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