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Psych > Unit 4 (Sensation and Perception) > Flashcards

Unit 4 (Sensation and Perception) Flashcards

(70 cards)

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1
Q

Sensation

A

The action of detecting external stimuli and converting those stimuli into neural responses

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2
Q

Perception

A

Cognitive process that involves the selection, organization, and interpretation of stimuli

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3
Q

Our five senses

A

Vision, Hearing (audition), Taste (gustation), Smell (olfaction), Skin senses (position senses)

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4
Q

Sensory receptors

A

Convert sources of sensory stimuli, such as light and sound, into neural impulses

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5
Q

Sensory transduction

A

Conversion of environmental energy into a neural response

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6
Q

Absolute sensory threshold

A

Smallest amount of a stimulus that can be reliably detected (is something there)

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7
Q

Difference sensory threshold

A

Smallest difference between the stimulus that can be reliably detected (is something else there)

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8
Q

Selective attention (change blindness)

A

Only seeing certain things and not noticing when something else changes

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9
Q

Weber’s Law

A

The amount you must change a stimulus to detect a difference is given by a constant fraction of the original stimulus

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10
Q

Signal detection theory

A

Predicts when we will detect weak signals

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11
Q

Sensory adaptation

A

Process by which sensory receptors adapt to constant stimuli by becoming less sensitive to them

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12
Q

Habituation

A

Adapt over time to a stimulus. This is something which the body learns to ignore

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13
Q

Vision stimuli

A

Light (wave of electromagnetic energy)

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14
Q

Pupil

A

Hole in iris

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15
Q

Cornea

A

Outer layer at front of eye

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16
Q

Iris

A

Pigmented muscles

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17
Q

Ciliary muscle

A

Change shape of the lens

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18
Q

Lens

A

Bends light to focus it on the retina

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19
Q

Retina

A

Neural tissue that transduces light energy into neutral impulse

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20
Q

Optic nerve

A

Collection of neurons that transmit signals from retina to the brain

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21
Q

Fovea

A

Region of retina with highest acuity

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22
Q

Optic Disk (blind spot)

A

Point where optic nerve leaves eye

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23
Q

Photoreceptor cells

A

Sensory receptor cells for light

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24
Q

Rods

A

For dim light vision

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25
Cones
For bright light and color vision (high acuity)
26
Trichromatic Theory (colorblindness)
The eye contains 3 distinct receptors for color: Red, Blue, and Green. By the combination of all three, all colors can be produced
27
Dichromatism
Patients lack one type of cone
28
Opponent Process theory (afterimages)
The eye contains 3 pairs of visual mechanisms that respond to different wavelengths of light. Each is capable of responding to either of the two hues, but not both at the same time
29
Hearing stimuli
Wave of changes in air pressure
30
Wavelength
Pitch
31
Amplitude
Loudness
32
Wave purity
Timbre
33
Cochlea
Structure of inner ear that contains hair cells, the sensory receptor sells for sound
34
Outer Ear
Pinna, Auditor canal, Eardrum
35
Middle Ear
Ossicles (small bones)
36
Ossicles
Hammer (malleus), Anvil (incus), Stirrup (stapes)
37
Inner Ear
Cochlea, Semicircular canals, Vestibular sacs
38
Chemical Senses
Monitor the chemical environment (taste and smell)
39
Qualities of taste
Sweetness, Saltiness, Sourness, Bitterness, Umami (meat)
40
Taste buds
Sensory receptor cells for taste that are located on the tounge
41
Smell stimuli
Chemicals in the air
42
Hair Stimuli
Sensory receptor cells for smell that are located high in the nasal cavity (can regenerate, making them unique natural cells)
43
Skin Senses
Touch, Pressure, Warmth, Cold, Pain
44
Skin
Contains sensory receptor cells that code for touch, pressure, warmth, cold, and pain (somatosensory cortex)
45
Kinesthetic Sense
Tells us about movement of body parts and their position in relation to each other. Receptors in joints, ligaments, and muscles.
46
Vestibular Sense
Tells us about balance and the position of the body in space. Receptors in semicircular canals and vestibular sacs of the inner ear.
47
Paying Attention
What determines which stimuli attract your attention and what gets ignored?
48
Salient detail
A detail that captures attention
49
Peripheral detail
A detail that does not draw our attention, makes up the perceptual background
50
Stimulus Factors
Those that make some stimuli more compelling than others (Contrast, Intensity, Size, Motion, Repetition)
51
Personal Factors
Characteristics of a perceiver that influence which stimuli get attached to (What we perceive is influenced by out past experience, expectations, and motivation)
52
Mental set
When we are predisposed to perceive something
53
Bottom-Up Processing
When what we perceive is determined by the pieces of information we recieve
54
Top-Down Processing
When what we perceive is determined by what the perceiver already knows
55
Law of Proximity
Group of stimuli based on proximity
56
Law of Similarity
Grouping
57
Ocular Cues
Built into visual system
58
Binocular Cues
Two eyes (retinal disparity, convergence)
59
Retinal Disparity
Each eye has a different picture and the brain is able to put those two images together to make one
60
Convergence
When something gets closer, the eyes point inward to focus on that thing
61
Monocular Cues
Only one eye (accommodation, physical cues)
62
Accommodation
Muscles in the eyes send signals about shape of the lens to the brain
63
Physical Cues
Linear perspective, Interposition, Relative size, Texture gradient, Patterns of shading, Motion parallax
64
Linear Perspective
Parallel lines seem to converge in the distance
65
Interposition
Things blocking something have to be closer than what it is blocking
66
Relative Size
Things closer to us seem bigger than things farther away
67
Texture gradient
You can see the texture of things that are closer, better
68
Patterns of Shading
Help with introposition
69
Motion Parallax
When you are moving, things closer to you get blurred, while things farther away stay somewhat stationary
70
Perceptual Constancies
Allows you to perceive aspects of your world as constant, despite the fact that the image displayed on the retina may change (Size constancy, Shape constancy, Brightness constancy, Color constancy)

Psych (6 decks)

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