ap psych- sensation and perception

Bottom Up Processing

Information processing using raw sensory input

Top Down Processing

Information processing using higher-level mental processes

Selective Attention

Focusing conscious awareness on a particular stimulus (only)

Inattentional Blindness

Failing to see objects when focusing elsewhere

Change Blindness

Failing to notice changes when focusing elsewhere

Absolute Threshold

Minimum stimulation needed to detect a stimulus (50%)

Difference Threshold

Minimum difference to detect a change

Signal Detection Theory

Detecting stimuli amidst background noise

Priming

Exposure influences later memory or response

Sensory Adaptation

Decreased sensitivity to constant stimulus

Weber’s Law

Different threshold is a constant proportion

Transduction

Converting energy to neural messages

Retina

Light-sensitive layer containing receptor cells

Haptic Perception

Perceiving objects through touch/manipulation

Accommodation (lens)ouch/manipulation

Lens changes shape to focus light.

Rods

Receptors for black, white, and gray.

Cones

Receptors for color and fine detail.

Optic Nerve

Bundle of axons carrying vision to the brain.

Pupil

Adjustable opening that controls light entry.

Iris

Muscle that controls pupil size

Lens

Transparent structure focusing image onto retina

Fovea

Central focus point; contains most cones

Blind Spot

Point where optic nerve leaves the eye

Parallel Processing

Brain simultaneously processes multiple aspects

Trichromatic Theory

Three cone types see red, green, and blue.

Opponent Process Theory

Opposing retinal processes enable color vision

Cochlea

Coiled, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear

Frequency

Number of wavelengths in a period

Pitch

Perceived highness or lowness of a sound

Place Theory

Pitch linked to where membrane is stimulated

Binocular Disparity

Difference between two eyes’ images

Stroop Effect

Difficulty naming color versus reading the word

Frequency Theory

Rate of impulses matches the sound of frequency

Vestibular Sense

Sense of body movement and balance

Gate Control Theory

Spinal cord controls pain signal transmission

Olfactory Bulb

Receives information from nose’s smell

Papillae

Bumps on the tongue containing taste buds

Basilar Membrane

Inside the cochlea; vibrates to sound

Monocular Cue

Depth cue available to one eye alone

Kinesthesis

Sense of body position and movement.

Cornea

Transparent outer layer protecting the eye

Semicircular Canals

Inner ear structures for balance

Grouping

Perceptual tendency to organize stimuli

Feature Detectors

Neurons responding to specific stimulus features

Optic Chiasm

Point where optic nerves cross in the brain.