Sensory Processing and Perception

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the lecture on sensory processing and perception.

Sensory Processing

The way we process information from our senses including vision, hearing, smell, taste, and body sensations.

Vision Stimulus

Waves of electromagnetic radiation.

Skin/Body Sensations Stimulus

Triggers to sensory neurons embedded in skin, muscles, or other organs, detecting things like pain or pressure.

Sound Stimulus

Waves of compression through some medium, mostly air.

Smell Stimulus

Volatile chemicals in the air.

Taste Stimulus

Chemicals in the mouth.

Limited Perception

Humans only process a subset of available sensory information; other species can perceive ranges we cannot.

Dampening Signal (Sensory System)

Our sensory system regulates the amount of incoming information to prevent overwhelming us.

Just Noticeable Difference

The amount something has to be different for us to detect that they are, in fact, different, affected by the range in which information is processed.

Subliminal Perception

The ability to perceive things without being consciously aware of having processed them.

Visible Light

The narrow band of electromagnetic radiation that humans can process, approximately 380-760 nanometers in wavelength.

Light and Object Interaction

Objects absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect others; what we see is the light being bounced off the object.

Black Objects

Objects that absorb the entire spectrum of light.

White Objects

Objects that reflect the entire range of the light spectrum.

Colored Objects

Objects that reflect back a subset of light wavelengths, which determines their perceived color.

Hue

The color that you see, a function of which portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is being bounced back at you.

Saturated Color

A very intense color that reflects a very narrow band of light (e.g., bright red).

Unsaturated Color

A paler color that reflects a broader band of light, often including a lot of white light (e.g., light pink).

Brightness (Light)

Determined by the amount of energy contained in the light source and the energy reflected back from an object.

Color Constancy

The phenomenon where an object's perceived color and brightness remain relatively stable despite changes in illumination.