Intro to Psychology Chapter 4 (WT)

Pathway of Stimulus to Perception

Sensing and perceiving begin with the detection of a stimulus by one of our senses. Receptors convert the stimulus into a neural impulse. Our perception of the stimulus takes place in higher, specialized regions of the brain.

Transduction

A process of converting stimulus into a neural impulse.

Absolute Threshold

The level at which a stimulus can be detected 50% of the time.

Signal Detection Theory

Recognizes that a stimulus is either present or absent (by relying on the sensory process) and that the individual either reports detecting the stimulus or does not (the decision process).