Psych - Unit 1: Auditory Mechanisms

auditory input

in form of sound waves, enters ear by passing through outer ear and into ear canal

longer

a ____ wavelength determines a lower pitch

larger

a ____ wavelength determines a louder volume

outer ear

part outside your head, collects and magnifies sound waves

tympanic membrane

eardrum

ossicles

made of three tiny bones that compromise middle ear

malleus, incus, stapes

3 bones of ossicles

oval window

beginning of inner ear, stapes vibrates it

cochlea

composed of receptor/hair cells

basilar membrane

hair cells line the ____

vestibular sacs/semicircular canals

in the inner ear, give info about bodily position in space

volley theory

receptor cells fire alternately, increasing firing capacity

place theory

sound waves generate activity at different places along basilar membrane

frequence theory

we sense pitch because rate of neural impulses is equal to frequency of a particular sound

sound localization

the ability to sense the direction of noises

deafness

__ can occur from damage to ear structure of neural pathway

conductive deafness

occurs because injury to outer/middle structures

sensorineural deafness

occurs because of impairment of structure from cochlea to auditory cortex