Psychology 101 Exam: 2 (WVU)

sensation

activation of the sense organs by a source of physical evergy

perception

interpretation, analysis, and integration of stimuli carried out by the sense organs and brain

absolute threshold

the smallest intensity of a stimulus that must be present for it to be detected 50% of the time

signal detection

predicts how/ when we detected presence of a stimulus

correct rejection (signal detection)

they didnt hear hear anything because there was no sound

hits (signal detection)

they heard it

misses (signal detection)

they didnt hear it

false alarm (signal detection)

they though they heard it but there was no sound

difference threshold

smallest level of added or reduced stimulation required to sense a change

weber's law

the difference threshold is directly proportional to the magnitude of the stimulus with which it is compared

bottom-up processing

building up to perception

top-down processing

perception influenced by knowledge experience expectations and motivations

sensory adaptation

an adjustment in sensory capacity after prolonged exposure to unchanged stimuli

cornea

curved transparent protective layer where the light first enters the eye

pupil

opening in the middle of the iris (size depends on amount of light)

lens

bends light rays so that they can be properly focused on the retina

rods

sensitive to light but not to color (functions in dim light)

retina

light is converted to electrical impulses for transmission to the brain

cones

light sensitive but responds to color (best under high light)

fovea

the central region of the retina behind the pupil

optic chiasm

left visual field ---right IGN & right visual field -left IGN

thalamus

inside of the brain stem. relays sensory impulses from receptors in various parts of the body to the cerebral cortex

primary visual cortex

initial visual processing

visual association cortex

signals are then transported to the temporal and parietal lobes for further processing

ventral pathway

"what" pathway

dorsal pathway

"where" pathway

binocular depth cues

provide cues about environment based on different views from two eyes

binocular disparity

allows for slightly different views from each eye

trichromatic

three different color sensitve cells: blue violet (s-cones), green (m-cones), and red yellow colors (L-cones)

opponent process theory

two pairs of basic colors work in opposition to each other: blue-yellow, red-green, & black-white (codes light process)

amplitude

loudness

pitch

frequency

timbre

refers to the quality of sound, and is often described using words such as bright, dull, harsh, and hollow.

auditory canal

the narrow passageway from the outer ear to the eardrum. (the hole you stick Q-tips into despite the box advising against it)

hammer (malleus)

transmits sound vibration to the anvil from the eardrum.

anvil

a tiny bone that passes vibrations from the hammer to the stirrup

stirrup

A tiny U shaped bone that passes vibrations from the anvil to the cochlea.

cochlea

Snail-shell-shaped organ that transduces mechanical vibrations into neural signals

basilar membrane

A structure that runs the length of the cochlea in the inner ear and holds the auditory receptors, called hair cells.

cochlear nerve

Sends auditory information to the brain

primary auditory cortex

superior part of temporal lobe

audibility

range of sound intensity: 20hz-20kHz

interaural time differences (ITD)

differences in sound reaching each ear

vertical positioning

What positioning promotes physiological benefits to cardiac respiratory, circulatory, sensory and renal systems

auditory scene analysis

system forms separate auditory streams when presented with multiple sounds.

semicircular canals

passages in the inner ear associated with maintaining equilibrium

vertigo

Dizziness

mechanoreceptors

Sensory receptors responsible for sensing distortion in body tissues.

primary somatosensory cortex

represents the whole body receiving inputs from the skin and muscles

phantom limbs

a limb that doesn't exist

odorants

a substance giving off a smell

olfactory epithelium

a specialized epithelial tissue inside the nasal cavity

taste receptor cells

taste buds

tastants

Any chemical that stimulates the sensory cells in a taste bud.

five basic tastes

sweet, sour, savory, bitter, salty

multimodal perception

integration of sensory modalities

synesthesia

occurs when one sensory signal gives rise to two or more sensations

consciousness

the awareness of internal and external stimuli

internal sensation

The conscious experience produced by the stimulation of any sense organ such as the eye, ear, nose, tongue, skin, or any internal sensory receptor.

motion induced blindness

bright discs vanish from your awareness in "full attention"

cortical blindness (blindsight)

brain damage limited to primary visual cortex who claims not to see anything

global neuronal workspace theory

awareness requires the sharing of information among prefrontal, inferior parietal

information integration theory

the level of awareness depends on the complexity of the structure of shared information

conscious memory

free recall or episodic recollection

coincident sensations

For example, when you rub your arm, you see your hand rubbing your arm and simultaneously feel the rubbing sensation in both your hand and your arm. This simultaneity tells you that it is your hand and your arm.

rubber-hand illusion

If you see a rubber hand being rubbed and simultaneously feel the corresponding rubbing sensation on your own body out of view, you will momentarily feel a bizarre sensation

low awareness

person who possesses only minimal consciousness or is in a near vegetative state

high awareness

effortful attention and decision making

flexible correction model

the ability for people to correct or change their beliefs and evaluations if they believe these judgments have been biased (e.g., if someone realizes they only thought their day was great because it was sunny, they may revise their evaluation of the day to account for this "biasing" influence of the weather)

hypnosis

the state of consciousness whereby a person is highly responsive to the suggestions of another; this state usually involves a dissociation with one's environment and an intense focus on a single stimulus, which is usually accompanied by a sense of relaxation

hypnotherapy

The use of hypnotic techniques such as relaxation and suggestion to help engineer desirable change such as lower pain or quitting smoking.

melatonin

A hormone associated with increased drowsiness and sleep.

circadian rhythm

The physiological sleep-wake cycle. It is influenced by exposure to sunlight as well as daily schedule and activity. Biologically, it includes changes in body temperature, blood pressure and blood sugar.

stage 1 (NREM)

brief transitional stage of light sleep

EEG activity

changing patterns of brainwaves help define stage of sleep

stage 2 (NREM)

sleep spindles with mixed EEG activity. breathing, respiration, muscle tones, body temperature, and heart rate decline

stages 3 & 4 (NREM)

low frequency delta waves are prominent. reach slow-waves sleep in an hr, and after about 30 minutes begin to move back ip through the stages of sleep. difficult to wake someone in slow-wave sleep.

REM periods

when you reach what you should be stage 1, you go into REM sleep

REM

Rapid Eye movement

insomnia

chronic difficulty in falling asleep

narcolepsy

extreme daytime sleepiness and uncontrollable sleep attacks

sleep apnea

breathing is stopped and started during sleep

REM sleep behavior disorder

loss of muscles tone that causes normal REM paralysis

night terrors

feelings of great fear experienced on suddenly waking in the night

nightmares

frightened or unpleasant dreams

sleepwalking

a phenomenon of combined sleep and wakefulness

psychoactive/psychotropic drugs

modify mental, emotional and behavioral functioning

addictive drugs

produce biological and psychological dependence

blocks the release of neurotransmitter

botulinum toxin prevents acetylcholine from being released (the person dies because they are paralyzed and unable to breathe)

blocks receptor for neurotransmitter

antipsychotic drugs (such as those used to treat schizophrenia) block receptors that are stimulated by dopamine

enhances release of neurotransmitter

black widow spider venom increases the release of acetylcholine, adderall increases release of dopamine and norepinephrine

blocks removal of neurotransmitter

cocaine and amphetamine block removal of some neurotransmitters (such as dopamine)

mimics neurotransmitter

LSD imitates serotonin and binds to serotonin receptors; meth mimics dopamine

hallucinogens

includes cannabis, MDMA, LSD

depressants

includes alcohol, barbiturates, rohypnol

narcotics

includes heroin, morphine, opiates

stimulants

includes nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine, adderall

pinna

Visible part of the outer ear.