AP psych unit 4

Sensation

Sensation

the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment

Perception

the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events

bottom-up processing

the analysis of the smaller features to build up to a complete perception

top-down processing

the use of preexisting knowledge to organize individual features into a unified whole

selective attention

the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

inattentional blindness

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

Change blindness

failing to notice changes in the environment

Transduction

The process of converting outside stimuli, such as light, into neural activity

absolute threshold

the minimum stimulation needed to produce a sensation

subliminal

below the level of consciousness

signal detection theory

a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Based on alertness

difference thrshold

Smallest amount of sensory stimuli to seem different

Weber's Law

the just noticeable difference of a stimulus is a constant proportion despite variations in intensity

Sensory adaption

a decrease in sensitivity to a constant level of exposure

perceptual expectancy

the tendency to perceive things a certain way because previous experiences or expectations influence those perceptions

Schema

a concept of framework that organizes and interprets information

Context effects

The context that surrounds an event effect how an event is perceived and remembered

Wavelength

Determines hue- peak of one sound to another

Hue

color seen by wavelength

Amplitude

Determines brightness

accommodation

the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina

feature detectors

nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement

parallel processing

The brains ability to take in multiple different forms of information at the same time envision those are motion, form, depth, and color

Opponent process theory

Theory that opposing retinal processes, enable color vision, negative after image

Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory

the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors—one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue—which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color.

Gestalt Psychology

a psychological approach that emphasizes that we often perceive the whole rather than the sum of the parts

Figure ground

the tendency to perceive objects, or figures, as existing on a background

proximity

(n.) nearness, closeness

Continuity

we perceive smooth, continuous patterns rather than discontinuous ones

closure

the tendency to complete figures that are incomplete

binocular cues

depth cues that depend on the use of two eyes

retinal disparity

a binocular cue for perceiving depth by comparing images from the retinas in the two eyes, the brain computes distance—the greater the disparity (difference) between the two images, the closer the object.

convergence

The muscular tension that occurs when the eyes turn inward. There is less tension for further objects.

monocular cues

depth cues available to either eye alone

phi phenomenon

the illusion of movement created by blinking rapidly

stroboscopic movement

the brain perceives continuous movement in a rapid series of slightly varying images

perceptual constancy

perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change

color constancy

perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object

Linear perspective

parallel lines appear to meet with distance

texture gradient

the tendency for textured surfaces to appear to become smaller and finer as distance from the viewer increases

Interposition

if one object partially blocks our view of another, we perceive it as closer

motion parallax

a depth cue in which the relative movement of elements in a scene gives depth information when the observer moves relative to the scene

Timbre

quality of sound

auditory nerve

the nerve that carries impulses from the inner ear to the brain, resulting in the perception of sound

conduction deafness

An inability to hear resulting from damage to structures of the middle or inner ear.

sensorneural deafness

damage to the inner ear, cochlea's receptor cells or to the auditory nerves

cochlea

a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses

Nociceptor

pain receptor

gate-control theory

theory that explains how the nervous system blocks or allows pain signals to pass to the brain, rubbing our injury

gustatory receptors

chemoreceptors on the tongue that respond to chemicals in food

Eustachian tubes

narrow tubes that lead from the middle ear to the nasal cavity and the throat, drain ear fluid

semicircular canals

three canals within the inner ear that contain specialized receptor cells that generate nerve impulses with body movement

tympanic membrane

The eardrum. A structure that separates the outer ear from the middle ear and vibrates in response to sound waves.

Ossicles

Three middle bones that vibrate

Pinna

the visible part of the ear