AP Psych - sensation and perception

sensation

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

perception

the brains interpretation of sensory inputs which can be influenced by past experiences, expectations, and context

transduction

The conversion of sensory stimulus into neural impulses that can be understood by the brain

absolute threshold

the minimum amount of stimulation required for a stimulus to be detected by a sensory system

just noticeable difference

the smallest change in stimulus that can be detected by individuals

weber’s law

the perceived difference in a stimulus must be proportional to the original intensity of the stimulus

sensory adaptation

the process by which sensory receptors become less responsive to constant stimuli over time

synestisia

a condition in which stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in another sensory pathway.

retina

the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye containing photoreceptor cells that convert light into neural signals

rods

Photoreceptor cells in the retina, responsible for vision in low light conditions and detecting motion, provide black and white vision located outside the retina

cones

photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision and detail in bright light

fovea

central area of the retina responsible for sharp central vision, lots of cone cells, no rod cells

blind spot

area on the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye lacking photoreceptor cells, a spot where vision is absent

ganglion cells

processes visual info and relays it to the brain, helper cells

lens

(accommodation) The transparent structure in the eye that focuses light on the retina and changes shape to help the eye refract light and have clear vision at different distances

acommodation

The process by which the lens of the eye changes its shape to focus on objects at different distances.

nearsightedness

a condition in which nearby objects are seen more clearly than distant objects

farsightedness

a condition in which faraway objects are seen more clearly than near objects

trichromatic theory

a theory proposing that color vision is based on three types of cone receptors, each sensitive to different wavelengths of light

opponent processing theory

a theory proposing that color vision is based on pairs of opposing color processes (red-green, blue-yellow, black-white)

dichromatism

A type of color blindness where one of the three basic color mechanisms is absent or not functioning.

monochromatism

a rare form of color blindness where an individual only has one functioning cone cell or none at all, sees the world in black and white

wavelength

the distance between sound wave peaks, shorter-> higher-pitched sounds, longer-> lower-pitched sounds

amplitude

The measure of the intensity or loudness of a sound wave, represented by the height of its peak

place theory

the idea that the different parts of the inner ear detect different sound frequencies

frequency theory

proposes that the frequency of a sound corresponds to the rate at which the auditory nerve fiber fire

volley theory

proposes that groups of auditory nerves fire in rapid succession or volleys to encode the frequency of sounds

sound localization

The brain's ability to determine the location of a sound source in space

conduction deafness

An inability to hear resulting from damage to structures of the middle or inner ear. something is stuck in your ear

sensorineural deafness

deafness that results from damage to the auditory nerve caused by age or excessive exposure to loud noise

warm/cold receptors

specialized sensory neurons in the skin that detect changes in temperture

pain

not a sensation, but an emotional response to stimuli

gate control theory

the theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. The "gate" is opened by information coming from the brain.

phantom limb sensation

Patients who have had a limb amputated may still experience sensations such as itching, pressure, tingling, or pain as if the limb were still there

vestibular sense

the sense of body orientation and movement, balance and spatial awarness

semicircular canals

Three fluid-filled canals in the inner ear are responsible for our sense of balance and detects motion of the head

kinesthesis sense

the sense of body movement and position includes awareness of muscles and joint sensations

optic nerve

the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

afterimages

images that occur when a visual sensation persists for a brief time even after the original stimulus is removed, caused by the opponent processing theory

blindsight

a phenomenon in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously perceiving it

prosopagnosia

inability to recognize faces

cochlea

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

auditory nerve

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

ear canal

A narrow region leading from the outside of the human ear to the eardrum.

eardrum

a thin membrane that marks the beginning of the middle ear; sound waves cause it to vibrate

hammer/anvil/stirrup

the three small bones in the middle ear that relay vibrations of the eardrum to the inner ear

olfaction

sense of smell

pheromones

chemical signals, which are found in natural body scents in humans and animals, that trigger social interactions

gustation

sense of taste

Bottom-up processing

A way our brain makes sense of info by starting with small details and finding the big picture when you first see something

Top-down processing

involves interpreting sensory info based on the larger context and then noticing the smaller details

selective attention

the process of focusing on a specific aspect of info while ignoring others

cocktail party affect

The ability to attend to only one voice among a noisy envirement

inattentional blindness

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

change blindness

failing to notice large changes in the environment when the change occurs simultaneously with a visual disruption

schemas

mental frameworks that help us organize and interpret info

Gestalt Psychology

perceiving objects or figures rather than a collection of random parts

Figure Ground

ability to distinguish an object from it surroundings

Binocular Depth Cues

Depth cues requiring both 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

when your eyes cross to look at something very close

Monocular Depth Cues

Depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone.

Relative Clarity

a monocular cue for perceiving depth; hazy objects are farther away than sharp, clear objects

Relative Size

when closer objects appear bigger and farther objects appear smaller

texture gradient

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

Linear perspective

Parallel lines, such as railroad tracks, appear to converge with distance. The more the lines converge, the greater their perceived distance.

interposition

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

perceptual constancies

Perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent shapes, size, and

shape constancy

the psychological phenomenon of perceiving an object's shape as unchanging, even when the image it casts on the retina is distorted by a change in viewpoint

size constancy

the tendency to interpret an object as always being the same actual size, regardless of its distance

color constancy

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

apparent movement

the perception that a stationary object is moving