Sensory Interaction & Vision Notes

Sensory Interaction

How senses work together, such as taste and smell.

Synesthesia

A condition where one sense triggers another, for example, seeing colors when hearing sounds.

Retina

The light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.

Blindspot

The area where the optic nerve leaves the eye and lacks photoreceptors.

Visual Nerve

The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Retinal Images

Images projected onto the retina, often inverted.

Lens

Structure in the eye that adjusts its shape to focus light on the retina.

Accommodation

The process of the lens changing shape to focus on objects at different distances.

Nearsightedness (Myopia)

Condition where close objects are clear, but distant objects appear blurry.

Farsightedness (Hyperopia)

Condition where distant objects are clear, but close objects appear blurry.

Rods

Photoreceptors that detect light and dark, crucial for night vision.

Cones

Photoreceptors that detect color and detail, functioning best in bright light.

Light/Dark Adaptation

The eye's adjustment to changes in brightness.

Trichromacy Theory

Theory stating there are three types of cones sensitive to red, green, and blue.

Opponent Process Theory

Theory of color perception based on opposing color pairs, such as red-green.

Fovea

The center of the retina responsible for sharpest vision.

Wavelengths

Determine color; shorter wavelengths correspond to blue, longer to red.

Afterimages

Visual illusions of seeing the opposite color after staring at an object.

Ganglion Cells

Cells that process and transmit visual information to the brain.

Dichromatism

Partial color blindness characterized by having two functioning cone types.

Monochromatism

Complete color blindness resulting from having only one cone type or none.

Prosopagnosia

Inability to recognize faces despite having normal vision.

Occipital Lobe

The area of the brain responsible for visual processing.

Amplitudes

Characteristics of sound waves that affect loudness; higher amplitude means louder sound.

Place Theory

Theory explaining that different parts of the cochlea respond to different pitches.

Volley Theory

Theory stating that neurons fire in groups to produce the perception of pitch.

Frequency Theory

Theory suggesting pitch perception is based on the speed of neuron firing.

Sound Localization

The ability to identify the origin of a sound.

Aging

A process that leads to a gradual loss of hearing ability.

Conduction Deafness

Hearing loss resulting from damage to the ear's mechanical systems.

Sensorineural Deafness

Hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve.