Stimulus Sensation Perception

What is a stimulus?

A stimulus is any input from the environment that affects one or more of the senses.

What are the two types of stimuli?

External stimuli (e.g., light, sound) and internal stimuli (e.g., pain, hunger signals).

What is sensation?

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

What are the three stages of sensation?

Reception, transduction, and transmission.

What does 'transduction' refer to in sensation?

Transduction is the conversion of stimulus energy into neural impulses.

What is perception?

Perception is the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information.

What are the two processes involved in perception?

Organization and interpretation.

What influences perception?

Attention, perceptual set, context, and Gestalt principles.

What is the absolute threshold?

The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time.

What is the difference threshold (just noticeable difference)?

The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time.

What is sensory adaptation?

Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.

What are the five types of sensory receptors?

Photoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, chemoreceptors, thermoreceptors, and nociceptors.

What is Weber's Law?

The just noticeable difference (JND) is a constant proportion of the original stimulus intensity.

What are the Gestalt principles of perceptual organization?

Proximity, similarity, closure, continuity, and connectedness.

What are binocular cues?

Depth cues that depend on the use of two eyes, such as retinal disparity.

What are monocular cues?

Depth cues available to either eye alone, such as relative size or interposition.

What are perceptual constancies?

Perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change.