AP Psych Unit 3

Sensation

raw data from our five senses, from sensory receptors

Perception

process of interpreting info from five senses

Figure and ground

tendency of visual system to put some objects in focus and others in background

Continuation

perceive objects in smooth patterns, even if separate objects

Closure

automatically fill in gaps to complete objects in mind when we see uncomplete objects

Similarity

we interpret objects with similar characteristics as a whole rather than individually

Proximity

objects close together will be perceived as one whole object

Symmetry

symmetrical objects are seen as one object

Depth perception

perceive relative distance of an object in our visual field

Binocular cues

information that is received from both eyes and help inform the brain about the distance an object is from the person.

Monocular cues

info of distance from one eye

Interposition

objects blocked from another object are father away

Relative Height cue

higher objects appear to be farther away compared to lower objects

Shading and conture

see form of object, hazy objects are farther away

Linear Perspective

parallel lines appear to converge at a point in the distance, helps understand positioning and depth

Sensory Transduction

outside stimulus activates a person’s sensory receptors which are changed to electrical signal and sent to brain

Sensory adaptation

continuous stimulus makes to not notice it anymore

habituation

repeatedly exposed to stimulus and start having reduced effects

Difference threshold

amount of change needed between two stimuli to be perceived by an individual

Weber Fechner Law

For us to notice the difference between two stimuli, the two stimuli must difference by a constant percent

Size constancy

tendency to perceive objects as same size

color constancy

perception of the color of an object remains the same even if lighting changes

shape constance

tendency of brain to perceive object to have the same shape even when it is moving

Lightness constancy

perception of blackness, whiteness, and grayness of an object(shading)

Schema

cognitive framework or concept that helps organize and interpret information.

Sclera

Outside layer of eye, white fiberous tissue, protects eye

Cornea

Transparent, bend light and protects eye

Aqueous Humor

Made of of water and salt and helps maintain pressure within eye and provides nourshiment to rest of eye.

Iris

ring membrane behind cornea, determine eye color and controls amoutn of light that enter eye

pupil

dark part of eye, where light passes through

lens

eye to change focus

Vitreus Humor

between lens and retina, gives support and shape

Retina

made up of layers of light sensitive cells, convert light to neuro impulses to process what we are seeing

Choroid

supports retinal cells and provides oxygen and nutrients

Optic nerve

communication cable between your eyes and your brain

Astigmatism

cornea is irregularly shaped and impact person’s ability to focus

Cataracts

lens of eye becomes cloudy, so vison becomes blurry

Thrichromoatic theory

individuals are able to see color because of different waveslength of light to stimulate three color receptors

Opponent Processing Theory

info received fromt eh cones is sent to ganglion cells (some neurons become excited while other inhibited)

Achromatism

color blindness where person does not have retinal cones and can only see black, white, and gray

Dichromatism

color blindness where person is missing one of typical cone pigments

Trichromatism

can see all colors

Synesthesisa

stimulation of one sense elicits another sense (seeing colors with numbers)

Top down processing

using prior knowledge to interpret the info you are seeing

Bottom up processing

Interpret information that is unfamiliar by examining the info as it is

Proofreaders illusion

failure to notice errors when reading typed materials that you wrote

Pinna

outer part of ear and directs sound into ear(cartilidge)

Auditory canal

entrance to ear and funnels sound into the ear and eardrum

Ear drum

(tympanic membrane) turns sound into vibrations

Cochlea

sound waves turn into electrical impulses that the brain can interpret

Place theory

placement of the stereocilia on different areas of the basilar membrane result in brain interpreting different pitches of sound

Sensorineural hearing loss

results from cilia or auditory nerve being damaged

Conductive hearing loss

something blocking sound from moving through the outer ear to the middle and inner ear

Olfactory

relating to sense of smell

Epidermis

outermost layer of skin

Dermis

connective tissue where blood vessels are nerve endings are located (sense of touch and pain come from)

Nociceptors

In dermis, pain receptors

Hypodermis

network of collagen and fat cells under dermis

Phantom limb sensation

individuals experience pain where their lost body part once was.

Kinesthesis

Sensory info that allows us to control our movement through sensory receptors in muscles and joints

Proprioceptors

sensory receptors in muslces, tendons, and joints that senstive to body movements and positions

Vestibular sense

ability to maintain balance

Sensory interaction

senses work together to perceive the world around us