Ap Psych - Sensations and Perceptions Review

The process of our sensory receptors and nervous system receiving and representing stimuli from our environment

Sensation

The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information

Perception

Experiences + Expectations

Perception

An approach to processing information that is guided by thoughts or higher level mental processes

Top - Down Processing

Macro → Micro

Top - Down Processing

An approach to logical thinking that begins with a general idea then, develops specific evidence to support it

Deductive Reasoning

An information processing that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain

Bottom - Up Processing

Micro → Macro

Bottom - Up Processing

An approach to logical thinking that begins with specific details and forms broad generalizations based on them

Inductive Reasoning

Focusing on two or more tasks

Divided Attention

Homing on a particular stimulus while our brain processes through the relevant and irrelevant

Selective Attention

A.K.A. Cocktail Party

Selective Attention

Cancelling out unwanted stimuli

Selective Inattention

A.K.A. “you hear what you want”

Selective Inattention

When focused is directed at one stimulus while being blind to other stimuli

Inattention Blindness

The inability to see changes in the environment when attention is directed elsewhere

Changed Blindness

The study of the relationship between stimuli and our psychological response to them

Psychophysics

Founded by Ernst Weber

Psychophysics

The smallest amount that two stimuli must differ in order to tell them apart

Difference Threshold

A.K.A noticeable difference

Difference Threshold

Weber’s Law and Gustav Fechner

Difference Threshold

The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus

Absolute Threshold

50% or more

Absolute Threshold

A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of faint stimulus (signal) and background stimulations (noise)

Signal Detection Theory

Perception of a stimulus below the threshold of conscious recognition

Subliminal Perception

The activation of certain association predispository one’s perception, memory, and response

Priming

Varies with age

Absolute Threshold

Interrupts the brains processing before conscious perception

Masking Stimulus

The ability of the body and brain to adapt to an environment and filter out distractions

Perceptual Adaptation

When sensory receptors reduce their sensitivity to continuous/unchanging stimuli

Sensory Adaptation

No longer having interest or lacking attention to a stimulus

Habituation