Intro to Psych - Chapter 4 Vocabulary

Kinesthetic

The awareness we have of where the parts of the body are in relation to each other 

Optic Nerve

The firing of neuron is sent through the system of neurons

Visual Information

A set of light waves (electromagnetic energy) that the mechanisms of the eye “sense”, turn into neural impulses 

Rods

Receptors that detect black and white

Retinal Disparity

The slight difference between what is seen by each eye

Similarity

Equal and similar objects are grouped together

Continuity

Objects that are aligned in some way or that are a part of a pattern or grouped together 

Kinesthetic Receptors

In our muscles, joints, and tendons

Ernest Weber

The father of psychophysics, did a number of threshold experiments

Sensory Adaptation

The tendency for our experience of the intensity of a stimulus to decrease (change) after continuous exposure to the stimulus 

Pupil

The darker part, which is the opening in the center of the eye

Relative Size 

Monocular cue; Smaller images cast on our retinas are perceived as farther away than larger images 

Wave Saturation

Determines how saturated or “pure” the light is; single or multiple wavelengths

Wavelength

The measure of one point on one wave to a point on the next wave

Sensation

The process of receiving information from the environment by the sense organs and the changing of this basic information into neural (brain) activity 

Closure

How our brain fills in the gaps or missing parts of incomplete objects in an effort to form meaningful, whole objects

Receptors

The path of the transmission to the brain, where the information is processed to the brain 

Taste Receptors

Also known as taste buds & are regenerated when damaged

Signal Detection

Mathematical calculation of the proportion of correct judgements compared to the number of incorrect judgements an individual makes in trying to detect a stimulus (or signal)

Top-Down Processing

The use of our acquired knowledge, experience, and expectation (all of which is stored in our brains) to organize and interpret sensory information 

Cornea

When the light energy enters the eye

Determinations of Difference

The smallest difference in two stimuli that can be detected

Iris

Circles around the eye that contains muscles that determine how much light gets in

Kinestheticology

The study of motor sensation and movement 

Convergence

Binocular cue; Determines how close an object is based on the degree to which our eyes come together to focus on the object 

Senses

How the message is received in our brains

Absolute Threshold

Smallest amount of physical stimulation that would lead to an individual sensing the physical stimulation 

Psychophysicists

Studies the relationship between what is represented in the physical world and how it’s represented in the psychological world 

Lens

Shape of the lens changes so we can better bring objects into focus to see them 

Bottom-Up Processing

Neural impulses travel from the sense organs up to the brain

Linear Perspective

Monocular cue; Describes our tendency to perceive parallel lines as converging in the distance (closer the line, greater the perception of distance)

Proximity

Objects that are close to each other are perceived as a group

Processes

Make sense out of the information that is received

Monocular Cues 

Cues about distance or depth that are processed by each eye independently

Interposition 

Monocular cue; Influences our perception when one object blocks another and the blocked object is viewed as being farther away 

Depth Perception

The ability to see in three dimension (3-D)

Illusory (or Subjective) Contours 

Features of an object that are perceived as a part on an object, as a result of top-down processing that don’t actually exist 

Aerial Perspective

Explains our tendency to see faraway objects as hazy or unclear

Phi Phenomenon

Two lights flashing (one on the left and one on the right) on each side in different time intervals

Context Effects

Process where the meaning of sensory information is determined based on the particular circumstance and/or situation within which it occurs

Cones

Receptors for detecting colors

Binocular Cues

Distance or depth cues that require use of both eyes

Perception

Information is selected, organized, interpreted and processed in the brain by the individual 

Gestalt Psychology

Focuses on the principles that govern our everyday perceptions and out innate tendency to organize these into meaningful wholes 

Perceptual Set

Describes our individual tendency to be predisposed to perceiving a certain way based on prior experiences 

Optic Chiasm

Bundle of neurons in the optic nerve