Untitled Flashcard Set

Sensation

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

Psychophysics

The study of the relationship between the objective physical characteristics of a stimulus and the subjective perception of that stimulus.

Signal Detection Theory

A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background stimulation, assuming that there is no absolute threshold.

Absolute Threshold

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

Just-Noticeable Difference (Difference Threshold)

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

Weber’s Law

To perceive as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage.

Sensory Adaptation

Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.

Transduction

The conversion of one form of energy into another; in sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies into neural impulses.

Pupil

The aperture through which light passes on entering the eye.

Cornea

Clear, curved bulge in the front of the eyeball that protects and covers the eye.

Iris

Muscle that expands and contracts to change the size of the opening (pupil) for light.

Lens

Transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to focus images on the retina.

Retina

Contains sensory receptors that process visual information and send it to the brain.

Fovea

Located in the retina, contains a concentration of cones that provides the clearest vision.

Cones

Detect fine detail and color vision, functioning in daylight or well-lit conditions.

Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic Theory

The theory that the retina contains three different color receptors sensitive to red, green, and blue.

Opponent-Process Theory

The theory that opposing retinal processes enable color vision.

Hue

The dimension of color determined by the wavelength of light.

Optic Nerve

Carries visual impulses from the retina to the brain.

Blindspot

The point where the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a spot with no receptor cells.

Feature Detectors

Cells in the visual cortex that respond selectively to specific features of stimuli.

Accommodation

Process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to focus on near or far objects.

Nearsightedness

Good near vision, difficulty seeing distant objects clearly.

Farsightedness

Good distance vision, difficulty seeing nearby objects clearly.

Rods

Photoreceptors that detect black, white, and gray, functioning in low light conditions.

Afterimages

Images that remain after a stimulus ends, related to opponent-process theory.

Bipolar Cells

Cells that transmit signals from photoreceptors to ganglion cells.

Ganglion Cells

Neurons that relay information from the retina to the brain via the optic nerve.

Dichromatism

Partial color blindness where the eye contains only two types of cone photopigment.

Monochromatism

Partial color blindness where the eye contains only one type of cone photopigment.

Prosopagnosia

A disease where the ability to recognize faces is impaired.

Blindsight

A condition where individuals can respond to visual stimuli without conscious awareness.

Middle Ear

The chamber containing three tiny bones that amplify sound vibrations.

Cochlea

A coiled, fluid-filled structure in the inner ear that converts sound waves to nerve impulses.

Place Theory

A theory linking the pitch we hear with the location of stimulation in the cochlea.

Volley Theory

A theory suggesting that sound stimuli are processed collectively by groups of neurons.

Frequency Theory

A theory stating that the rate of nerve impulses matches the frequency of a tone.

Sound Localization

The ability to identify the location of sound sources.

Wavelengths

The distance from the peak of one wave to the peak of the next wave.

Frequency

Determined by the wavelength of sound, affecting pitch.

Amplitude

The intensity or energy of a wave, determining loudness.

Conduction Deafness

Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system conducting sound.

Sensorineural Deafness

Hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea's receptor cells or auditory nerves.

Cochlear Implant

A device that converts sound into electrical signals to stimulate the auditory nerve.

Olfactory System

The sense of smell, where odors interact with receptor proteins in the nose.

Pheromones

Chemical signals released by organisms to communicate within their species.

Umami

A basic taste sensation experienced as savory or meaty.

Oleogustus

A proposed taste sensation triggered by fatty acids.

Gustation

The mouth's ability to differ sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties.

Taste Receptors

Tiny bumps on the tongue with hairs that send taste information to the brain.

Supertasters

Individuals with more taste receptors and greater sensitivity to certain substances.

Medium Tasters

Individuals with average ability to perceive flavors.

Nontasters

People with reduced ability to taste and perceive flavors.

Thalamus

The brain structure that receives and sorts all sensory input.

Gate-Control Theory

The theory that the spinal cord has a neurological 'gate' that controls pain signals.

Phantom Limb Sensation

The sensation that an amputated limb is still present.

Vestibular Sense

The sense of body movement and position, including balance.

Semicircular Canals

Looped channels in the inner ear that detect head movements for balance.

Kinesthesia

The system for sensing the position and movement of body parts.

Bottom-Up Processing

Analysis that starts with sensory receptors and builds towards a larger understanding.

Top-Down Processing

Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes or experiences.

Perception

The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information.

Schemas

Mental frameworks that organize knowledge and influence how we interpret information.

Perceptual Set

A tendency to perceive certain aspects of data while ignoring others.

Cocktail Party Effect

The ability to focus on a specific auditory stimulus while filtering others.

Inattentional Blindness

Failing to notice visible objects when attention is directed elsewhere.

Change Blindness

Failing to notice changes in the environment.

Gestalt Psychology

An approach emphasizing that we perceive organized wholes.

Closure

The perception of a complete object even when it is incomplete.

Figure and Ground

The ability to differentiate an object from its background.

Grouping

The tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups.

Proximity

The perception that objects close together belong together.

Similarity

The perception that items sharing attributes are grouped together.

Depth Perception

The ability to perceive the world in three dimensions.

Visual Cliff

An experimental tool for testing depth perception.

Binocular Cues

Depth cues that require the use of both eyes.

Convergence

The inward movement of both eyes toward a close object.

Retinal Disparity

The difference between the images received by the two eyes.

Monocular Cues

Depth cues that can be perceived with one eye alone.

Relative Clarity

The perception that hazier objects are further away.

Relative Size

The perception that smaller images are further away.

Texture Gradient

The diminishing detail of objects as distance increases.

Linear Perspective

The perception of parallel lines converging in the distance.

Interposition

Objects that block others are perceived as closer.

Perceptual Constancies

The ability to perceive objects as stable despite changes.

Color Constancy

Perception that an object's color remains unchanged under different lighting.

Apparent Motion

The illusion of movement from a series of still images.

Stroboscopic Movement

A visual phenomenon where rapidly changing still images create motion.

Phi Phenomenon

An illusion of movement created by alternating light bulbs in sequence.