Gen Psych Exam 3 Dr. DeWitt

What are the stimuli for hearing?

Sound waves (jostling molecules of air)

Define amplitude

(Height) Determines loudness

Define frequency

(Length) Determines pitch

How does sound travel from the outer ear to the auditory cortex?

1. Outer ear

-Auditory Canal

-Eardrum "tight membrane, vibrates waves"

2. Middle ear

-Hammer, Anvil, Stirrup (All 3 like a piston)

3. Inner ear

-Coch lea "snail-shaped tube"

-Oval Window

-Basilar Membrane "hair-like structures"

4. Auditory Cortex!!!

Define nerve deafness

Damage to auditory nerves

-Coch Lea Implant "translate sounds into electrical signal"

-Disease, heredity, aging, prolonged exposure--> loud noise

-Most common

Define Conduction Hearing Loss

Damage to mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the coach lea

-Ear wax, ear infections, ruptured eardrum, cysts, tumors

-Less common

What are the 4 senses of touch?

Pressure, warmth, cold, pain

What are the 5 senses of taste

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami

How does smell work?

To smell, molecules of fragrance must reach receptors at top of each nasal cavity

How many receptors are in each naval cavity

5 million

How does smell travel through the body?

Receptor cells --> brains olfactory bulb--> temporal lobes & limbic system

What are the two body positions/movement

1. Kinesthesia

2. Vestibular Sense

Define kinesthesia

the sense of body movement and position of individual body parts

Humans individuals are equipped with millions of position and motion sensors found in...

muscles, tendons, and joints

Define vestibular sense

the sense of body movement and position INCLUDING THE SENSE OF BALANCE

What contributes to the sense of balance in vestibular sense

The inner ear that has 2 structures

What are the two structures of the inner ear

1. fluid filled semicircular canals (looks like pretzel)

2. Vestibular sacs- contain fluid that moves when head tilts to rotates

What sends messages to cerebellum at the back of the brain

Stimulants hair-like structures

Define perception

Organizing & interpreting sensory information

What term aid in perceptual organization

Gestalt= organizing pieces of information into a whole

What are the 2 steps in perception

1. Figure/ground

2. Grouping

Define figure/ground

To perceive any object (figure) as distinct from its surrounding (ground)

Define grouping

Organizing the figure into meaningful forms (RULES)

What are the rules for grouping

1. Proximity= group nearby figures together

2. Similarity= group together figures that are the same

3. Continuity= perceive smooth continuous line patterns rather than discontinuous ones

4. Closure= fill gaps to create a whole

5. Connectedness= perceive spots, lines, or areas as a single unit when uniform & linked

Define depth perception

estimate or judge the distance an object is from us

What is an example of depth perception

Visual cliff (child 6-14 months reluctant to do it)

Define binocular cues

depth cues using both eyes

What is retinol disparity in relation to binocular cues

Greater the difference between two images the retina receives of an object, the close the object is to us

Define sensation

refers to how our sense receptors and nervous system represent our external environment

Define bottom-up processing... does this go with sensation or perception?

Begins with sensory receptors and works up to higher levels of processing... goes with sensation

Sensation is...

detection

perception is...

interpretation

Define perception and does this go with sensation or perception

refers to how we mentally organize and interpret sensory information...goes with perception

Define top-down processing

creates meaning form sensory input by drawing on our experiences and expectations/info processing

What are the 3 basic steps to all sensory system

1. Receive "sensory stimulation via receptor cells"

2. Transform "that stimulation via into neural impulses"

2. Deliver "that neural info to the brain"

Define transduction

the process of converting one form of energy to another that our brain can use

Define absolute threshold

the point at which we detect a stimulus 50% of the time

ex. logo graphic

Define subliminal

Below threshold... the point at which we detect a stimulus less than 50% of the time

Define priming

Unconscious activation of certain associations

ex. in class activity (she tricked us)

Define difference threshold

(aka just noticeable difference) the minimum difference a person can detect between any 2 stimuli 50% of the time

Define sensory adaptation

our diminishing sensitivity to an unchaining stimulus

ex. pool temp, exiting a movie

What are 2 characteristics of light

1. Wave length

2. Wave intensity

Define wave length

Distance from one wave peak to another, determines its hue

Define wave intensity

the amount of energy in light waves which is determined by amplitude (height), peaks and trough, influences brightness

Greater amplitude...

brighter colors

Smaller amplitude...

duller colors

Define pupil

yes smallest opening

Define iris

colored muscles that dilate/constrict the pupil

Define lens

focuses incoming rays

Define retinal

multilayered tissue lining the back of the eye

Define rods

detect black, white, gray...more light sensitive

Define cones

detect color & fine detail... function in daylight... Red, green, blue

Define optic nerve

carries info to the brain (information highway)

Define blind spot

where the optic nerve leaves the eye and there are no receptor cells there

Define myopia

nearsightedness, near is clear, objects further away are blurry

Define presbyopia

farsightedness, can't see near, can see far away

Define color-vision deficiency

decreased ability to see color differences

Define cognitive neuroscience

study of brain activity linked with our mental process

Define conscious experience

occurs when there is synchronized activity across the brain

Define inattentional blindness

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

Define blindness

failure to notice obvious changes in the environment

Define selective attention & accidents

texting and driving

What percent of traffic accidents are due to talking and texting on phone

28%

Why is hands free cell phone chatting more distracting than chatting/passenger

Passengers can see driving demands, pause the conversation, alert driver to risk

Define consciousness

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment

What is an example of conscienceness

1. Reflecting on past events

2. setting goals

3. learning a new task

Define selective attention

awareness focuses on only a particular stimulus

Examples of selective attention

1. reading a book-blocking everything else out

What is the cocktail party effect

Attending to one voice among many voiced

What are the 3 states of consciousness

1. Daydream

2. Drowsiness

3. Dreaming

*all of these occur spontaneously

Define unconsciousness processing

occurs without our awareness, takes care of routine business

Define convergene

a muscular cue that indicates the extent to which the eyes move inward when looking at an object

Define monucular cues

depth cues available to each eye separately

Define Perceptual constancy

(Top down) enabling us to see objects as unchanging while stimuli from it change (shape constantancy)

Define Perceptual set

Mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another (Top-down)

Define circadian rythme

Internal biological clock that occurs on a 24 cycle

What is a night owl

(College age) improved performance throughout the day

What is a morning lark

(older adults) declining performing through the day

What are the stages of the sleep cycle

1. NREM

2. NREM-2

3.NREM-3

4. REM

How long does NREM last and what kind of waves does it produce?

a few minutes. Produces alpha waves

In the NREM stage, what happens to breathing, brainwaves, heart rate, and muscles, and other things that happen

-breathing decreases

-brainwaves decrease

-heart rate decreases

-muscles relax

-Experience fantastic image (resemble hallucinations

-Hypertoggic sensations (body jerking, feelings of floating)

What is a sensory experience that occurs without external stimuli

Hallucinations

How long does NREM-2 last, and what kind of waves are produced

20 minutes, and theta waves

What happens during state 2 NUREM-2

-Experience sleep spindles (Burst of brainwave activity)

-Can be awakened with little difficulty

-Clearly asleep

How long does NREM-3 last, and what kind of waves does it produce

30 minutes, delta waves, and slow wave sleep

What happens during NREM-3

-Very deep sleep

-Hard to awaken

-May talk, walk, text

-Children may wet the bed

What happens to eyes during REM, and what kind of waves does it give off

Rapid eye movement, theta, beta, gamma waves

What happens during REM

-10 min brain waves become rapid or active

-about every 30 seconds, eyes dart within activity

-genital arousal(dreams do not have to be sexual)

-Occasional twitch

-Essentially paralyzed

-Eye movements indicate beginning of dream

-Cannot be easily awakened

-"Paradoxical sleep" (body aroused internally, N.S. and brain very active, yet one is externally calm and asleep voluntary muscles barely move)

-Vivid dreams

How often does the sleep cycle repeat?

every 90 minutes

What happens as the sleep cycle repeats itself

Stage 3 NUREM-3 gets briefer and disappears and REM and NUREM 2 get longer

By morning what percent of of average night sleep has been rem

20-25%

What does sleep deprivation do?

-impaired creativity (concentration)

-Increased vulnerability to illness

-irritability and agitation

-Misperceptions

-Fatigue/sleepiness

-Increase risk for depression

-Weight gain

What does sleep deprivation do to college students

-Conflicts in friendships and dating relationships

-Fall asleep in class

-function below your peak academically

Define insomnia

reoccurring problems falling or staying asleep

What are some common quick fixes for insomnia

-sleeping pills

-alcohol

*Both aggravate the problem and reduce REM sleep

*Once the drug is discontinue, the insomnia worsens

Alternatives for Insomniacs

-Relax before bedtime, dim lights

-Avoid caffeine

-Avoid naps

-Exercise regularly

-Hide phone-dont check it

-HWLW- Read/meditate on sciprture

-Pray

-Reassure yourself- losing little sleep causes no hard

-If nothing else works, aim for less sleep (Go to bed later and get up earlier)

Define sleep apnea

one intermittently stops breathing during sleep-associated with obesity

What are solutions for Sleep apnea

-Lose weight

-Avoid alcohol

-Excerise

-Quit smoking

-C-pap machine

-Sleep position training

-Adenoids removed

Night terrors things

-usually occur in kids

-appear terrified/blood curdling scream

-sit up/ walk aorund/ talk incoherently

-breathing and HR double

-Very seldom awaken fully

-Recall nothing the next morning or if awakened

-NREM 3

Define Narcolepsy

periodic and overwhelming sleepiness. Lasting less that 5 minutes