AP Psych Unit 1: Part 2 Sensation and Perception

parallel processing

The ability of the brain to simultaneously process incoming stimuli of differing quality. Parallel processing is associated with the visual system in that the brain divides what it sees into four components: color, motion, shape, and depth

sensation

what occurs when a stimulus activates a receptor

perception

the organization of sensory information into meaningful experiences

absolute threshold

the weakest amount of a stimulus that a person can detect half the time

Just noticeable difference threshold

the smallest change in a physical stimulus that can be detected between two stimulus

Weber's law

the principle that the layer or stronger a stimulus, the larger the change required for an observer to notice a difference

pupil

the opening in the iris that regulates the amount of light entering the eye

lens

a flexible, transparent structure in the eye that changes its shape to focus light on the retina

retina

the innermost coating of the back of the eye, containing the light sensitive receptor cells

optic nerve

the nerve that carries impulses from the retina to the brain

auditory nerve

the nerve that carries impulses from the inner ear to the brain, resulting in the sensation of sound

vestibular system

three semicircular canals that provide the sense of balance, located in the inner ear and connected to the brain by a nerve

olfactory nerve

the nerve that carries smell impulses from the nose to the brain

kinesthesis

the sense of movement and body postition

gestalt psychology

the study of experience that comes from organizing bits and pieces of information into meaningful wholes

constancy

the tendency to perceive certain objects in the same way regardless of changing angle, distance or lighting

illusions

perceptions that misrepresent physical stimuli

extrasensory perception

(ESP) an ability to gain information by some means other than the ordinary senses

Hammer, anvil, stirrup (Malleus, Incus, Stapes)

the three tiny bones in the middle ear (linked to cochlea & eardrum)

conduction deafness

occurs when anything hinders physical motion through the outer or middle ear or when the bones of the middle ear become rigid and cannot carry sounds inward

cornea

this cover that is in the front of the human eye

eardrum

where sound waves vibrate to start the hearing processes and is located at the end of the ear canal

gate control theory

the theory that we can lessen some pains by shifting our attention away from the pain impulses or by sending other signals to compete withe the pain signals

semicircular canals

prominent features of the vestibular system enclosed in the inner ear

sensorineural deafness

occurs from damage to the cochlea, the hair cells or the auditory neurons.

blind spot

the small are, insensitive to light, in the retina of the eye where the optic nerve enters

color deficiency

when a person can only see some colors (Dichromatism) or not all (monochromatism )

Amplitude

For a wave or vibration, the maximum displacement on either side of the equilibrium (midpoint) position. In Sound it is measured in decibels

Frequency theory

the pitch of a sound wave depends on frequency or the rate of the vibration of the medium through which the sound wave is transmitted

sensory adaptiation

the sense of adapting to an environment

cochlea

makes up the inner ear. a bony tube that contains fluids and neurons

cones

a light sensitive receptor cell or photoreceptor

ear canal

tube that sound enters into to reach the eardrum

flavor

the combination of taste, smell and tactile sensations.

iris

part of the eye, regulates the amount of light entering the eye

rods

sensitive to low levels of light

taste buds (receptors)

on the tongue, sense organs for taste (gustation)

Place Theory

the place on the cilia or sound receptors that is stimulated allows the brain to determine frequency (pitch) and amplitude (loudness)

Ganglion cells

In the retina, the specialized neurons that connect to the bipolar cells; the bundled axons of the ganglion cells form the optic nerve.

touch receptors

sensory neurons on hands, lips or feet

farsightedness

medically known as hyperopia or hypermetropia, is a condition that is the result of the eye's physical inability to focus an image correctly on the retina at the back of the eye. Farsightedness is the result of the eyeball being too short, and/or the lens of the eye not being flexible enough, for proper focus to occur.

figure-ground perception

our visual system organizes images into figures that we see and a ground or background

frequency

wavelength of each wave (pitch or hue)

interposition

depth cue involves one object partially covering up another object

nearsightedness

known as Myopia, an elongated eye causes light rays from each eye to meet before they hit the retina causing a distortion

apparent motion

When you are riding in a car, (for example), and look at distant mountains, the objects in a nearby field seem to be moving in the opposite direction to your movement, Yet, when you look at distant mountains, the objects in a nearby or land beyond the animal seem to be moving in the same direction that you are

afterimage

after staring at an image for a while, when you close your eyes or look away you see the negative image.

proximity

when we see a number of similar objects, we tend to perceive them as groups or sets of those that are close to each other

similarity

when similar and dissimilar objects are mingled, we see the similar objects as groups

closure

when we see a familiar pattern or shape with some missing parts, we fill in the gaps

relative clarity

The farther removed an object is, the less detail we can identify. It is one of your monocular depth cues.

monocular cues

depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone

top-down processing

information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

bottom-up processing

the analysis of the smaller features to build up to a complete perception

perceptual set

a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another

Schema

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information

Trichromatic Color Theory

also known as the component theory; proposed by Thomas Young and Hermann van Helmholtz suggests that there are three types of receptors in the retina: cones that respond to red, blue or green

Synesthesia

describing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color", "a sweet sound")

linear perspective

A monocular cue for perceiving depth; the more parallel lines converge, the greater their perceived distance.

convergence

A binocular cue for perceiving depth; the extent to which the eyes converge inward when looking at an object

Transduction

conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains can interpret.

change blindness

failing to notice changes in the environment

inattentional blindness

a failure to perceive objects that are not the focus of attention

selective attention

the ability to focus on only one stimulus from among all sensory input

opponent-process theory

the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green

visual cliff apparatus

developed by Eleanor Gibson and Richard Walk to study whether depth perception is innate

Binocular depth cues

clues about distance based on the differing views of the two eyes

Retinal Disparity

a binocular cue for perceiving depth by comparing images from the retinas in the two eyes, the brain computes distance—the greater the disparity (difference) between the two images, the closer the object.

Relative size

a monocular cue for perceiving depth; the smaller retinal image is farther away

Texture/Gradient

the tendency for textured surfaces to appear to become smaller and finer as distance from the viewer increases

Cocktail party effect

Ability to concentrate on one voice amongst a crowd

Sensory Interaction

the principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste

Accommodation

the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina

Fova

central point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster

Blindsight

a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it

Phantom limb sensation

patients who have had a limb amputated may still experience sensations such as itching, pressure, tingling, or pain as if the limb were still there

Sensorineural deafness

deafness that results from damage to the auditory nerve