How Vision Works: Light Waves and Energy

Flashcards cover the visible light range, light properties, attention mechanisms, ESP, and subliminal perception.

What range of wavelengths (in nanometers) is visible to humans?

Approximately 360 nm to 750 nm.

What are the two important properties of light waves in vision?

Wavelength (perceived as color) and amplitude (perceived as brightness).

Which property of light is perceived as color?

Wavelength.

Which property of light is perceived as brightness?

Amplitude.

What is selective attention?

The ability to focus on a subset of information and exclude the rest.

How can selective attention be described as it relates to information processing?

As a filter that blocks certain information from reaching awareness.

What is inattentional blindness?

A failure to notice a stimulus because attention is focused elsewhere.

What does attention regulate to help perform tasks and coordinate several tasks?

The flow of resources needed to perform tasks and coordinate several tasks.

What does attention direct toward?

Certain stimuli to prioritize input for further processing.

What does ESP stand for and what does it refer to?

Extrasensory perception; the ability to acquire information about the world without using the known senses (also called psi).

What is subliminal perception?

Perception of stimuli that are below the absolute threshold and not consciously perceived.

What do absolute thresholds and just noticeable differences describe?

The limits of our conscious awareness of sensations.

What effects can subliminal perception have in social contexts?

Potential effects on persuasion and social interactions.