AP Psych Review Module 1.6a-d

sensation

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

sensory receptors

sensory nerve endings that respond to stimuli

transduction

conversion of one form of energy into another. transforming stimulus energies, like sights, sounds, and smells, into neural signals our brains can interpret.

psychophysics

the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them

absolute threshold

the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time

signal detection theory

a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a weak signal in background noise. Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person's experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness.

subliminal

below one's absolute threshold for consciousness

difference threshold

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

webers law

the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage

sensory adaptation

diminished sensitivity as a result of constant stimulation

accomodation

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

trichromatic color theory

the theory that all the color we experience results from a mixing of three colors of light (red, green, and blue)

opponent process theory

the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision.

feature detection

nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement

audition

the sense or act of hearing

iris

regulates the amount of light entering the eye

blind spot

the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye and no receptor cells are located there.

place theory

the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea's membrane is stimulated

frequency theory

the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch

gate control theory

the spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain

gustation

sense of taste

olfaction

sense of smell

kinesthesis

the sense of movement and body position

vestibular sense

sense of balance

sensory interaction

the principle that one sense may influence another

embodied cognition

the influence of bodily sensations, gestures, and other states on cognitive preferences and judgements