Unit 2 Pysch

Absolute Threshold

The minimum amount of stimulation needed to detect a sensation 50% of the time.

Alpha Waves

Brainwaves associated with being relaxed but awake, like when you're daydreaming.

Blind Spot

The part of the retina where the optic nerve exits, causing a small area where we can’t see.

Bottom-Up Processing

Perception that starts with recognizing simple features and builds up to complex ideas.

Change Blindness

Failing to notice changes in our environment.

Circadian Rhythm

The body’s natural 24-hour cycle that regulates sleep, energy, and alertness.

Cochlea

A spiral-shaped structure in the inner ear that converts sound waves into nerve signals.

Color Constancy

The ability to recognize colors as consistent even when lighting changes.

Cone

Light-sensitive cells in the retina that detect color and work best in bright light.

Consciousness

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment.

Delta Waves

Slow brainwaves that occur during deep sleep, important for feeling rested.

Dual Processing

The idea that our brain processes information on two levels simultaneously.

Farsightedness

A condition where distant objects are seen clearly, but close objects appear blurry.

Fovea

The center of the retina, where cone cells are concentrated for sharp vision.

Inattentional Blindness

Failing to see visible objects when our attention is focused elsewhere.

Insomnia

A sleep disorder where a person has trouble falling or staying asleep.

Middle Ear

The part of the ear between the eardrum and inner ear containing tiny bones.

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder that causes sudden, uncontrollable 'sleep attacks.'

Night Terrors

Episodes of intense fear during deep sleep, often without memory of it.

Optic Nerve

The nerve that sends visual information from the eye to the brain.

Parallel Processing

The brain's ability to process multiple aspects of a visual scene simultaneously.

Perception

How we organize and interpret sensory information.

Priming

When exposure to one stimulus influences how we respond to another.

REM Sleep

A sleep stage where dreaming occurs, and eyes move quickly under eyelids.

Rod

Light-sensitive cells in the retina that detect shades of gray and work well in dim light.

Selective Attention

Focusing on a specific part of your environment while ignoring others.

Sensation

The process of detecting information through sensory receptors.

Sensory Adaptation

Reduced sensitivity to a stimulus after constant exposure.

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder where breathing stops and starts during sleep.

Subliminal

Sensory signals that are too faint for us to consciously detect.

Transduction

The process of converting one form of energy into another.

Wavelength

The distance between peaks of light or sound waves.

Weber’s Law

The idea that the amount of change in a stimulus needed to notice it depends on the original intensity.