sense percept

Absolute threshold

Minimum amount of stimulus energy that must be present for the stimulus to be detected 50% of the time.

Just noticeable difference

Difference in stimuli required to detect a difference between the stimuli.

Mere-exposure effects

Result of developing a more positive attitude towards a stimulus after repeated exposure.

Priming

Process by which recent experiences increase a trait’s accessibility.

Sensation

What happens when sensory information is detected by a sensory receptor.

Signal detection theory

Change in stimulus detection as a function of current mental state.

Subliminal message

Message presented below the threshold of conscious awareness.

Transduction

Conversion from sensory stimulus energy to action potential.

Weber’s law

The idea that bigger stimuli require larger differences to be noticed

Bottom-up processing

System in which perceptions are built from sensory input.

Inattentional blindness

Failure to notice something that is completely visible due to lack of attention.

Perception

Way that sensory information is interpreted and consciously experienced.

Sensory adaptation

Reduction in sensitivity after prolonged exposure to a stimulus.

Top-down processing

Interpretation of sensations influenced by available knowledge, experiences, and thoughts.

Amplitude

Height of a wave.

Blind spot

Point where we cannot respond to visual information in that portion of the visual field.

Cone

Specialized photoreceptor that works best in bright light and detects color.

Cornea

Transparent covering over the eye.

Electromagnetic spectrum

All the electromagnetic radiation that occurs in our environment.

Fovea

Small indentation in the retina that contains cones.

Frequency

Number of waves that pass a given point in a given time period.

Hertz (Hz)

Cycles per second; measure of frequency.

Iris

Colored portion of the eye.

Lens

Curved, transparent structure that provides additional focus for light entering the eye.

Optic chiasm

X-shaped structure that merges the optic nerves from the two eyes.

Optic nerve

Carries visual information from the retina to the brain.

Peak

Highest point of a wave.

Photoreceptor

Light-detecting cell.

Pupil

Small opening in the eye through which light passes.

Retina

Light-sensitive lining of the eye.

Rod

Specialized photoreceptor that works well in low light conditions.

Trough

Lowest point of a wave.

Visible spectrum

Portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that we can see.

Wavelength

Length of a wave from one peak to the next peak.

Afterimage

Continuation of a visual sensation after removal of the stimulus.

Binocular cue

Cue that relies on the use of both eyes.

Binocular disparity

Slightly different view of the world that each eye receives.

Depth perception

Ability to perceive depth.

Linear perspective

Perceive depth in an image when two parallel lines seem to converge.

Monocular cue

Cue that requires only one eye.

Opponent-process theory of color perception

Color is coded in opponent pairs:black-white, yellow-blue, and red-green.

Synesthesia

Blending of two or more sensory experiences.

Trichromatic theory of color perception

Red, Blue, Yellow, and they color mix to make the rest of the colors.

Vestibulo-ocular reflex

Coordination of motion information with visual information to maintain gaze.

Basilar membrane

Thin strip of tissue within the cochlea containing hair cells.

Cochlea

Fluid-filled, snail-shaped structure containing sensory receptor cells of the auditory system.

Hair cell

Auditory receptor cell of the inner ear.

Incus

Middle ear ossicle; also known as the anvil.

Malleus

Middle ear ossicle; also known as the hammer.

Pinna

Visible part of the ear that protrudes from the head.

Stapes

Middle ear ossicle; also known as the stirrup.

Tympanic membrane

Eardrum.

Binaural cue

Two-eared cue to localize sound.

Cochlear implant

Device that stimulates the auditory nerve to transmit information to the brain.

Conductive hearing loss

Failure in the vibration of the eardrum and/or movement of the ossicles.

Congenital deafness

Deafness from birth.

Deafness

Partial or complete inability to hear.

Interaural level difference

Sound is more intense at the closest ear due to attenuation.

Interaural timing difference

Small difference in the time at which a sound wave arrives at each ear.

Ménière’s disease

Degeneration of inner ear