Unit 2 - Sleep & Sensation - AP Psychology

Circadian Rhythm

Natural 24ish hour biological clock of temp and sleep.

Beta Waves

Awake (you betta be awake for the exam)

Alpha Waves

High amp., drowsy

NREM 1

Light sleep, has hypnagogic sensations (Falling feeling).

NREM 2

Bursts of sleep spindles

NREM 3 Delta Waves

Deep sleep, slow brain waves

REM

Dreaming and cognitive processing that occurs during sleep — rapid eye movement

REM Rebound

After sleep disruptions/lack of REM, you’ll have more/more intense REM sleep

Activation-Synthesis Dream Theory

Brain produces random bursts of energy — stimulating lodged memories in limbic sys & brain stem. Dreams start random and then develop meaning.

Consolidation Dream Theory

Brain is combining and processing memories for storage.

Why is sleep necessary?

Consolidation & Restoration

REM behavior disorder

malfunction of mechanism that paralyze you during REM

Transduction

Converting stimulus energy/sensation into APs (action potentials.)

Absolute Threshold (Sensation)

Detection of signal 50% of the time.

Weber’s Law

Two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum proportion. (stronger the thing, the more you have to add to tell the difference.)

Sensory Adaptation

Diminished sensitivity as a result of constant stimulation.

Lens

Transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina

Fovea

Area of best vision (cones here)

Rods

Black/White/dark adaptation; way more rods than cones; located along sides of the retina.

Ganglion cells

Create optic nerve (Opponent process theory happens here)

Accommodation

Lens changes curvature to focus images on the retina

Nearsightedness

Better vision near

Farsightedness

Better vision far

Trichromatic Color Theory

Three cones for receiving color: red, green, blue

Opponent-Process Theory

Complementary colors are processed in ganglion cells — explains why we see an after image (red/green, blue/yellow, black/white)

Color deficiency

Damage to, or missing - cones or ganglion cells

Dichromatism

Missing one cone

Monochromatism

Only has rods

Place Theory (Cochlea)

Location (place) where hair cells bending determines sound

Frequency Theory (Cochlea)

Rate at which action potentials are sent determines sound.

Volley Theory

Groups of neurons fire Action potentials out of sync

Sound localization

Which ear the waves reach first tells location of sound

Conduction Deafness

Damage to bones of ear and ear drum cause hearing loss

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Damage to cochlea, hairs in cochlea, or nerve - usually due to old age and loud noise

Vestibular sense

Sense of balance

Kinesthetic Sense

Sense of body position w/o looking

Pain Gate Control Theory

We have a “gate” to control how much pain we experience.

Taste (gustation)

6 Taste receptors: bitter, salty, sweet, sour, umami (savory), oleogustus (fatty/oily)

Smell (Olfaction)

Only sense that does NOT route through the thalamus

Cornea

Outer protective covering of the eye, it bends light to provide focus

Pupil

Adjustable opening in the center of the eye, bends light to provide focus

Iris

A ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening.

Retina

Light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual info

Blind Spot

Point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye containing a “blind” spot, as no receptor cells are located there

Fovea

Central focal point on the retina, around which the eye’s cones cluster

Optic Nerve

Nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

Auditory Canal

Sound waves travel down here to the eardrum

Eardrum

Tight membrane that vibrates when struck by sound waves

Bones of the middle ear

Hammer, anvil, and stirrup which vibrate with the eardrum

Oval window

Where the stirrup connects to the cochlea

Cochlea

A coiled, body, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear in which sound waves trigger neural impulses/transduction

Auditory Nerve

Nerve which sends the auditory message to the brain via the thalamus

Hammer, Anvil, & Stirrup

Pick up the vibrations from sound waves funneled into the eardrum and relay them further along the ear to the cochlea.

Basilar Membrane

Pressure changes in the cochlear fluid cause this structure to ripple, bending the hair cells on its surface

Protruding hair cells

Movements trigger impulses at the base of the nerve cells

Auditory Nerve

The nerve which sends the auditory message to the brain via the thalamus

Insomnia

Inability to fall/stay asleep (due to stress/anxiety)

Narcolepsy

Fall into REM out of nowhere - treated with stimulants

Sleep Apnea

Stop breathing while asleep (due to obesity usually)

Sensation

Receive stimulus energy from environment

Synesthesia

“Disorder” where your senses blend (seeing sounds, etc)

Cones

Color, bright light

Blind Spot

Occurs where the optic nerve leaves the eye

Wavelength

Distance between peaks - pit h

• Long waves = low pitch

• Narrow waves = high pitch

Amplitude

Height of wave - loudness

• Short waves = soft

• Talk waves = loud