AP Psychology- Unit 10: unit 4 Sensation and Perception Review

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Selective Attention

The focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus while ignoring others.

Example: Listening to one person speak at a noisy party while tuning out background chatter.      

Rods

Photoreceptors that are more sensitive to light and allow for vision in low-light conditions, but do not detect color.                 

Example: Help us see in dimly lit environments, such as during the evening.

Transduction

The conversion of one form of energy into another, particularly the transformation of stimulus energies into neural impulses. 

(In other words} Conversion of one form of energy into another 

Example: The conversion of sound waves into electrical signals in the inner ear.

Signal Detection Theory

A theory about how we decide if we noticed a signal (like a sound, light, or message) when there's a lot of background noise. It says that detecting something isn’t just about the signal being there — it also depends on how sensitive we are and how willing we are to say "yes, I noticed it."

(In other words} Theory regarding how stimuli are detected under different conditions 

Example: Imagine waiting for a text. If you're super eager, you might think you hear your phone even when it didn't buzz (false alarm). if you're super distracted, you might miss it even when it did Buzz (miss)

Cones

Photoreceptors responsible for color vision and detail in bright light.

Example: Cones enable us to distinguish between different colors in a brightly lit room.       

Sensory Adaptation

The diminished sensitivity to a stimulus as a consequence of constant exposure to that stimulus.  

(In other words} A decrease in sensitivity to a constant level of stimulation

Example: Not noticing the smell of a strong fragrance after you’ve been in a room with it for a while.

Kinesthesis

The system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts.

(In other words} The sense of movement and body position.    

Example: When you close your eyes and touch your nose with your finger, your kinesthetic sense helps you know where your finger is in relation to your nose.       

Cochlea

A coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses.

 (In other words}A spiral-shaped part of your inner ear that changes sound into signals for your brain.                                   

Example: when you hear music, the cochlea helps convert those sound waves into signals that allow you to enjoy the melody.

Priming

The activation of particular associations in memory, often unconsciously, to influence perception and response.                                   

Example: Being shown words related to kindness may lead you to behave more kindly in a subsequent interaction.

Phi Phenomenon

An illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession.

 (In other words} The illusion of movement created by presenting visual stimuli in rapid succession.

Example: When you see a series of lights turning on and off in a sequence, it looks like they are moving.

Feature Detectors

Specialized neurons in the brain that respond to specific features of visual stimuli, such as edges, angles, and movement.              

Example: allow us to notice differences between a straight line and a curved line.

Weber’s Law

The principle stating that for two stimuli to be perceived as different, they must differ by a constant proportion rather than a constant amount.

(In other words} To be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage 

Gestalt

An organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts.                                                                                              

Example: When you see a collection of dots arranged in a specific pattern, your brain interprets it as a shape or figure rather than just individual dots.

Pupil

The adjustable opening in the center of the eye that allows light to enter.                                                                                        

Example: In dim lighting, the pupil dilates to let more light in for better vision.