ap psych 1.6 hell

olfaction

our sense of smell

pupil

the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters

taste receptors

Specialized cells located on the tongue and in the mouth that detect different tastes.

monochromatism

A rare form of color blindness where an individual has only one type of functioning cone cell, or none at all. This results in the inability to perceive colors, seeing the world in shades of gray.

wavelength

the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next

cochlea

a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear; sound waves traveling through this part of the ear anatomy's' fluid triggers nerve impulses

medium tasters

Have an average sensitivity to taste, experiencing flavors moderately.

nearsightedness

A common vision condition where close objects appear clear, but distant objects appear blurry. It occurs when the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of on it.

synesthesia

A condition in which stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in another sensory pathway.

volley theory

A theory of pitch perception proposing that groups of auditory neurons fire in rapid succession to encode the frequency of sounds above 1000 Hz. This allows the brain to perceive pitches that exceed the firing rate of individual neurons.

parallel processing

processing multiple aspects of a stimulus or problem simultaneously

retina

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

kinesthesis

our movement sense- our system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts

optic nerve

the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

absolute threshold

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

sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami, oleogustus

The list includes the five basic tastes and the proposed 6th taste which is the taste of fat

bottom-up processing

Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information; new information

opponent-process theory

the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, blue-yellow, white-black) enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green

rods

retinal receptors that detect black, white, gray and are sensitive to movement; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when the other more sensitive receptors don't respond

Trichromatic theory

The theory that the retina contains three different types of color receptors- one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue,- which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color

gustation

our sense of taste

sensory interaction

the principle that one sense can influence another, such as when smell affects taste. It demonstrates how our senses work together to create our overall perception of the world.

place theory

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

cochlear implant

a device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the bony, fluid filled tube in the inner ear

lens

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

difference threshold

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

supertasters

Highly sensitive to taste, experiencing flavors more intensely, especially bitterness.

nontasters

Less sensitive to taste, experiencing flavors less intensely than others.

loudness

the subjective perception of sound intensity or volume, meaning how loud or soft a sound seems to a listener

Weber's law

the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount)

accommodation

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

ganglion cells

Neurons in the retina that receive visual information from bipolar cells and transmit it to the brain via the optic nerve.

pain

An emotional response to stimuli, there are many instances where people could experience the same stimulus and one person could feel different levels of this sensation and another could experience different feelings like thrill, arousal, or be unable to acknowledge the stimulus

sound localization

The brain's ability to determine the location of a sound source in space.

perception

The process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information inputs to produce meaning

conduction hearing loss

a less common form of hearing loss, caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea

pitch

a tone's experienced highness or lowness; depends on frequency

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

sensation

Process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive information from external and internal environments

semicircular canals

Fluid-filled structures in the inner ear that detect rotational movements of the head.

sensory adaptation

diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

fovea

the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster

frequency

the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time

middle ear

the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea oval window

frequency theory

in hearing, 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

cornea

the eye's clear, protective outer layer, covering the pupil and iris

sensory receptors

Sensory nerve endings that respond to stimulus

phantom limb

Sensation of pain or other feelings in a missing limb. It occurs due to the brain's continued perception of the appendage, even though it's no longer there.

farsightedness

A vision condition where distant objects are seen more clearly than close ones. It happens when the eyeball is too short or the cornea is too flat, causing light to focus behind the retina rather than directly on it.

warm/cold receptor

Specialized sensory neurons in the skin that detect changes in temperature. Some respond to increases in temperature, while some respond to decreases.

blindsight

a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it

pheromones

Chemical substances released by animals, including humans, that trigger social or behavioral responses in others of the same species.

top-down processing

Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

cones

retinal receptors that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions.

dichromatism

A type of color vision deficiency where an individual has only two types of functioning cone cells instead of the normal three.

sensorineural hearing loss

the most common form of hearing loss, caused by damage to the cochlea's receptor cells of to the auditory nerve; also called nerve deafness

gate-control theory

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

amplitude

The measure of the intensity or loudness of a sound wave, represented by the height of its peaks.

photoreceptors

specialized neurons in the retina that convert light into electrical signals, enabling vision

prosopagnosia

A neurological condition characterized by the inability to recognize familiar faces, including one's own face, despite intact vision and intellect.

transduction

The process of turning one form of energy (sound wave, light waves, smell) into neural impulses our brain can interpret.

inner ear

the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs

vestibular sense

our balance sense; our sense of body movement and position that enables our sense of balance

blindspot

a condition in which the optic nerve leaves the eyes, creating a spot that cannot be seen out of because there are no receptor cells are located there

pitch perception

The brain's interpretation of the frequency of sound waves, determining whether a sound is high or low in tone.

afterimages

Visual sensations that persist after a stimulus is removed.