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PSYC 1-01: Sensation, Perception, and Sensory Senses
Sensation
sensory organs receive stimulus energies and convert them into electrical energy in the nervous system
Transduction
the process of converting stimulus energies into electrical signals
Perception
organizing, constructing, and interpreting sesnory information
Processing
The brain uses sensory information to make educated guesses and enhance perception
Psychophyics
the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them
absolute threshold
the weakest amount of a stimulus that a person can detect half the time
difference threshold
the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time
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)
perception and awareness
Humans constantlyu adapt to stimuli affecting _______
Light Characteristics
wavelength, frequency, amplitude
Wavelength
color
Frequency
How many wave peaks pass a certain point per given time
amplitude (light)
brightness
eye components
iris, pupil, lens, reti na
Rods
retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don't respond
Cones
color
color vision
some colors appear brighter in the dark (blue, green)
opponent-process theory
opposing retinal processes enable color vision
Sound Properties
pitch and loudness
Sound
Sound is perceived through vibrations that exert pressure on the ear
pitch
a tone's experienced highness or lowness; depends on frequency
amplitude (sound)
loudness
outer ear
the outermost part of the ear, consisting of the pinna and the external auditory canal
middle ear
hammer, anvil, stirrup
inner ear
the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
cochlea
a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses
Pitch perception
influenced by the frequency amplitude of sound waves
Sound Localization
brain determining distance by comparing the two ears
Tactile sense
covers pressure, temperature, vibration, and pain receptors
Proprioception
knowing the position of body parts without visual confirmation
Olfaction (smell) and Gustation (taste)
chemical senses influenced by receptors and environmental factors
Gestalt Psychology
in figure ground analysis and depth perception
Perceptual Set
combines expectations with sensory information to influence perception
Sensory Interactions
Merge different sensory inputs to form holistic representation of the environment
Note 
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