Sensation and Perception

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to sensation and perception, providing definitions for important terms discussed in the lecture.

Sensation

The detection of physical stimuli and transmission of that information to the brain.

Perception

The processing, organization, and interpretation of sensory signals in the brain.

Transduction

The process by which sensory stimuli are translated into neural signals that the brain can interpret.

Bottom-up processing

Perception based on the physical features of the stimulus.

Top-down processing

The interpretation of sensory information based on knowledge, expectations, and past experiences.

Absolute threshold

The minimum intensity of stimulation necessary to detect a sensation half the time.

Difference threshold

The smallest difference between two stimuli that can be detected.

Signal detection theory

A theory that distinguishes sensitivity from response bias when detecting stimuli.

Sensory adaptation

A decrease in sensitivity to a constant level of stimulation.

Synesthesia

A condition where stimulation of one sensory modality leads to automatic experiences in a second sensory modality.

Gestalt principles

The innate principles by which the brain organizes sensory information into meaningful wholes.

Object constancy

The perception of objects as constant in shape, size, color, and lightness despite changes in sensory data.

Color blindness

A visual impairment where a person cannot distinguish certain colors due to a deficiency in cone photopigments.