Sensory Processes, Learning, and Memory

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the lectures on sensation, perception, learning, and memory.

Sensation

Detection of physical energy by the senses (light, sound, smell).

Perception

The brain's organization and interpretation of sensory information.

Threshold

The smallest amount of stimulus that can be detected.

JND (Just Noticeable Difference)

The smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.

Subliminal stimulation

Stimuli that are below the level of conscious awareness.

Blind spot

A region on the retina where the optic nerve exits, devoid of receptors.

Rods

Photoreceptors that function in dim light and detect black-and-white.

Cones

Photoreceptors that detect color and fine detail.

Fovea

The central area of the retina where vision is sharpest.

Retina

Light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.

Optic nerve

Transmits visual information from the eye to the brain.

Kinesthesis

The sense of body movement and position.

Gestalt

The principle that the brain organizes images as whole patterns.

Visual cliff

An experiment that demonstrates depth perception in infants.

Retinal disparity

The slight difference in images seen by each eye, aiding depth perception.

Depth perception

The ability to perceive the distance and three-dimensional space.

Monocular depth cues

Depth cues requiring only one eye.

Perceptual constancy

The perception that objects remain unchanged despite variations in distance or lighting.

Interposition

A depth cue whereby one object obstructs another, making it appear closer.

Relative size/height

The perception that smaller or higher objects are farther away.

Closure

Gestalt principle where the brain fills in missing parts of a pattern.

Inner ear

The part of the ear that regulates hearing and balance.

ESP (Extrasensory Perception)

The claimed ability to receive information without using the normal senses.

Parapsychology

The study of ESP and paranormal phenomena.

Learning

A lasting change in behavior due to experience.

Association

The connection made between two events.

Classical Conditioning

Learning by pairing two stimuli.

UCS (Unconditioned Stimulus)

A stimulus that naturally elicits a response.

UCR (Unconditioned Response)

The innate reaction to an unconditioned stimulus.

CS (Conditioned Stimulus)

A previously neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a response after conditioning.

CR (Conditioned Response)

A learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated exposure.

Operant Conditioning

Learning through consequences, involving rewards and punishments.

Positive reinforcement

Adding something desirable to increase a behavior.

Negative reinforcement

Removing something aversive to increase a behavior.

Shaping

Reinforcing successive approximations toward a desired behavior.

Primary reinforcers

Inherently rewarding stimuli (e.g., food, water).

Secondary reinforcers

Learned rewards acquired through association (e.g., money, grades).

Punishment

Any consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior.

Extinction

The process by which a learned behavior fades away.

Spontaneous recovery

The return of a learned response after a pause of extinction.

Stimulus generalization

The tendency to respond similarly to similar stimuli.

Stimulus discrimination

The ability to differentiate between different stimuli.

Observational Learning

Learning by observing and imitating others.

Cognitive psychology

The branch of psychology focused on mental processes.

Encoding

The process of getting information into memory.

Storage

The preservation of information in memory.

Retrieval

The process of accessing information from memory.

Sensory memory

A very brief storage of sensory information.

STM (Short-Term Memory)

Memory that holds information temporarily for about 20–30 seconds.

Working memory

A type of short-term memory used for processing and manipulating information.

LTM (Long-Term Memory)

Relatively permanent storage of information.

Automaticity

The ability to perform tasks with little conscious thought.

Rehearsal

The repetition of information to enhance memory retention.

Chunking

The process of grouping information into meaningful units.

Distributed practice

Studying method where learning is spread over several sessions.

Serial position effect

The tendency to remember the first and last items best.

Mnemonic device

Memory aids that use techniques like acronyms or rhymes.

Proactive interference

When old memories obstruct the recall of new information.

Retroactive interference

When new memories disrupt the recall of old information.

Recall

Accessing information without cues.

Recognition

The ability to identify information when presented with it.

Tip-of-the-tongue

A phenomenon where information is known but not retrieved.

Flashbulb memory

A vivid recollection of an impactful emotional event.

Déjà vu

The sensation that an experience is familiar.

Hippocampus

The brain region crucial for forming new memories.

Retrograde amnesia

Loss of memories that occurred before an incident.

Anterograde amnesia

Inability to form new memories after a specific event.

Relearning

Learning information faster the second time it's taught.

Source amnesia

Remembering information but forgetting its origin.

Misinformation effect

When memories are altered due to misleading information.