Unit 3: PYSCHOLOGY 1000

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from Unit 3 on Sensation and Perception.

Transduction

Conversion of physical energy (light, sound, etc.) into electrical neural impulses.

Bottom-Up Processing

Data-driven perception that starts with raw sensory input and builds up to a final representation.

Top-Down Processing

Experience- and expectation-driven perception in which context, emotion, or culture shape what is perceived.

Signal Detection Theory

Framework stating that stimulus detection depends on signal strength and the observer’s psychological state (alertness, motivation, expectations).

Perceptual Set

Mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another, influenced by prior experience and culture.

Context Effect

Variation in perception of the same stimulus caused by the surrounding environment or situation.

Trichromatic (Young-Helmholtz) Theory

Color vision theory proposing three cone types—red, green, blue—whose relative activity produces all colors.

Opponent-Process Theory

Color vision theory with opposing pairs (red-green, blue-yellow, black-white) that explains afterimages and operates beyond the retina.

Parallel Processing (Vision)

Simultaneous analysis of motion, depth, color, and form by separate neural pathways in the brain.

Place Theory (Pitch)

Theory that specific locations on the cochlea respond to specific high-frequency sounds.

Frequency Theory (Pitch)

Theory that the firing rate of auditory nerve impulses matches the frequency of low-pitched sounds.

Volley Principle

Extension of frequency theory in which groups of neurons alternate firing to encode higher frequencies collectively.

Multisensory Integration

Cooperative processing of information from different senses, leading to unified perception.

McGurk Effect

Perceptual phenomenon where visual speech cues alter the auditory perception of spoken sounds.

Sensory Interaction

Influence of one sense on another (e.g., smell enhancing the flavor of food).

Olfaction

Sense of smell that bypasses the thalamus and projects directly to the olfactory bulb and limbic system.

Prosopagnosia

Neurological condition marked by the inability to recognize familiar faces, often linked to fusiform gyrus damage.

Blindsight

Ability to respond to visual stimuli without conscious awareness, typically due to visual cortex damage.

Extrasensory Perception (ESP)

Purported abilities such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition that lack scientific support.

Ames Room Illusion

Distorted room design that manipulates perceived size and shape, illustrating visual context effects.

Müller-Lyer Illusion

Visual illusion where arrow-like line endings cause equal lines to appear different in length.

Sensory Deprivation

Reduction or removal of sensory stimulation, which can lead to hallucinations or altered perception.

Stroop Effect

Interference in reaction time when the meaning of a word and its font color conflict (e.g., word "RED" printed in blue ink).