Sensation and Perception

Perceptual adaptation

Adjusting to changed sensory input, like an inverted visual field.

Science

Systematic study of the natural world through observation and experiment.

Phenomena

Observed facts or situations with uncertain causes.

Gait

Individual's walking style.

Neurodegenerative

Related to nervous system cell deterioration.

Prosopagnosia

Inability to recognize familiar faces due to brain injury.

Phonagnosia

Inability to recognize familiar voices.

Mnemonic

Memory technique aiding information recall.

Neuron

Cell transmitting nerve impulses.

Sensation

Encoding environmental energy into neural signals.

Sensory receptors

Nerves detecting stimuli and sending signals to the brain.

Perception

Organizing and interpreting sensory information.

Bottom-up processing

Sensory info interpretation from receptors to the brain.

Top-down processing

Using prior knowledge to interpret stimuli.

Schema

Mental framework based on life experiences.

Cognitive construct

Evolving mental framework for experiences.

Selective attention

Focusing on a specific object while ignoring others.

Selective inattention

Chronic disregard for specific stimuli.

Inattentional blindness

Missing visible objects due to focus on other tasks.

Inattentional deafness

Reduced auditory perception due to visual focus.

Change blindness

Failure to notice visual changes due to information overload.

Change deafness

Missing auditory changes under certain conditions.

Transduction

Conversion of stimuli into neural impulses.

Psychophysics

Measuring stimulus strength and observer sensitivity.

Threshold

Point where a change or experience begins.

Absolute threshold

Minimum stimulation detectable 50% of the time.

Theory

Well-substantiated explanation of natural phenomena.

Supposition

Idea lacking solid proof, an educated guess.

Signal Detection Theory

Stimulus detection influenced by intensity and state.

Subliminal

Stimuli below the detection threshold.

Hit

Identifying a present stimulus.

Miss

Failing to identify a present stimulus.

False alarm

Assuming a stimulus is present when it's not.

Correct rejection

No stimulus present and not identified.

Discrimination threshold

Minimum detectable difference in stimulation.

Just Noticeable Difference

Synonym for discrimination threshold.

Decibel

Unit measuring sound loudness.

Difference threshold

Minimum difference between stimuli for detection.

Discrepancy

Difference between two stimuli.

Subliminal sensation

Behavior change from subliminal message processing.

Subliminal persuasion

Behavior change from subliminal message influence.

Priming

Unconscious activation influencing perception or response.

Fact

Repeatedly confirmed observation accepted as true.

Law

General description of natural behavior under conditions.

Weber's Law

Perceiving stimuli differences by a constant percentage.

Sensory adaptation

Reduced sensitivity due to constant stimulation.

Emotion adaptation

Expecting repeated emotions in new situations.

Perceptual set

Mental tendencies affecting perception.

Extrasensory perception (ESP)

Perception beyond sensory input, like telepathy.

Telepathy

Thought communication beyond known senses.

Clairvoyance

Perceiving remote events.

Weber-Fechner Law

Mathematical expression of Weber's Law by Fechner.

Precognition

Perceiving future events, like a political leader's death or a sports outcome.

Parapsychology

Study of phenomena inexplicable by regular science.

Daryl Bem

Cornell Psychology Professor known for controversial ESP experiments.

Saunter

Walking slowly and relaxed without hurry.

Sleep Deprivation

Psychological torture by depriving sleep.

In Tandem

Working alongside each other; together.

Homophonic

Related to words sounding the same but with different meanings.

Reciprocal Phenomenon

Second event accompanying another, both needing study.

Transduce

Convert physical energy to electrical signals for brain interpretation.

Path of Visual Transduction

Sequence from cornea to occipital lobe for visual processing.

Wavelength

Distance between wave crests determining hue.

Hue

Color dimension based on light wavelength.

Amplitude

Wave's maximum displacement determining intensity.

Intensity

Energy in a wave perceived as brightness or loudness.

Frequency

Number of wavelengths passing a point in time.

Cornea

Clear eye surface allowing light entry.

Pupil

Adjustable eye center opening controlling light entry.

Iris

Muscle ring around pupil controlling its size.

Lens

Transparent structure behind pupil focusing images on retina.

Retina

Light-sensitive eye surface processing visual info.

Accommodation

Eye lens curvature change for focusing.

Rods

Retinal receptors detecting black, white, gray for peripheral vision.

Cones

Retinal receptors detecting colors and details in daylight.

Myopia

Near vision ability without far vision.

Bipolar Cells

Retinal neurons connecting rods, cones with ganglion cells.

Retinal Ganglion Cells

Axons forming optic nerve from ganglion cells.

Axon

Neuron extension carrying impulses away from cell body.

Dendrite

Neuron extensions receiving and conducting messages.

Optic Nerve

Carries neural impulses from eye to brain.

Thalamus

Brain part receiving sensory info and passing it to cortex.

Blind Spot

Optic nerve exit point lacking receptor cells.

Photoreceptors

Eyes' light-sensitive rods and cones.

Fovea

Central retina point with high cone density.

Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic Theory

Retina color receptors theory (red, green, blue).

Monochromatic

Color vision deficiency seeing spectrum as gray shades.

Dichromatic

Having two functioning photoreceptors.

Trichromatic

Having three photoreceptor types (blue, red, green).

Color Blind

Genetic color vision disorder affecting males more.

Blind Sight

Indicating visual stimuli direction without conscious perception.

After Image

Visual experience continuing post-stimulation.

Opponent Color

Retinal opposite color pairs sharing channels.

Opponent-Process Theory

Retinal opposing processes enabling color vision.

Cerebral Cortex

Gray matter layer covering cerebral hemispheres.

Frontal Lobe

Cortex region for movement, thinking, planning.

Temporal Lobe

Cortex area receiving auditory information.

Occipital Lobe

Cortex region processing visual data.

Parietal Lobe

Cortex region processing tactile sensory info.

Feature Detectors

Occipital lobe cells responding to visual patterns.