Sensation and Perception psych

A set of flashcards covering key concepts in the sensation and perception lecture notes.

What is the difference between sensation and perception?

Sensation is the process of detecting physical energy from the environment; perception is the interpretation of that sensory information.

What is sensory adaptation?

Sensitivity changes that result from stimulation or lack of stimulation, often leading to diminished sensitivity to constant stimuli.

What is transduction in sensory systems?

The process by which receptor cells convert physical stimuli into electrical signals in response to specific types of stimulus energy.

What does the term 'absolute threshold' refer to?

The minimum stimulus energy needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time.

What is the difference threshold?

The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time.

What is Weber's Law?

The principle that the detection of a difference is based on a constant minimum percentage difference rather than a constant amount.

What are perceptual sets?

Mental predispositions that influence how we interpret sensory information, affected by context, motivation, emotion, and mental preparation.

What is the trichromatic theory of color vision?

The theory that three types of cones in the retina correspond to different wavelengths of light, explaining color perception.

What is the opponent process theory?

The theory that color perception is controlled by opposing colors: red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white; one color type's increase decreases the other.

What defines bottom-up processing?

Processing that begins with sensory data and builds up to the final perception, integrating sensory information.

What defines top-down processing?

Processing that utilizes preexisting knowledge, experiences, and expectations to interpret sensory information.

What is the significance of Gestalt psychology?

It emphasizes the holistic perception of objects and patterns, arguing that the whole is different from the sum of its parts.

What role does the tympanic membrane play in hearing?

It vibrates in response to incoming sound waves, transmitting sound energy into the middle ear.

What is the difference between place theory and frequency theory?

Place theory determines pitch perception based on the location of hair cell activation, while frequency theory suggests pitch is based on the rate of nerve firing.

How does sound localization occur?

By using differences in both time and intensity of sounds arriving at each ear, allowing for the identification of sound direction.