AP Psych Sensation and Perception

Figure-ground

refers to the ability to distinguish an object from its surroundings

The McGurk Effect

interaction with vision and hearing-an illusion that when auditory component of one sound is paired with the visual component of another sound leading to a third sound

Place Theory

high pitches are sensed near the entrance, low pitches near the end

Frequency Theory

we hear pitch based on how fast the hair cells vibrate

Trichromatic Theory

Color vision is based on three types of cone receptors, each sensitive to different wavelengths of light (red, green, and blue). The brain combines signals from these cones to create the perception of a wide range of colors.

Opponent-Process Theory

proposing that color vision is based on pairs of opposing color processes (red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white). Activation of one color in the pair inhibits the other.

Afterimages

Visual sensations that persist after a stimulus is removed. They occur due to temporary overstimulation of cone cells in the retina, resulting in a brief perception of an inverted or complementary image

Retinal Disparity

difference between the visual images that each eye perceives because of the different angles in which each eye views the world

Convergence

Our eyes move together to focus on an object that is close and that they would move farther apart for a distant object

Cornea

outer covering of the eye

Pupil

the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters

Iris

A ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening. Dilates/constricts in response to changing light intensity

Lens

the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina

Retina

the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information

Blind spot

the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a “blind” spot because no receptor cells are located there

Optic Nerve

carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

Bottom-Up Processing

a way our brain makes sense of information by starting with the small details and then building up to a complete perception

Top-Down Processing

involves interpreting sensory information based on the larger context, prior knowledge, and expectations

Stroop Effect

delay in between time between congruent and incongruent stimuli

Weber’s Law

The perceived difference in a stimulus must be proportional to the original intensity of the stimulus

Signal Detection Theory

Theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background stimulation