4/7/26 psy 381 lecture on visual shit

Flashcards covering key concepts related to rods, cones, and visual perception.

Rods

Sensory receptors in the retina responsible for night vision; there is only one type of rod.

Cones

Sensory receptors in the retina responsible for color vision; there are about three different types of cones.

Wavelength

The distance between successive peaks of a wave, essential for color perception; cones compare wavelengths to distinguish colors.

Rhodopsin

A light-sensitive receptor protein involved in phototransduction; found in rod cells.

Cyclic GMP

A secondary messenger that binds to sodium channels in rods; its neutralization causes these channels to close, contributing to the visual signal.

Color vision

The ability to perceive color, which requires at least two types of photoreceptors for wavelength discrimination.

Enzymatic cascade

A series of biochemical reactions triggered by the activation of rhodopsin; leads to the closing of sodium channels in rods.

Phototransduction

The process by which light photons are converted into electrical signals by photoreceptors.