Basics of Sensation and Perception (Vision + Touch)

absolute threshold

The smallest amount of a stimulus you can detect.

afterimages

Images that stay in your vision after the stimulus is gone.

binocular cues

Depth cues that use both eyes (like judging distance).

bottom-up processing

When you use details first to build up to a full perception.

cornea

The clear outer layer of the eye that helps focus light.

depth perception

Your ability to judge how far away things are.

Gestalt principles of perception

Rules your brain uses to organize visual information into whole patterns.

iris

The colored part of your eye that controls how much light enters.

just noticeable difference

The smallest change you can detect between two stimuli.

lens

The eye part that changes shape to focus light onto the retina.

light becoming a neural impulse

Light hits the retina → rods and cones convert it into electrical signals → brain interprets it.

monocular cues

Depth cues you can see with just one eye.

perception

How your brain organizes and interprets sensory information.

perceptual expectancy (set)

When your expectations influence what you see or notice.

pupil

The opening in the eye that lets light in.

retina

The back of the eye that detects light and sends signals to the brain.

rods and cones

Light-sensitive cells: * rods = low light, black/white * cones = color and detail

sensation

Your senses receiving information (light, sound, touch).

top-down processing

Using expectations and past experiences to interpret information.