Audition and Auditory Perception

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key concepts related to audition and auditory perception.

Auditory Sense

The second most relied upon sense that provides information about stimuli that are out of view.

Audition

The process by which vibrations in an elastic medium are transduced into neural impulses perceived as sound.

Sound Waves

Vibrations that cause waves of compressed molecules to travel through an elastic medium.

Pitch

The perceived high and low quality of sound determined by the frequency of sound waves.

Frequency

The number of sound waves that pass a point in a unit of time, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Loudness

The intensity of perceived sound determined by the amplitude of sound waves, measured in decibels (dB).

Cochlea

The fluid-filled sensory organ in the inner ear responsible for transducing vibrations into neural impulses.

Hair Cells

Sensory receptors for sound located in the basilar membrane, stimulated by vibrations in the cochlea.

Auditory Perception

The study of how we interpret and understand sound, influenced by cognitive processes.

Auditory Illusions

Phenomena where what we hear is influenced by expectation, leading to misinterpretations of stimuli.