1.6a

Sensation

process by which sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from the environment

Psychophysics

study of relationships between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they produce

Sensory Receptors

specialized cells that detect sensory stimuli and convert them into neural impulses

Signal Detection Theory

theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background noise

Absolute Threshold

minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time

Just-Noticeable Difference (Difference Threshold)

minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time

Weber’s Law

principle stating that the just-noticeable difference is a constant proportion of the original stimulus intensity

Sensory Adaptation

diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

Sensory Interaction

principle that one sense may influence another

Synesthesia

condition in which one sense is simultaneously perceived as if by one or more additional senses

Embodied Cognition

influence of bodily sensations

Subliminal

below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness

Priming

activation