Sensation and Perception Flashcards

Flashcards based on lecture notes about sensation and perception.

Cones

Sensory receptors responsible for color vision.

Trichromatic Theory

Theory that proposes the retina contains three types of cones for RGB.

Afterimages

A visual phenomenon best explained by the opponent-process theory.

Occipital Lobe

Brain lobe that processes visual information.

Cochlea

Location of the sensory receptors for hearing.

Semicircular Canals

Part of the ear responsible for balance and spatial orientation.

Linear Perspective

Monocular cue that helps us perceive depth when parallel lines appear to converge.

Fovea

Part of the retina where vision is sharpest.

Closure

Gestalt principle referring to filling in gaps to perceive a whole image.

Perception

The brain’s ability to process incoming sensory information and form meaningful interpretations.

Moon Illusion

The name of the illusion that makes the moon appear larger on the horizon.

Amplify Sound Vibrations

Function of the ossicles in the middle ear.

Place Theory

Theory explaining our ability to hear high-frequency sounds based on where they stimulate the basilar membrane.

Afterimage

An illusion resulting from sensory adaptation and overstimulation of certain visual receptors.

Binocular Depth Cues

Depth cues involving retinal disparity and convergence.

Lens

Part of the eye that changes shape to help focus light.

Missing M and L Cones

A common cause of red-green colorblindness.

Cochlea

Structure that converts mechanical sound waves into electrical neural signals.

Continuity

Gestalt principle explaining our ability to follow a smooth, continuous path instead of disconnected segments.

Sensory Conflict Theory

Theory explaining the cause of motion sickness, based on sensory conflict.

Depth perception

Ability to see objects in three dimensions; allows us to gauge distance

Frequency

The number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time (for example, per second)

Place theory

The theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea’s membrane is stimulated.

Frequency theory

In hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch

Vestibular sense

The sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance.