A(11) - Sensational Psych

Sensation

The process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment.

Psychophysics

The branch of psych that studies how we perceive different stimuli such as light, sound, and touch.

sensory receptors

Cells that detect sensory stimuli and convert them into neural signals.

signal detection theory

signal detection theory

Detecting a stimulus depends on both the signal’s strength and your psychological state (alertness, expectations, motivation).

• Example: You think you hear your phone buzz because you’re waiting for a text, even though it didn’t.

absolute threshold

The minimum amount of stimulation needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time.

• Example: The faintest sound you can hear in a quiet room.

difference threshold

the smallest change in a stimulus you can detect 50% of the time.

• Example: Noticing when your friend slightly turns the volume up on the speaker.

weber’s law

To notice a difference, the change must be a constant proportion of the original stimulus.

• Example: Adding 1 pound to a 5‑pound weight is noticeable, but adding 1 pound to a 50‑pound weight isn’t.

sensory adaptation

The process by which our sensitivity to a constant stimulus decreases over time, allowing us to focus on changes in our environment.

• Example: Not noticing the smell of a room after being in it for a while.

sensory interaction

One sense can influence or enhance another.

• Example: Food tastes bland when you have a stuffy nose.

synesthesia

A condition where stimulation of one sense automatically triggers another.

• Example: Someone “sees” colors when they hear music

embodied cognition

The idea that the mind is influenced by the body’s actions, sensations, and posture.

• Example: Holding a warm drink makes you judge someone as friendlier.

subliminal

Stimuli that occur below your absolute threshold, so you don’t consciously detect them.

• Example: A quick flash of a word on a screen that you don’t consciously notice.

priming

Exposure to one stimulus unconsciously influences your response to another.

• Example: Seeing the word “yellow” makes you recognize the word “banana” faster.

wavelength

The distance between peaks of a light wave that determines color.

hue

The color we experience based on wavelength.

intensity

The brightness of light determined by wave amplitude.

cornea

The eye’s clear outer layer that bends light to help focus.

pupil

The opening in the eye that lets light in.

• larger in the dark, smaller in the light

iris

The colored muscle that controls pupil size.

retina

The light‑sensitive inner surface of the eye containing photoreceptors.

blind spot

The point where the optic nerve leaves the eye, with no receptors.

• you dont notice it bc your brain fills in the gap

optic nerve

The nerve that carries neural signals from the eye to the brain.

lens

The transparent structure that focuses light onto the retina

accommodation

the lens changes shape to focus on objects at different distances.

nearsightedness

A condition where near objects are clear but far objects are blurry.

farsightedness

A condition where far objects are clear but near objects are blurry.

fovea

The retina’s center with the highest concentration of cones for sharp vision

• Example: You use your fovea when reading tiny text.

photoreceptors

• Cells in the retina (rods and cones) that convert light into neural signals.

  • Example: Photoreceptors begin the process of visual transduction.

transduction

• Converting physical energy (light) into neural impulses.

  • Example: The retina transduces light into electrical signals.

rods

• photoreceptors that detect black, white, and gray and work well in low light.

• Example: Rods help you see shapes at night.

cones

• Photoreceptors that detect color and fine detail in bright light.

  • Example: Cones help you read colorful signs during the day

trichromatic theory

• Definition: The theory that we have three color receptors—red, green, and blue.

  • Example: Mixing red and green light makes yellow because those cones are activated.

opponent-process theory

• Color vision works in opposing pairs (red–green, blue–yellow, black–white).

  • Example: Staring at something red makes you see a green afterimage.

feature detectors

• Specialized neurons that respond to specific visual features like edges or movement.

  • Example: Feature detectors fire when you see a vertical line.

afterimages

• Visual sensations that remain after a stimulus is removed.

  • Example: Staring at a blue square makes you see a yellow one afterward.

ganglion cells

• Retinal cells that receive signals from bipolar cells and form the optic nerve.

  • Example: Ganglion cells bundle together to send visual info to the brain.

dichromatism

• A form of color blindness where one of the three cone types is missing.

  • Example: Someone with red‑green color blindness is a dichromat.

monochromatism

• Total color blindness—seeing only shades of gray.

  • Example: A monochromat cannot distinguish any hues.

prosopagnosia

• A neurological disorder causing face blindness.

  • Example: Someone with prosopagnosia can’t recognize their friend’s face but knows their voice.

blindsight

• The ability to respond to visual stimuli without conscious awareness due to cortical damage.

• Example: A person with blindsight can navigate around obstacles they claim not to see.

how we see colors

Wavelength	Color (Hue)	Short wavelength → blue/violet Long wavelength → red	Blue = short waves Red = long waves
Amplitude	Brightness (Intensity)	Large amplitude → bright Small amplitude → dim	Electric blue = large amplitude Dim red = small amplitude

parallel processing

• The brain’s ability to process multiple aspects of a scene at once (color, motion, depth, form).

• Example: When you look at a dog running, you process its color, shape, and movement simultaneously.

antisocial personality disorder

• A mental health condition characterized by a disregard for other people’s rights, often resulting in harmful behavior.

  • Example: A person with antisocial personality disorder may lie, manipulate others, or engage in criminal activities without remorse.

  • can only treat symptoms

borderline personality disorder

A mental health disorder characterized by unstable moods, behavior, and relationships, often leading to emotional extremes.

• Example: A person with borderline personality disorder may experience rapid changes in self-identity and intense emotional responses.

• can only treat symptoms

histrionic personality disorder

A mental health condition characterized by excessive attention-seeking behavior, emotional overreaction, and a need for approval.

• Example: Individuals may exhibit dramatic behavior and may be easily upset if they are not the center of attention.

• can only treat symptoms

narcissistic personality disorder

• A mental health condition characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, a deep need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others.

• Example: Individuals may showcase grandiosity and react poorly to criticism.

• can only treat symptoms

schizophrenia

A severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, sense of self, and behavior

• treated w antipsychotics

• can experience psychosis (distorted perception & irrational ideas)

rumination disorder

individual regurgitates food they previously consumed and then re-chews/re-swallows it or spits it out again

pica disorder

consuming things that are not considered food

Gestalt Psychology

organizing bits & info into meaningful wholes

• 7 principles: Simplicity (Pragnanz), Patterning, Proximity, Similarity, Continuity, Closure, Figure & Ground

Simplicity

Law of Pragnanz (Gestalt)

• objects can be perceived more than 1 way, dictated by experiences

Patterning

(Gestalt)

• our minds look for patterns in shape, form, or character

Proximity

(Gestalt)

• items are perceived together bc of their relevant placement or location

similarity

(Gestalt)

• elements are seen as belonging together bc of their similar characteristics

continuity

(Gestalt)

• patterns are primed- course is maintained, like camouflage

closure

(Gestalt)

• our mind fills in noticeable gaps w previous experiences

• subjective contours → the lines our brains draw

figure & ground

(Gestalt)

• perceptual fields are broken into the foreground and background

visual cliff

babies develop depth perception as early as 3 (Eleanor Gibson)