psych 101 exam 2

what is sensation?

the detection of sensory information by a sensory detector

what are multiple senses?

vision, audition, olfaction, gustation, somatosensation, vestibular sense, proprioception, kinesthesia, nonciception, and thermoception

what is absolute threshold?

the minimum about of stimulus/stimulation a person can detect

what are subliminal messages?

messages presented below the absolute threshold for conscious awareness

what is difference threshold/just noticeable differences?

the minimum amount of change in a stimulation that can be detected

what is Weber’s Law?

the difference threshold is a constant fraction of the orignal stimulus

what is perception?

the process that organizes sensations into meaningful patterns

what is sensory adaptation?

failing to perceive some types of prolonged sensory stimulation

what is inattentional blindness?

failure to notice something that is completely visable becuase of lack of attention

what is bottom-up processing?

the idea that perceptions are builit from sensory information 

what is top-down processing?

how we interept sensations influenced by our available knowledge and life experience.

what are visual illusions?

misperception of physical reality usually caused misapplication of visual cues

what is the Muller-Lyer illusion?

2 vertical lines drawn, the vertical line on the right appears longer then the one on the left. but both lines are equal in length.

what is frequency theory?

assumes the basilar membrane vibrates as a whole in direct proportion to the frequency of sound waves striking the eardrum

what is pitch?

frequency of sound waves

what is loudness?

amplitude and decibels 

what is blindspot?

point on the retina through which the optic nerve penetrates

what is fovea?

the highest visual acuity

what are rods?

receptor cells on the retina that play a important role in night vision and peripheral vision

what are cones?

receptor cells on the retina that play a important role in day vision and color vision

what is optic chiasm?

crossing point of optic neurons disturbing half of the left and right visual fields to each half of the occipital lobe

what are olfactory receptors?

hair-like parts that extend from the olfactory bulb into the mucous membrane of the nacavity

what is the figure ground relationship?

explains why this can be perceived either a vase or a pair of faces

what is extrasensory perception?

the alleged ability to perceive events without the use of sensory receptors

what is parapsychology?

the study of extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, and related phenomena

what is pseuoscience?

concepts and theories that are unsupported by empirical evidence and often masquerade as valid science

what is deja vu?

the ONLY studied and REAL phenomena

what is opponent-process theory?

color vision depends on red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white opponent processes in the brain

what is afterimage?

image that persists after the removal of visual stimulus

what is trichromatic theory?

argues that cones are individually responsive to only 3 colors (red, green, blue)

environmental factors that can lead to conductive hearing loss include…

regular exposure to loud music or construction

what is transduction?

taste molecules bind to receptors and cause chemical changes within the sensory cell

what are taste buds?

the number of individual taste receptors cells that transmit info to nerves

what are sensory receptors?

each attuned to specific touch-related stimuli

the major sensory organs of…

the vestibular system

where are the major sensory organs are located?

next to the cochlea inner ear

what does the principle of proximity suggest?

that you see one block of dots on the left side and three columns on the right side

what is the principle of similarity?

when looking at a array of dots and perceiving alternating rows of colors

what is the principle of continuation?

when we are more likely to perceive two overlapping lines rather then 4 lines meeting in the center

what is the principle of closure?

we perceive a complete circle and rectangle, rather then a series of segments

what is consciousness?

awareness of one’s own cognitive actitvity including thoughts, feelings, and sensations

what is consciousness closely linked to?

the construct of memory

what is conscious also called?

a river or stream/altered streams

what is consciousness?

awareness of one’s own cognitive activity including thoughts, feelings, and sensations

consciousness is closely linked to…

the construct of memory

_____ and _____ of consciousness

streams and states

what are dreams?

story-like sequences of visual images

what are nightmares?

frightening dreams during REM sleep

what are night terrors?

frightening NREM experiences

what is attention?

makes us aware of certain stimuli while blocking out others

what is unconscious?

perception without awareness

what is sleep?

periodic, natural loss of consciousness

what is the circadian rhythm?

24 hour cycles of physiological changes; biological rhythms and sleep-wake cycle

what is the suprachiasmatic nucleus ?

serves as the brain's clock mechanism; the clock sets itself with light information received through projections from the retina

what brain structure is the suprachiasmatic nucleus sitting above?

the optic chiasm

what is one factor our sleep wake cycle is also regulated by?

the hormone melatonin

what is melatonin released by?

the pineal gland

what is sleep regulation?

brain's control of switching between sleep and wakefulness as well as coordinating this cycle with the outside world

what is a chronotype?

individual circadian pattern activity 

what is season affective disorder (SAD)?

a person experiences depression during winter months and improved mood during spring

what are the functions of sleep?

physical restoration and adaptive inactivity

what is sleep-onset insomnia?

trouble falling asleep

what is sleep-maintenance?

falling asleep normally but find themselves awakening repeatly

dreaming is a by-product of _____ ?

random brain activity

what is activation-synthesis theory?

dreams are the by-products of the cortex’s attempt to make sense of spontaneous changes in physiological activity generated by the brain stem during REM

what is hypnosis?

an induced state of consciousness in which 1 person responds to suggestions by another person to alter perception, thinking, feelings, and behavior

what is hypermnesia?

memory enhancement

what is a effect from hypnosis?

moderate to large effect in relieving pain

hypnosis is a ______

dissociated state

what are depressants?

reduces arousal by inhibiting activity in central nervous system

what are examples of depressants?

alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and opiates

what are psychoactive drugs?

chemicals that induce changes in mood, thinkings perception, and behavior by affecting neuronal activity in the brain

what are stimulants?

act to increase arousal

what is substance abuse?

not satisfying the criteria for a substance use disorder, but involves irresponsible or hazardous use of substances

what is substance dependence?

tolerance and withdrawal; need for markedly increased amounts to achieve the desired effect

what is behavioral psychology?

study of how we learn; focus on observable phenomena to understand unconscious processes

what is behavioral psychology also called?

behaviorism 

what is the “A” of behaviorism?

antecedents (before)

what is the “B” of behaviorism?

behavior

what is the “C” of behaviorism?

consequences (after)

what word is associated with Ivan Pavlov?

serendipity

what is systematic desensitization?

to alleviate anxiety based problems

fear is _________

rational

anxiety is ________

unrational