Completed AP Psychology Sensation_ Perception Review Guide (1.6a-2.1b)

What is sensation in psychology?

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

What are sensory receptors?

Sensory nerve endings that respond to stimuli.

Define transduction.

The conversion of one form of energy into another, transforming physical energy into neural impulses that can be interpreted by the brain.

What does psychophysics study?

The relationships between the physical energy we can detect and its effects on our psychological experiences.

What is the absolute threshold?

The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time.

What is the difference threshold?

The minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time.

What is Weber’s Law?

To perceive as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage.

What is Signal Detection Theory?

A theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background stimulation.

What is sensory adaptation?

Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.

Define sensory interaction.

The principle that one sense may influence another.

What is synesthesia?

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

Explain the concept of wavelength in the context of sensory perception.

The distance from the peak of one light wave or sound wave to the peak of the next, affecting frequency and color perception.

What is the role of the cornea in the visual system?

The eye’s clear, protective outer layer that covers the pupil and iris.

What is the function of the retina?

Contains sensory receptors (rods & cones) that process visual information and send it to the brain.

Define color vision according to Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic theory.

The theory that the retina contains three different color receptors for red, green, and blue.

What is the Opponent-Process Theory?

The theory that opposing retinal processes enable color vision, such as red-green and yellow-blue channels.

What are ganglion cells?

Neurons that relay information from the retina to the brain via the optic nerve.

What is prosopagnosia?

An inability to recognize faces of known individuals based on visual perception.

What is the significance of the cochlea in auditory perception?

It is responsible for converting sound vibrations into neural impulses.

What does the Gate-Control Theory explain?

The spinal cord contains a neurological 'gate' that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass to the brain.

What is the function of the olfactory bulbs?

They process smell signals from olfactory receptor cells and send messages to the brain.

How does the concept of perceptual set influence perception?

It is a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another, influenced by prior experiences and expectations.

Define the concept of stroboscopic movement.

An illusion of continuous movement experienced by viewing a rapid series of slightly varying still images.

What is perceptual adaptation?

The ability to adjust to changed sensory input, including an artificially displaced or inverted visual field.