Sensory Processing in Psychology 100

These flashcards cover key vocabularies and concepts related to sensory processing from the Psychology 100 lecture notes.

What are sensations?

Sensation refers to the detection of stimuli such as electromagnetic waves, pressure, and chemicals.

Electromagnetic waves

A form of energy that can be reflected, refracted, or emitted in the form of light.

Fechner’s law

A principle stating that the perceived intensity of a stimulus increases proportionally with the logarithm of its actual intensity.

Photons

The smallest units or packets of electromagnetic radiation.

Visible light spectrum

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye, ranging from approximately 400 nm to 700 nm.

Retina

The light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye containing photoreceptors (rods and cones) that convert light into neural signals.

Rods

Photoreceptors in the retina that are responsible for vision in low light and movement detection.

Cones

Photoreceptors in the retina that are responsible for color vision and detail detection.

Trichromatic theory

The theory that color perception is based on the activity of three types of cones: red, green, and blue.

Color blindness

A condition where individuals have difficulty distinguishing between certain colors due to the absence or malfunction of photoreceptors.

Pitch detection

The ability to perceive the frequency of sound waves, utilizing frequency and place theories.

Olfaction

The sense of smell, reliant on the detection of airborne chemical molecules by olfactory receptors.

Taste receptors

Chemosensitive cells that allow the perception of different taste qualities like sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami.

Skin sensations

The sense of touch, which includes sensations of light touch, pressure, pain, cold, and heat.

Adaptation in sensory processing

The process by which sensory receptors become less sensitive to constant stimuli over time.