Psych 5.4 Hearing

Flashcards covering the basic anatomy and function of the auditory system, pitch perception, sound localization, and types of hearing loss based on lecture notes.

Auditory System

Converts pressure waves into meaningful sounds, enabling hearing, music appreciation, and spoken communication.

Outer Ear

Includes the pinna, auditory canal, and tympanic membrane (eardrum).

Pinna

The visible part of the ear that protrudes from our heads.

Tympanic Membrane

Also known as the eardrum, it is part of the outer ear and vibrates in response to sound waves.

Middle Ear

Contains three tiny bones known as the ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes).

Ossicles

The three tiny bones in the middle ear: malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup).

Inner Ear

Contains the semi-circular canals (involved in balance) and the cochlea.

Cochlea

A fluid-filled, snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that contains the sensory receptor cells (hair cells) of the auditory system.

Hair Cells

Sensory receptor cells of the auditory system, embedded in the basilar membrane within the cochlea, which generate neural impulses when stimulated by fluid movement.

Oval Window

A thin membrane of the cochlea that the stapes presses into, causing the fluid inside the cochlea to move.

Basilar Membrane

A thin strip of tissue within the cochlea where hair cells are embedded.

Auditory Nerve

Transmits neural impulses generated by activated hair cells from the cochlea to the brain.

Auditory Cortex

The region in the temporal lobe of the brain where auditory information is finally processed.

Pitch Perception

Our ability to differentiate among various frequencies of sound, perceiving them as lower or higher pitched.

Temporal Theory of Pitch Perception

Asserts that frequency is coded by the activity level (firing rate) of a sensory neuron.

Place Theory of Pitch Perception

Suggests that different portions of the basilar membrane are sensitive to sounds of different frequencies (base for high, tip for low).

Sound Localization

The ability to determine the origin or location of a sound in our environment.

Monaural Cues

One-eared cues for sound localization, provided by the interaction of the pinna with incoming sound waves, helpful for locating sounds above, below, in front, or behind.

Binaural Cues

Two-eared cues for sound localization, providing information on the location of a sound along a horizontal axis by relying on differences between the two ears.

Interaural Level Difference

A binaural cue referring to the greater intensity of a sound wave at the ear closer to the sound's source due to attenuation by the head.

Interaural Timing Difference

A binaural cue referring to the small difference in the time at which a sound wave arrives at each ear when the sound comes from an off-center location.

Deafness

The partial or complete inability to hear.

Congenital Deafness

Being born without hearing.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Hearing loss caused by a problem delivering sound energy to the cochlea, such as blockage of the ear canal or issues with the tympanic membrane or ossicles.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

The most common form of hearing loss, caused by damage to hair cells or the auditory nerve, often due to aging, noise exposure, or infections.

Hearing Aids

Devices that amplify incoming sound waves to make vibration of the eardrum and movement of the ossicles more likely, primarily used for conductive hearing loss.

Deaf Culture

A community of deaf individuals with their own language, schools, and customs.

American Sign Language (ASL)

A visual language used by deaf individuals in the United States, based entirely on signs and gestures without a verbal component.

Ménière's Disease

A disease resulting in degeneration of inner ear structures, leading to hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, and increased inner ear pressure.

Cochlear Implants

Electronic devices that receive sound information and directly stimulate the auditory nerve to transmit information to the brain, used as a treatment option for some sensorineural hearing loss.