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AP Psychology Sensation and Perception Flashcards

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13823928537SensationThe process of taking in information from the environment.0
13823948359PerceptionHow we recognize, interpret, and organize our sensations.1
13823959185PsychophysicsBranch of psychology that deals with the effects of physical stimuli on sensory response.2
13823987570Absolute ThresholdThe minimal amount of stimulation needed to detect a stimulus and cause the neuron for fire 50% of the time, at the absolute threshold, we cannot detect lower levels of stimuli, but we can detect higher.3
13824035365Signal Detection Theory (SDT)Theory of perception that takes into consideration that there are four possible outcomes on each trial in a detection experiment: The signal (stimulus) is either present or not, and the participants respond when they can detect a signal or when they cannot. Therefore the four possibilities are Hit, Miss, False Alarm, Correct Rejection. SDT takes into account response bias, moods, feelings, and decision-making strategies that affect our likelihood to make a given response.4
13824073971HitIn SDT when the signal was present, and the participant reported sensing it.5
13824080113MissIn SDT when the signal was present, and the participant did not sense it.6
13824102324False AlarmIn SDT when the signal was absent, but the participant reported sensing it.7
13824108995Correct RejectionIn SDT when the signal was absent and the participant did not report sensing it.8
13824142026Discrimination ThresholdThe ability to distinguish the difference between two stimuli.9
13824195803Just Noticeable Difference (JND) / Difference ThresholdThe minimum amount of distance between two stimuli that can be detected.10
13824224678Ernst WeberCreated Webers law when he noticed that at low weights, say one ounce, it was easy to notice one-half ounce increases or decreases in weight; however at high weights, 32 ounces it was harder to judge the half ounce differences.11
13824249982Webers LawStates that the greater the magnitude of the stimulus, the larger the differences must be to be noticed.12
13824265759Subliminal PerceptionForm of preconscious processing that occurs when we are presented with stimuli so rapidly that we are not consciously aware of them. When later presented with the same stimuli for a longer period of time, we recognize them more quickly than stimuli that we were not subliminally exposed to.13
13824296348PrimingThe activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response14
13824312158Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenonIn which we try to recall something that we already know is available but is not easily available for conscious awareness.15
13824325495Receptor CellsSpecialized cells in sensory organs which are designed to detect specific types of energy. For example, the visual system has specialized cells for detecting light waves.16
13824350121Receptive FieldThe area from which our receptor cells receive input.17
13844510246TransductionReceptors convert one input/stimulus in to neural impulses which are sent to the brain.18
13844533125Contralateral ShiftNeural impulse goes to the thalamus, which sends it to the appropriate brain area.19
13844546585OlfactionSense of smell20
13844551458Sensory CodingProcess by which receptors convey a range of information to the brain.21
13844559564Qualitative dimension of stimulusCoded and expressed by which neurons are firing, for example neurons firing in the occipital lobe would indicate the sensory information is light .22
13844578191Quantitative dimension of stimulusCoded by the number of neurons firing, bright lights/loud noises involve the excitement of more neurons.23
13844591726Single cell recordingTechnique by which the firing rate and pattern of a single receptor cell can be measured in response to varying sensory input.24
13844699909Visual SensationOccurs when the eye receives light input from the outside world.25
13844704287Distal StimulusObject as it exists in the environment26
13844710506Proximal StimulusThe image of an object on a Retina27
13844714275CorneaProtective Layer on the outside of the eye28
13844717173LensThe curvature of the lens changes to accommodate for the distance29
13844727679RetinaServes as the screen onto which the proximal stimulus is projected30
13844737298RodsSensitive in low light31
13844741642ConesSensitive to bright light and color vision.32
13844771971Bipolar CellsEye neurons that receive information from the retinal cells and distribute information to the ganglion cells.33
13844773784Amacrine cellsContact bipolar and ganglion cells.34
13844778451Ganglion CellsIn the retina, the specialized neurons that connect to the bipolar cells; the bundled axons of the ganglion cells from the optic nerve.35
13844781638Optic NervesThe nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain.36
13844781639Optic ChasmThe place nerves from both eyes join and cross over within the brain.37
13844785887Serial ProcessingOccurs when the brain computes information step-by-step in a methodical and linear matter.38
13844789316Parallel processingOccurs when the brain computes multiple pieces of information simultaneously.39
13844797727Feature DetectorsNerves cells in the brain that respond to specific features.40
13844804724ConvergenceA binocular cue for perceiving depth; the extent to which the eyes converge inward when looking at an object.41
13844809369Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic TheoryAccording to this theory, the cones in the retina of the eyes are activated by light waves associated with blue, red, and green and we see colors by mixing the three.42
13844818586Opponent-Process theoryOther theory on how we see light, Contends that the cells within the thalamus respond to opponent pairs of receptor sets, namely black/white, red/green, and blue/yellow. If one color of the set is activated, the other is essentially turned off.43
13844836214AfterimageA visual image that persists after a stimulus is removed.44
13844839772Color BlindnessOccurs mostly in males and is usually genetic -Dichromats are people who cannon distinguish along the red/green or blue/yellow continuums -Monochromats see only in shades of black and white (very rare).45
13844857632Auditory InputIn the form of sound waves, enters the ear by passing the outer ear, into the ear canal.46
13844885096Tympanic MembraneThe eardrum. A structure that separates the outer ear from the middle ear and vibrates in response to sound waves.47
13844887994OssiclesThe three tiny bones that comprise the middle ear48
13844956393Stapes"Stirrup"; inner of the 3 ossicles that vibrate the oval window.49
13844961383CochleaA coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses.50
13844965381Auditory CortexThe area of the temporal lobe responsible for processing sound information.51
13844967505Vestibular sacsOrgans in the inner ear that connect the semicircular canals and the cochlea and contribute to the body's sense of balance.52
13844996116Place theoryAsserts that sound waves generate activity in different places along the basilar membrane.53
13845000783Frequency theoryStates that we sense pitch because the rate of neural impulses is equal to the frequency of a particular sound.54
13845008219DeafnessCan occur from damage to the ear structure or the neural pathway.55
13845009869Conductive deafnessRefers to injury to outer or middle ear structures, such as the eardrum.56
13845016523Sensorineural deafnessRefers to impairment of a structure or structures from the cochlea to the auditory cortex.57
13854804746GustationSense of taste58
13855092060Cutaneous and Tactile receptorsSense pressure, warmth, cold, and pain (fast-conducting myelinated neurons).59
13855109559Cold FibersFire in response to cold stimuli60
13855113482Warm FibersSensitive to warm stimuli61
13855115955Vestibular senseInvolves sensation of balance, this sense is located in the semicircular canals of the inner ear.62
13855126748KinesthesisFound in joins and ligaments, transmits information about the location and position of the limbs and body parts.63
13855140281Sensory adaptationUnconscious, temporary change in response to environmental stimuli.64
13855154071Sensory HabituationThe process by which we become accustomed to a stimulus, and notice it less and less over time.65
13855161993Sensory DishabituationOccurs after sensor habituation when a change in the stimulus causes us to notice it again.66
13855182297AttentionRefers to the processing through the cognition of a select portion of the massive amount of information incoming from the senses and contained in the memory. Attention is what allows up to focus on one small aspect of our perceptual world.67
13855200417Selectie AttentionWhen we try to attend to one thing while ignoring the other.68
13855207400Cocktail party phenomenonRefers to our ability to carry on and follow a single conversation in a room full of conversations, at the same time our attention can quickly be drawn to another conversation by key stimuli, such as someone saying our name.69
13855226283ShadowingA technique where a participant is asked to repeat a word or phrase immediately after its hearing.70
13855229581Filter theoriesPropose that stimuli must pass through some form of screen or filter to enter into attention.71
13855249985Attentional resource theoriesThe theory that we have only a fixed amount of attention and this resource can be divided up as is required in a given situation72
13855267433Divided attentionTrying to focus on more that one task at a time, is most difficult when attending to two or more stimuli that activate the same sense, as in watching TV and Reading73
13855295203Perceptual processesHow our mind interprets environmental stimuli74
13855302556Bottom-Up processingAchieves recognition of an object by breaking it down into its component parts. Relies heavily on the sensory receptors and is the brain's analysis and acknowledgment of the raw data.75
13855315358Top-down processingWhen a brain labels a particular stimulus or experience76
13855339792Visual perceptionThe ability to interpret the surrounding environment by processing information that is contained in visible light, because of the limited ability of the brain to process the information it takes shortcuts, allowing it to fall victim to illusions77
13855355581Monocular depth cuesDepth clues we only need one eye to see78
13855362470Relative sizeRefers to the fact that images that are farther from us project a smaller image on the retina.79
13855379619Texture gradientTextures or patterns appear to grow denser as distance increases.80
13855391622Interposition (Occlusion)Occurs when a near object partially blocks the view of an object behind it.81
13855407794Linear PerspectiveMonocular cue for perceiving depth based on the perception that parallel lines seem to draw closer together as the lines recede into the distance.82
13855421817Vanishing pointA vanishing point is a point in space, usually located on the horizon, where parallel edges of an object appear to converge.83
13855425719Aerial perspectiveAnother perceptual cue based on the observation at atmospheric moisture and dust tends to obscure objects in the distance more than they do nearby objects.84
13855439340Relative clarityThe perceptual clue that explains why less distinct fuzzy images appear to be more distant85
13855446091Motion parallaxThe difference in the apparent movement of objects at different distances86
13855468790Binocular depth cuesRely on both eyes viewing an image87
13855476508StereopsisRefers to the three-dimensional image of the world resulting from binocular vision88
13855484302Retinal ConvergenceDepth cue that results from the fact that your eyes must turn inward slightly to focus on near objects, closer the object the more your eyes must turn inward.89
13855501360Binocular disparityResults from the fact that the closer and object is, the less similar the information at each eye will be90
13855619985Eleanor Gibson and Richard Walk: The Visual CliffLifespan: 1910 - 2002 The visual cliff: Plexiglas and cloth apparatus to investigate depth perception in infants (allowed them to experimentally adjust the optical and tactical stimuli associated with a simulated cliff while protecting the subjects from injury) - Gibson and Walk hypothesized that depth perception is inherent as opposed to a learned process - Concluded that when healthy infants are able to crawl, they are able to perceive depth (they didn't crawl over the Plexiglas because they were able to perceive the cliff-likeness of it)91
13855649980Gestalt ApproachBased on the Top-Down theory, view holds that most perceptual stimuli can be broken down into figure-ground relationships. Figures are the things that stand out, whereas the ground is the field against which the figures stand out.92
13855700035ProximityThe tendency to see objects that are near to each other as forming groups93
13855705167SimilarityThe tendency to prefer to group like objects together94
13855715089SymmetryThe tendency to perceive preferentially forms that makeup mirror images95
13855749376ContiniutyThe tendency to perceive preferentially fluid of continuous forms, rather than jagged or irregular ones96
13855762340ClosureThe tendency to see closed objects rather than those that are not complete97
13855785257Law of PrägnanzThe minimum tendency, we tend to see objects in their simplest forms.98
13855803352Feature detector approachThe theory that organisms respond to specific aspects of a particular stimulus.99
13855826349ConstancyMeans that we know that a stimulus remains the same size, shape, brightness, weight, and/or volume, even though it does not appear to.100
13855843547Motion detectionOne of the most complex abilities we have, we perceive motion through 2 processes. One records the changing position of the object as it moves and the other tracks how we move our head to follow the stimuli.101
13855866065Apparent motionExamples of include blinking lights on a roadside arrow, which give the illusion of movement102
13855880086Phi PhenomenonAn illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession103
13855884320Stroboscopic effectWhere still pictures move at a fast enough pace to imply movement104
13855899601Autokinetic effectStill light that appears to twinkle in darkness.105

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