Sensation & Perception

Sensation

detection of a stimulus in the environment; (light, sound, odors, heat, taste, pain, pressure)

Perception

interpretation of a sensation; (causes people to have different interpretations of the same stimuli)

selective attention

focusing on conscious awareness of a particular stimulus

Cocktail party effect

while in conversation, your consciousness shifts and focuses on the area/person where you heard your name

Schema

a mental structure of preconceived ideas, organizing and perceiving new information

Top-down processing

process information when we have prior knowledge (schema)

Bottom-up processing

process information when we have no prior knowledge, working our way up from the bottom; using senses to help

Absolute threshold

minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus

Subliminal

below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness

change blindness

failing to notice change in the environment

Inattentional blindness

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

Signal detection theory (SDT)

detection of a stimulus depends on two things

Weber's Law

the difference is noticeable enough to register a perceptual change; Difference threshold; just noticeable difference

Cornea

where light first enters

Pupil

adjustable opening of eye which lights enter

Iris

ring of muscle tissue that forms colored portion of eye

Lens

structure behind pupil that changes shape to help focus on image

Retina

inner-surface of the eye where rods & cones begin the processing of visual information

Fovea

central focal point in retina

Optic nerve

nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

Blind spot

point which the optic nerve leaves the eye, as there are no receptor cells

Rods

retina receptor cells that detect black, white, gray; necessary for peripheral vision

Cones

retinal receptor cells that function during well-lit conditions and daylight; give detail and rise to color sensations

Opponent-process theory

visual cells process color in opposing pairs

Trichromatic theory (3 color theory)

retina contains three different color receptors (red, green, blue), combined they can produce ANY color

Figure-ground

perception of images by the distinction from a background from which they appear to stand out

Gate-control theory

spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass; perception of pain

Phantom limb pain

sensation that a missing limb is still attached to the body

Frequency

number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time

Amplitude

height of the wave, determines loudness measured in decibels (taller the wave, the louder the sound)

nerve (sensorineural) deafness

hair cells are damaged due to loud noise' ringing in your ears

Conduction deafness

something goes wrong in the system of conducting sound to cochlea

External auditory canal

where sound enters the ear

Middle ear

chamber between the cochlea and eardrum, containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, stirrup)

Semicircular canals

three tiny fluid-filled tubes that help you keep your balance

Vestibular nerve

transmitting data to and from the brain; sense of balance

Cochlea

receives sound from vibrations and nerve impulses interprets as sound (basilar membrane)

Cochlear nerve

transmitting auditory information from cochlea to the brain

Eustachia tube

regulate pressure between middle ear and atmosphere

Tympanic membrane

(ear drum); transmit sound from air to middle ear

Synesthesia

neurological condition where the brain processes multiple sensory information at once

ASMR

experience characterized by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin

Sound localization

ability to tell where a sound is coming from due to timing and intensity

Olfactory bulb

information travels to the temporal lobe, which links to memory storage areas; explain why smells can trigger a memory explosion

Receptor cells

over 1,000 present; smell bypasses thalamus

Sensory interaction

principle where one sense influences another (smell of food, influences taste)

Taste aversion

due to a NEGATIVE past experience, the smell/taste of an item causes brain to send survival messages to avoid such item

Sociology of taste

individual's personal and cultural patterns of choice and preference

Transduction

conversion of one form of energy into another

Sensory adaptation

diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation