Basics
the stimulation of sensory receptors, & transmission of sensory information to the central nervous system
What is sensation?
This principle distinguishes a focal object from its background.
What is figure‑ground perception?
Depth cue from comparing the slightly different images on each retina.
What is retinal disparity?
The light‑sensitive layer at the back of the eye that contains rods and cones.
What is the retina?
The sense receptors in skin that register pressure, temperature, and pain are part of the ______ sense.
What is touch (somatosensation)?
The weakest amount of stimulus that can be sensed
What is absolute threshold?
The perception of movement created by quickly presented still images (as in film) is called ______.
What is stroboscopic motion?
This neuromuscular binocular cue uses eye muscle effort to judge distance.
What is convergence?
Photoreceptors that detect low light and peripheral motion are called ______.
What are rods?
This type of nerve signal carries incoming sensation toward the central nervous system.
What are sensory (afferent) nerves?
the psychological process by which we interpret sensory info
What is perception?
This illusion uses arrow‑head endings to make equal lines look different in length.
What is the Müller‑Lyer illusion?
Parallel lines appearing to meet in the distance is the monocular cue called ______.
What is perspective?
The structure of the inner ear shaped like a spiral that contains sensory hair cells for hearing.
What is the cochlea?
According to the gate control theory, activity in these fibers can close the spinal “gate” and reduce pain signals.
What are large‑diameter touch fibers (or nonpainful sensory input)?
What is distinguishing sensory stimuli that takes into account the setting, your physical state, mood, & expectations?
what is signal detection theory?
The tendency to perceive objects as having constant size, shape, color, or brightness despite changing sensory input are called ______.
What are perceptual constancies?
This monocular cue makes nearer objects look more detailed than far ones.
What is clearness (detail)?
The clear outer layer of the eye that helps focus light is the ______.
What is the cornea?
Rubbing a bumped knee often reduces pain because it activates these receptors and modulates pain signals — this demonstrates ______.
What is the gate control mechanism (or pain modulation via touch)?
Upon entering Bart’s smelly bedroom it smells. It smells bad. But after a few minutes you can’t smell anything at all. What is this an example of?
What is sensory adaptation?
Name one of the four perceptual constancies (worth 500).
What is color constancy? / What is size constancy? / What is shape constancy? / What is brightness constancy?
The cue where objects farther away appear to move more slowly than nearer ones when you move is called ______.
What is motion parallax?
Name the part of the eye that changes shape to focus near or far objects.
What is the lens?
Name one behavioral strategy that can alter pain perception by influencing attention or expectation.
What is distraction? / What is relaxation? / What is cognitive reappraisal? (any correct example)