Basics of Sensation
What is the process by which sensory receptors detect stimuli in the environment?
What is sensation?
The process of interpreting sensory information.
What is perception?
The part of the eye where light first enters.
What is the cornea?
The unit used to measure sound intensity.
What is a decibel?
The smallest difference between two stimuli that can be detected.
What is the just noticeable difference (JND)?
Specialized cells that respond to specific types of sensory information.
What are sensory receptors?
When past experiences, motives, and expectations influence perception.
What is top-down processing?
The opening in the eye that allows light to enter.
What is the pupil?
The snail-shaped structure of the inner ear that contains hair cells.
What is the cochlea?
A principle stating that the JND is a constant proportion of the original stimulus.
What is Weber's law?
The conversion of sensory stimulus energy into neural signals.
What is transduction?
When perception is driven by sensory input rather than expectations.
What is bottom-up processing?
The light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.
What is the retina?
The sense of body movement and balance located in the inner ear.
What is the vestibular sense?
Stimuli that fall below conscious awareness.
What is subliminal perception?
The minimum amount of stimulus energy that must be present for detection 50% of the time.
What is absolute threshold?
A pattern of perceiving things based on seeing what you expect to see.
What is perceptual set?
Photoreceptors responsible for color vision and high acuity.
What are cones?
The sense of body position and movement related to muscles and joints.
What is proprioception (or kinesthesia)?
When two senses interact (e.g., taste and smell).
What is sensory interaction?
When sensory input remains constant over time and sensitivity decreases.
What is sensory adaptation?
Tendency to perceive a complete image despite gaps (e.g., dotted lines forming a shape).
What is the law of closure? (Gestalt principle)
Theory stating that color vision is produced by three types of cones (red, green, blue).
What is the trichromatic theory of color vision?
Theory that pain signals can be blocked or allowed through the spinal cord.
What is the gate control theory of pain?
A phenomenon where conflicting visual and auditory information leads to a third perceived sound.
What is the McGurk effect?