click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Biopsych Chapter 5
PSYC 218 Kalat Chapter 5 Terms
Term | Definition |
---|---|
law of specific nerve energies | the brain codes information in terms of which neurons are active to preserve a perception |
pupil | opening in the center of the iris |
retina | rear surface of the eye lined with visual receptors |
bipolar cells | receive messages from the receptors in back of eye and send them to ganglion cells |
ganglion cells | located in center of eye; receive messages from bipolar cells and send them to brain |
optic nerve | exits through the back of the eye and creates a blindspot |
fovea | a tiny area specialized for acute, detailed vision |
midget ganglion cells | ganglion cells in fovea that are small and respond to a single cone |
rods | in periphery of retina; respond to faint light but are not useful in the daylight |
cones | in/near fovea; less active in dim light, more useful in bright light, and essential for color vision |
photopigments | present in both rods and cones; chemicals that release energy when struck by light |
trichromatic theory | we perceive color through the relative rates of response by three kinds of cones, each maximally sensitive to different wavelengths |
visual field | the part of the world you see |
opponent-process theory | we perceive color in terms of opposites |
color constancy | ability to recognize colors despite changes in lighting |
retinex theory | the cortex compares information from various parts of the retina to determine the brightness and color of an area |
horizontal cells | make inhibitory contact onto bipolar cells |
lateral geniculate nucleus | where most ganglion axons go; part of the thalamus |
lateral inhibition | reduction of activity in one neuron by activity in neighboring neurons |
receptive field | an area in visual space that excites or inhibits a cell in the visual system |
parvocellular neurons | small cell bodies and receptive fields; primarily in/near the fovea |
magnocellular neurons | larger cell bodies and receptive fields; distributed throughout retina |
koniocellular neurons | small cell bodies; exist throughout retina |
primary visual cortex | aka V1; where information from the lateral geniculate nucleus goes |
blindsight | ability to respond in limited ways to visual information without perceiving it consciously |
simple cell | receptive field with fixed excitatory and inhibitory zones |
complex cell | located in V1 and V2; do not respond to exact location of a stimulus |
end-stopped cells | resemble complex cells but they have a strong inhibitory area at one end |
feature detectors | neurons whose responses indicate the presence of a particular feature |
sensitive period | length of time when experiences have a particularly strong and enduring influence on vision |
retinal disparity | the discrepancy between what the left and right eyes see |
strabismus | "lazy eye" a condition in which the eyes do not point in the same direction |
astigmatism | blurring of vision for lines in one direction |