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Nick Quiz
Modules 16-18
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| absolute threshold | the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time |
| bottom-up processing | analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information |
| change blindness | failing to notice changes in the environment |
| difference threshold | the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time |
| intattentional blindness | failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere |
| perception | the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events |
| selective attention | the focus of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus |
| sensation | the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment |
| sensory adaptation | diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation |
| signal detection theory | a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). |
| subliminal | below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness |
| top-down processing | information processing guide by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations |
| transduction | conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies such as, sights, sounds, and smells into neural impulses our brain can interpret |
| Weber's law | the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount) |
| accommodation | in sensation and perception, the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina |
| blind spot | the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a "blind" spot because no receptor cells are located there |
| cones | retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. Detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations |
| feature detectors | nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement |
| fovea | the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster |
| hue | the dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light; what we know as the color names blue, green, and so forth |
| intensity | the amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, as determined by the wave's amplitude |
| iris | a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening |
| lens | the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina |
| opponent-process theory | the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision |
| optic nerve | the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain |
| parallel processing | the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving |
| pupil | the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters |
| retina | the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information |
| rods | retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don't respond |
| wavelength | the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to peak of the next |
| Young-Helmholtz trichromatic (three-color) theory | the theory that retina contains three different color receptors-one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue--which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color |
| extrasensory perception (esp) | the controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input; includes telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition |
| perceptual set | a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not other |
Created by:
margaret_05
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