AP Psychology

process by which our sensory receptors and nervous syatem recieve and represent the physical energy from the environment

process by which we organize and interpret sensory info

analysis that begins with sensory receptors and works up to the brain;s integration of sensory info

info processing guided by higher level mental process

study of relationships between physical characteristics of stimuli and our psychological experience of them

min. stimulation needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time

how and when we detect the presense of a faint stimulus

one that is below the absolute threshold for consious awareness

activation of an association by an imperceptible stimulus, the effect of which is to predispose a perception, memory, or response

min. differ btw two stimuli required for detection 50 % of the time

just noticeable difference btw two stimuli is a constant min. proportion of the stimulus

refers to the decreased sensitivity that occurs with continued exposure to an unchanging stimulus

process by which receptor cells in the eyes, ears, skin and nose convert stimulus energy into neural impulses

distance from pea of one light wave to the next gives rise to perceptual experiences of hue

color

determined by amplification of the waves and is experienced as brightness adn loudness

adjustable opening in the eye thru which light enters

ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored part of the eye that controls the diameter of the pupil

transparent structure of the eye, behind the pupil that changes shape to focus images on retina

light sensitive, multilayered inner surface of the eye that contains the rods and cones

process by which the lens of the ewye changes shape to focus near objects on retina

• visual reseptors that convert light energy into neural impulse
• concentrated in periphery of the retina
• poor sensitivity
• detect black, white, and gray
• dim light and peripheral vision

• visual receptors that convert light energy into neural impulses
• infovea
• excellent sensitivity, enable color vision and function best in daylight or bright light

comprised of axons of retinal ganglion cells, the optic nerve carries neural impulses from eye to the brain

• region of the retina where optic nerve leaves the eye
• no rods/cones
• no vision here

• retina;s pt. of central focus
• contains cones
• images focused on fovea are clearest

• located in visual cortex of the brain, nerve cells that selectivly respond to specific visual features such as movement, shape, or angle
• basis of visual info processing

info processing in which several aspects of a stimulus, such as light or sound, are processed simultaneously

maintains that the retina contains red-green and blur sensitive color receptors that in combination can produce perception of any color

maintains that color vision depends on paris of opposing retinal processes

sense of hearing

• directly related to wavelength
• longer wavelengths produce lower pitch
• determines pitch
• # of complete wavelengths that can pass a pt in a given time

• tone;s experiences highness or lowness
• determines frequency

• chamber btw eardrum and chochlea containing 3 tiny bones that concentrate vibrations of eardrum on chochleas oral window
• anvil, hammer, stirrup

coiled bony fluid filled tube in which sound waves trigger nerve impulses

contains cochlea, semicircualr canals and vestibular sacs

• hearing
• links the pitch we hear with place where the cochleas membrane is stimulated

• hearing
• rate of nerve impulses traveling up suditory nerve matches frequency of a tone
• sense pitch

caused by damage to mechanial systrem that conducts sound waves

caused by damage to cochleas receptor cells or to auditry nerves

device for converting sounds into electecal signals and stimulating the suditory nerve thru electrodes threaded into cochlea

sense of the position and movement tot he parts of the body

sense of the body movement and position, including balance

• melzack and wall
• "gate" in spinal cord determines whether pain signals are permitteer to reach the brain

principle that one sense may influence another

• "organized whole"
• emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of info into meaningful wholes

organization of the visual field into 2 parts: the figure, which stands out from its surroundings and the surroundings, or background

perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into corherent groups

• ability to see objects in 3-D although the images that strike the retina are 2-D
• allows us to judge distance

lab device for testing depth perception, especially in infants and young animals

depth cues that depend on info form both eyes

• differences btw images recieve by the left eye and right eye as a result of viewing the world from slightly different angles
• nearer the object

depth cues that depend on info from either eye alone

an illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in succession

perception that objects have consistent ightness, color, shep, size , even as illumination and retinal images change

perception that familar objects have consistent color despite changes in illumunation that shift the wavelengths they reflect

our ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field

a mental predisposition to percieve on thing and not the another

explores how ppl and machines interact and how machines and physical environments cna be made safe and easy to use

• controversial claim that perception can occur wihtout sensory input:
• telepathy
• clairvoyance
• precognition

study of ESP, psychkinesis, adn other paranormal forms of interaction btw ind. and environment