SENSATION AND PERCEPTION

Sensation -Experience of sensory

stimulation, the actiation or our senses
Perception -Process of creatin! meanin!ful
patterns from ra" sensory information
ENERGY SENSES
VISION
#ision is the $ominant sense in human %ein!s&
Si!hte$ people use ision to !ather information a%out
their enironment more than any other sense& The
process of ision inoles seeral steps&
Step 1' (atherin! li!ht
Step 2' )ithin the eye
Cornea -The transparent protectie coatin! oer
the front part of the eye
Pupil -small openin! in the iris throu!h "hich li!ht enters the eye&
Iris -colore$ part of the eye&
Lens -transparent part of the eye insi$e the pupil that focuses li!ht onto the retina
Retina -linin! of the eye containin! receptor cells that are sensitie to li!ht
Step 3' Trans$uction
Transduction *process %y "hich sensory si!nals are transforme$ into neural impulses
Receptor cell -Speciali+e$ cell that respon$s to a particular type of ener!y&
Rods -Receptor cells in the retina responsi%le for ni!ht ision an$ perception of %ri!htness&
Cones -Receptor cells in the retina responsi%le for color ision
o!ea -Area of the retina that is the center of the isual fiel$
Optic ner!e - The %un$le of axons of !an!lion cells that carries neural messa!es from each eye to the
%rain&
"lind spot - Place on the retina "here the axons of all the !an!lion cells leae the eye an$ "here there
are no receptors Optic c#ias$ -Point near the %ase of the %rain "here some fi%ers in the optic nere
from each eye cross to the other si$e of the %rain
Step %& In the ,rain
T#eories or color !ision-
Tric#ro$atic t#eor' -Theory of color ision that hol$s that all color perception $eries from three
$ifferent color receptors in the retina
Opponent-process t#eor' - Theory of color ision that hol$s that three sets of color receptors respon$
in an either-or fashion to $etermine the color you experience
Color(lindness -Partial or total ina%ility to perceie hues&
Tric#ro$ats -People "ho hae normal color ision
)onoc#ro$ats -People "ho are totally color %lin$
*ic#ro$ats - People "ho are %lin$ to either re$-!reen or yello"-%lue
HEARING
The ears contain structures for %oth the sense of hearin! an$ the
sense of %alance& The ei!hth cranial nere .esti%ulocochlear
nere ma$e up of the au$itory an$ esti%ular neres/ carries nere
impulses for %oth hearin! an$ %alance from the ear to the %rain&
+$plitude * the hei!ht of the "ae , $etermines the lou$ness of the soun$, measure$ in $eci%els
re,uenc' - The num%er of cycles per secon$ in a "ae0 in soun$, the primary $eterminant of pitch
-ert. /-.0 - Cycles per secon$0 unit of measurement for the fre1uency of "aes
Pitc# - Au$itory experience correspon$in! primarily to fre1uency of soun$ i%rations, resultin! in a hi!her
or lo"er tone
*eci(el -The ma!nitu$e of a "ae0 in soun$ the primary $eterminant of lou$ness of soun$s
Parts o1 t#e ear-
Ear canal 2 also calle$ the au$itory canal
Eardru$-
-a$$er3 an!il3 stirrup - The three small %ones in the mi$$le ear that relay i%rations of the
ear$rum to the inner ear
O!al 4indo4 - 2em%rane across the openin! %et"een the mi$$le ear an$ inner ear that con$ucts
i%rations to the cochlea
Round 4indo4 - 2em%rane %et"een the mi$$le ear an$ inner ear that e1uali+es pressure in the
inner ear&
Coc#lea - Part of the inner ear containin! flui$ that i%rates "hich in turn causes the %asilar
mem%rane to i%rate&
"asilar $e$(rane -#i%ratin! mem%rane in the cochlea of the inner ear0 it contains sense
receptors for soun$
Or5an o1 Corti -Structure on the surface of the %asilar mem%rane that contains the receptors cells
for hearin!
+uditor' ner!e -The %un$le of neurons that carries si!nals from each ear to the %rain
PITC- T-EORIES- As "ith color ision, t"o $ifferent theories $escri%e the t"o processes inole$
in hearin! pitch' place theory an$ fre1uency theory6
Place t#eor' -Theory that pitch is $etermine$ %y the location of !reatest i%ration of the %asilar
mem%rane
re,uenc' t#eor' -Theory that pitch is $etermine$ %y the fre1uency "i!h "hich hair cells in the
cochlea fire
*E+NESS
-earin5 Loss
People can lose all or some of their a%ility to hear %ecause of lou$ noises, infections, hea$
in3uries, %rain $ama!e an$ !enetic $iseases& 4earin! loss is common in ol$er people&
There are seeral types of hearin! loss'
Con$uctie 4earin! 5oss' occurs "hen soun$ i%rations from the tympanic
mem%rane to the inner ear are %loc6e$& This may %e cause$ %y ear "ax in the
au$itory canal, flui$ %uil$up in the mi$$le ear, ear infections or a%normal %one
!ro"th&
Sensorineural 4earin! 5oss' occurs "hen there is $ama!e to the esti%ulocochlear
.au$itory/ nere& This type of hearin! loss may %e cause$ %y hea$ in3ury, %irth
$efects, hi!h %loo$ pressure or stro6e&
Pres%ycusis' occurs %ecause of chan!es in the inner ear& This is a ery common
type of hearin! loss that happens !ra$ually in ol$er a!e&
Tinnitus' people "ith tinnitus hear a constant rin!in! or roarin! soun$& The cause
of this rin!in! cannot al"ays %e foun$& Some cases of tinnitus are cause$ %y ear
"ax, ear infections or a reaction to anti%iotics, %ut there are many other possi%le
causes of this $isor$er&
TOUCH
)hen our s6in is in$ente$, pierce$, or experiences a chan!e in temperature, our sense of touch is
actiate$ %y this ener!y&
Gate control t#eor' - Theory that a 7neurolo!ical !ate in the spinal cor$ controls the transmission
of pain messa!es to the %rain
C-E)IC+L SENSES
TASTE (GUSTATION)
Taste %u$s
Papillae-
4umans sense four $ifferent tastes' s"eet, salty, sour, an$ %itter
+ll ot#er tastes co$e 1ro$ a co$(ination o1 t#ese 1our (asic tastes6 +ctuall'3 a 1i1t#
(asic taste called 78$a$i7 #as recentl' (een disco!ered6 8$a$i is a taste t#at
occurs 4#en 1oods 4it# 5luta$ate /li9e )SG0 are eaten6 *i11erent parts o1 t#e
ton5ue can detect all t'pes o1 tastes6 )ore!er3 t#e si$ple ton5ue 7taste $ap7 t#at is
1ound in $an' te:t(oo9s #as (een critici.ed 1or se!eral reasons6
T#e actual or5an o1 taste is called t#e 7taste (ud76 Eac# taste (ud /and t#ere a(out
a(out 1;3;;; taste (uds in #u$ans0 is $ade up o1 $an' /(et4een <;-1<;0 receptor
cells6 Receptor cells li!e 1or onl' 1 to 2 4ee9s and t#en are replaced (' ne4 receptor
cells6 Eac# receptor in a taste (ud responds (est to one o1 t#e (asic tastes6 +
receptor can respond to t#e ot#er tastes3 (ut it responds stron5est to a particular
taste6
I
SMELL (OLFACTION)

T#e Nose =no4s

The smells of a rose, perfume, freshly %a6e$ %rea$ an$ coo6ies&&&these smells are all ma$e
possi%le %ecause of your nose an$ %rain& The sense of smell, calle$ olfaction, inoles the
$etection an$ perception of chemicals floatin! in the air& Chemical molecules enter the
nose an$ $issole in mucous "ithin a mem%rane calle$ the olfactory epithelium& In
humans, the olfactory epithelium is locate$ a%out 8 cm up an$ into the nose from the
nostrils&
Ol1actor' epit#eliu$ - Nasal mem%ranes containin! receptor cells sensitie to o$ors
P#ero$one - Chemical that communicates information to other or!anisms throu!h smell
VESTI"8L+R SENSE 2 tells us a%out ho" our %o$y is oriente$ in space&
Se$icircular canals - Structure in the inner ear particularly sensitie to %o$y rotation&
Vesti(ular sacs - Sacs in the inner ear that are responsi%le for sensin! !raitation an$ for"ar$,
%ac6"ar$, an$ ertical moement
=INEST-ETIC SENSES -Senses of forces an$ moement of muscles
Stretc# receptors -Receptors that sense muscle stretch an$ contraction
Gol5i tendon or5ans -Receptors that sense moement of the ten$ons, "hich connect muscle to
%one&
PERCEPTION
T-RES-OL*S
+(solute t#res#old -The least amount of ener!y that can %e $etecte$ as a stimulation 9: percent of the
time
Su(li$inal- stimuli %elo" our a%solute threshol$
*i11erence t#res#old -The smallest chan!e in stimulation that can %e $etecte$ 9: percent of the time
>ust-noticea(le di11erence * the smallest amount of chan!e nee$e$ in a stimulus %efore "e $etect a chan!e
?e(er@s La4 -The principle that the 3ust noticea%le $ifference for any !ien sense is a constant proportion
of the stimulation %ein! 3u$!e$&
PERCEPT;A5 T4EORIES
Psycholo!ists use seeral theories to $escri%e ho" "e perceie the "orl$&
Si5nal detection t#eor'- inesti!ates the effects of the $istractions an$ interference "e experience "hile
perceiin! the "orl$&
Response criteria
alse positi!e
Top-*o4n Processin5 * "e perceie %y fillin! in !aps in "hat "e sense
Sc#e$ata
Perceptual set
"ac9$as9in5
"otto$-up Processin5, also called feature analysis * "e use only the features of the o%3ect itself to %uil$ a
complete perception
GEST+LT R8LES
Proximity
Similarity
Continuity
Closure
CONST+NCY- Ten$ency to perceie o%3ects as sta%le an$ unchan!in! $espite chan!es in sensory
stimulation
Si.e constanc' - Perception of an o%3ect as the same si+e re!ar$less of the $istance from "hich it is ie"e$
S#ape constanc' - Ten$ency to see an o%3ect as the same shape no matter "hat an!le it is ie"e$ from
"ri5#tness constanc' - Perception of %ri!htness as the same, een thou!h the amount of li!ht reachin! the
retina chan!es
*EPT- C8ES
Visual cli11 e:peri$ent-
)onocular cues - #isual cues re1uirin! the use of one eye
Interposition - 2onocular $istance cue in "hich one o%3ect, %y partly %loc6in! a secon$ o%3ect, is
perceie$ as %ein! closer&
Linear perspecti!e - 2onocular cue to $istance an$ $epth %ase$ on the fact that t"o parallel lines
seem to come to!ether at the hori+on
Relati!e si.e-2onocular cue in "hich closer o%3ects seem lar!er than $istant o%3ects
Te:ture 5radient-Course o%3ects appear closer than smooth o%3ects
S#ado4in5-
"inocular cues - #isual cues re1uirin! the use of %oth eyes
Retinal disparit' - ,inocular $istance cue %ase$ on the $ifference %et"een the ima!es
Con!er5ence- cast on the t"o retinas "hen %oth eyes are focuse$ on the same o%3ect
Stereoscopic !ision - Com%ination of t"o retinal ima!es to !ie a three-$imensional perceptual
experience&
SENSATION AND PERCEPTION <;I=
>& Our sense of smell may %e a po"erful tri!!er for memories %ecause
A& "e are con$itione$ from %irth to ma6e stron! connections %et"een smells an$ eents&
,& The nere connectin! the olfactory %ul% sen$s impulses $irectly to the lim%ic system
C& The receptors at the top of each nostril connect "ith the cortex
D& Smell is a po"erful cue for enco$in! memories into lon!-term memory
E& Stron! smells encoura!e us to process eents $eeply so they "ill most li6ely %e remem%ere$
?& The cochlea is responsi%le for
A& protectin! the surface of the eye
,& transmittin! i%rations receie$ %y the ear$rum to the hammer, anil, an$ stirrup&
C& The receptors at the top of each nostril conect "ith the cortex
D& Smell is a po"erful cue for enco$in! memories into lon!-term memory
E& Stron! smells encoura!e us to process eents $eeply so they "ill most li6ely %e remem%ere$&
@& In a perception research la%, you are as6e$ to $escri%e the shape of the top of a %ox as the %ox is
slo"ly rotate$& )hich concept are the researchers most li6ely inesti!atin!A
A& feature $etectors in the retina
,& feature $etectors in the occipital lo%e
C& placement of ro$s an$ cones in the retina
D& %inocular $epth cues
E& shape constancy
B& The %lin$ spot in our eye results from
A& the lac6 of receptors at the spot "here the optic nere connects to the retina
,& the sha$o" the pupil ma6es on the retina
C& competin! processin! %et"een the isual cortices in the left an$ ri!ht hemisphere
D& floatin! $e%ris in the space %et"een the lens an$ the retina
E& retinal $ama!e from %ri!ht li!ht
9& Smell an$ taste are calle$ CCCCCCC %ecause
A& ener!y senses0 they sen$ impulses to the %rain in the form of electric ener!y
,& chemical senses0 they $etect chemicals in "hat "e taste an$ smell
C& flaor senses0 smell an$ taste com%ine to create flaor&
D& Chemical senses0 they sen$ impulses to the %rain in the form of chemicals&
E& 2emory senses0 they %oth hae po"erful connections to memory
D& )hat is the principal $ifference %et"een amplitu$e an$ fre1uency in the context of soun$ "aes A
A& Amplitu$e is the tone or tim%re of a soun$, "hile fre1uency is the pitch&
,& Amplitu$e is $etecte$ in the cochlea, "hile fre1uency is $etecte$ in the au$itory cortex&
C& Amplitu$e is the hei!ht of the soun$ "ae, "hile fre1uency is a measure of ho" fre1uently the
soun$ "aes pass a !ien point&
D& ,oth measure 1ualities of soun$, %ut fre1uency is a more accurate measure since it measures the
shapes of the "aes rather than the stren!th of the "aes&
E& Ere1uency is a measure for li!ht "aes, "hile amplitu$e is a measure for soun$ "aes&
8& )e%erFs la" $etermines
A& a%solute threshol$&
,& Eocal len!th of the eye&
C& 5eel of su%liminal messa!es&
D& Amplitu$e of soun$ "aes&
E& Gust-noticea%le $ifference&
H& (ate control theory refers to
A& "hich sensory impulses are transmitte$ first from each sense
,& "hich pain messa!es are perceie$
C& interferin! soun$ "aes, causin! some "aes to %e un$etecte$
D& the !ate at the optic chiasm controllin! the $estinaiton hemisphere for isual information from
each eye&
E& 4o" our min$s choose to use either %ottom-up or top-$o"n processin!&
I&If you ha$ si!ht in only one eye, "hich of the follo"in! $epth cues coul$ you NOT useA
A& texture !ra$ient
,& coner!ence
C& linear perspectie
D& interposition
E& sha$in!
>:& )hich of the follo"in! sentences %est $escri%es the relationship %et"een sensation an$ perceptionA
A& Sensation is a strictly mechanical process, "hile perception is a co!nitie process&
,& Perception is an a$ance$ form of sensation&
C& Sensation happens in the senses, "hile perception happens in the %rain&
D& Sensation is $etectin! stimuli, perception is interpretin! stimuli $etecte$&
E& Sensation inoles learnin! an$ expectations, an$ perception $oes not&
>>& )hat function $oes the retina sereA
A& The retinal contains the isual receptor cells
,& The retinal focuses li!ht comin! in the eye throu!h the lens&
C& The retina $etermines ho" much li!ht is let into the eye&
D& The retina $etermines "hich ro$s an$ cones "ill %e actiate$ %y incomin! li!ht
E& The retina connects the t"o optic neres an$ sen$s impulses to the left an$ ri!ht isual cortices&
>?& Color %lin$ness an$ color afterima!es are %est explaine$ %y "hat theory of color isionA
A&&trichromatic theory
,& #isi%le hue theory
C& Opponent-process theory
D& Dichromatic theory
E& ,inocular $isparity theory
>@& Jou are sho"n a picture of your !ran$fatherFs face, %ut the eyes an$ mouth are %loc6e$ out& Jou still
reco!ni+e it as a picture of your !ran$father& )hich type of processin! %est explains this example of
perceptionA
A& %ottom-up processin!
,& si!nal $etection theory
C& top-$o"n processin!
D& opponent-process theory
>B& )hat %ehaior "oul$ %e $ifficult "ithout our esti%ular sense A
A& inte!ratin! "hat "e see an$ hear
,& "ritin! our name
C& repeatin! a list of $i!its
D& "al6in! a strai!ht line "ith our eyes close$
E& reportin! to a researcher the exact position an$ orientation of our lim%s