Questions and Answers
Which of the following processes has begun as soon as special receptor cells for the senses are activated?
Which of the following begins at the sensory receptors and builds to higher levels of processing?
What is the process by which physical sensations are converted into neural messages?
Transduction
What is the smallest difference between two stimuli that can be detected called?
Signup and view all the answers
The reality that stress increases your sensitivity to faint pain stimuli is important to a student's understanding of?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the tendency of sensory receptor cells to become less responsive to a stimulus that is unchanging called?
Signup and view all the answers
In a scenario where someone becomes less aware of a smell over time, what is this an example of?
Signup and view all the answers
What is it called when someone fails to retain auditory information due to focus elsewhere?
Signup and view all the answers
Explain how perceptual sets change our perceptions.
Signup and view all the answers
What is the protective covering of the eye through which light first enters?
Signup and view all the answers
The opponent-process theory states that color vision is the result of opposing retinal processing. Red is paired with ______________ and yellow is paired with ______________.
Signup and view all the answers
What determines the color you see?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the function of the lens in the eye?
Signup and view all the answers
The __________ is the muscle that responds to light intensity by dilating or constricting.
Signup and view all the answers
Cones are to ______________ vision as rods are to ______________ vision.
Signup and view all the answers
When light moves through the lens in the eye, the representation is flipped and inverted. The flipped image is projected onto which part of the eye?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following shows the steps of visual processing in the correct order?
Signup and view all the answers
What does it mean to be 'colorblind'?
Signup and view all the answers
What produces the 'blind spot'?
Signup and view all the answers
Which group of psychologists suggested that the 'whole' exceeds the sum of its parts?
Signup and view all the answers
A newborn baby does not possess the ability to perceive the world in three dimensions. This develops early in infancy. The newborn baby lacks ______________.
Signup and view all the answers
The tendency to perceive the apparent brightness of an object as the same, even when the light conditions change, is known as?
Signup and view all the answers
What do we call the difference seen by each eye for objects that are close in the visual field?
Signup and view all the answers
Railroad tracks appear to narrow as they...?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Sensation and Perception
- Sensation is the process initiated by activation of special receptor cells for the senses.
- Bottom-up processing begins at sensory receptors, building to higher levels of processing.
- Transduction is the conversion of physical sensations into neural messages for perception.
- Difference threshold refers to the smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.
Theories and Concepts
- Signal detection theory explains how stress can increase sensitivity to faint pain stimuli.
- Sensory adaptation occurs when sensory receptor cells become less responsive to unchanging stimuli.
- The cocktail party effect describes the ability to focus on a single conversation in a noisy environment while filtering out other sounds.
Perception Influences
- Perceptual sets influence how individuals interpret stimuli based on expectations and context, leading to subjective experiences.
- Example: One person might see a bunny in clouds while another sees a flower, showcasing different interpretations of the same visual stimulus.
Visual System Anatomy and Function
- The cornea is the protective covering of the eye where light first enters.
- The opponent-process theory posits opposing retinal processing for colors; red vs. green and yellow vs. blue.
- Color perception is dependent on the length of the light wave.
Eye Components
- The lens changes shape to focus objects on the retina.
- The iris adjusts light intensity by dilating or constricting.
- Cones are responsible for color vision, while rods are connected to black and white vision.
- The retina receives an inverted image when light passes through the lens.
Visual Processing and Perception
- Visual processing steps include gathering light, in-eye processing, transduction, and brain processing.
- Colorblindness arises from a lack of red-sensitive or green-sensitive cones.
- The blind spot occurs due to the absence of receptor cells where the optic nerve exits the eye.
Gestalt Psychology and Depth Perception
- Gestalt psychologists argue that the "whole" perception is greater than the sum of its parts.
- Newborns initially lack depth perception, which develops during infancy.
- Brightness constancy ensures the perceived brightness of an object remains consistent despite changes in light.
Retinal Disparity
- Retinal disparity describes the difference in images seen by each eye; it's larger for nearby objects and smaller for distant ones.
Additional Visual Illusions
- Railroad tracks illustrate an optical illusion where they appear to converge as they extend into the distance.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge of key concepts from AP Psychology Module 3. This quiz focuses on the processes of sensation and perception, including various types of processing. Challenge yourself and enhance your understanding of foundational psychological principles.
