AP Psychology Thresholds Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is sensation?

The study of the relationship between physical stimulation and its psychological effects. (correct)

The ability to distinguish the difference between two stimuli.

The minimal amount of stimulation needed to detect a stimulus.

How we recognize, interpret, and organize our sensations.

What does perception involve?

How we recognize, interpret, and organize our sensations.

What is psychophysics?

The branch of psychology that deals with the effects of physical stimuli on sensory response.

Define absolute threshold.

The minimal amount of stimulation needed to detect a stimulus and cause the neuron to fire 50 percent of the time. Signup and view all the answers

What does signal detection theory (SDT) study?

The participant's capacity to detect signals against a background of noise. Signup and view all the answers

What are detection thresholds?

The minimal amount of stimulus that can be detected. Signup and view all the answers

What is a hit in signal detection theory?

The signal was present, and the participant reported sensing. Signup and view all the answers

What is a miss in signal detection theory?

The signal was present, but the participant did not sense it. Signup and view all the answers

What is a false alarm in signal detection theory?

The signal was absent, but the participant reported sensing it. Signup and view all the answers

What is a correct rejection?

The signal was absent, and the participant did not report sensing it. Signup and view all the answers

Define discrimination thresholds.

The ability to distinguish the difference between two stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

What is just noticeable difference (JND)?

The minimum amount of distance between two stimuli that can be detected as distinct. Signup and view all the answers

What does Weber's law state?

The JND is a proportion of stimulus intensity. Signup and view all the answers

What is subliminal perception?

A form of preconscious processing that occurs when stimuli are presented too rapidly for conscious awareness. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon.

An example of preconscious information processing where recall is not easily available but is known to be there. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Sensation and Perception

Sensation involves studying the connection between physical stimuli and their psychological impacts.
Perception refers to the process of recognizing, interpreting, and organizing sensory information.

Psychophysics

Branch of psychology focusing on how physical stimuli affect sensory responses.
Determines the minimum detectable amounts of sound, pressure, taste, and other stimuli.

Thresholds

Absolute Threshold: The least stimulation required for a stimulus to be detected 50% of the time.
Detection Thresholds: Levels at which stimuli can be sensed or perceived.
Discrimination Thresholds: The ability to differentiate between two stimuli.
Just Noticeable Difference (JND): The smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.

Signal Detection Theory (SDT)

Focuses on the detection of signals (stimuli) where a participant indicates whether they sense a signal or not.
Factors include the presence or absence of a signal and participants' responses.

Response Categories in SDT

Hit: Correctly sensing a present signal.
Miss: Failing to sense a present signal.
False Alarm: Reporting a signal that is not actually there.
Correct Rejection: Accurately identifying that no signal is present.

Weber's Law

Established by Ernst Weber, observing that JND is proportional to the stimulus intensity.
At lower weights, small changes are easily noticeable, but at higher weights, subtler changes are harder to detect.

Subliminal Perception

Involves processing stimuli presented too quickly for conscious awareness, leading to preconscious information processing.

Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon

A preconscious processing scenario where an individual knows information exists but struggles to retrieve it consciously.

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Description

This quiz covers essential terms in AP Psychology related to sensation and perception. Learn about the definitions and concepts of sensation, perception, and psychophysics. Perfect for students preparing for the AP exam and wanting to understand the foundational elements of psychological study.