Psychology Chapter 3: Sensory Adaptation

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Questions and Answers

What type of vision do cones primarily provide?

Depth perception

Peripheral vision

Color vision (correct)

Night vision

Where in the eye are cones most densely packed?

In the fovea (correct)

In the peripheral retina

In the lens

In the vitreous humor

What is transduction in the context of vision?

Conversion of electrical energy to light energy

Storing visual memories

Conversion of light energy to electrical energy (correct)

Enhancement of color perception

What is the approximate number of cones in each human eye?

5 million Signup and view all the answers

What visual challenge might a person with red-green color blindness face?

Identifying red and green traffic lights Signup and view all the answers

What condition describes a total inability to perceive colors?

Color blindness Signup and view all the answers

What does normal visual acuity of 20/20 mean?

A person can distinguish fine details at 20 feet Signup and view all the answers

What benefit do red-green color blind individuals have when identifying traffic lights?

They can see yellow light mixed with red Signup and view all the answers

What is sensory adaptation?

The tendency of sensory receptors to respond less over time to unchanging stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

How do feature detectors in the brain function?

They focus on dividing the sensory input into significant perceptual features. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes visual pop-out?

An immediate recognition of perceptual features due to the brain's sensitivity. Signup and view all the answers

Why do our sensory receptors usually respond best to changes in stimulation?

It allows the brain to focus only on the most significant changes in the environment. Signup and view all the answers

What is sensory transduction in vision?

The conversion of light stimuli into neural impulses. Signup and view all the answers

Which part of the brain contains feature detectors that respond to specific attributes of an object?

Cerebral cortex Signup and view all the answers

What range of electromagnetic energies can the human eye perceive?

Only the visible spectrum. Signup and view all the answers

How does early life experience influence the sensitivity of perceptual features?

It can enhance or diminish the brain's innate sensitivity to these features. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of rods in the visual system?

Facilitate black and white vision in dim light Signup and view all the answers

How long does it typically take for the eye to reach maximum visual sensitivity in complete darkness?

30 to 35 minutes Signup and view all the answers

What role does rhodopsin play in rod vision?

It enables vision in black and white Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the pupil when a person transitions from a bright environment to a dark one?

It dilates to allow more light to enter Signup and view all the answers

What is tunnel vision associated with?

A loss of peripheral vision Signup and view all the answers

What type of light are rods least sensitive to?

Extremely red light Signup and view all the answers

Where are rods most numerous in the retina?

About 20 degrees from the center Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following indicates a significant feature of dark adaptation?

The eye becomes 100,000 times more sensitive to light Signup and view all the answers

What sound level is considered potentially hazardous for daily exposure?

85 decibels Signup and view all the answers

How does each 20-decibel increase affect sound pressure?

Increases by a factor of 10 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes how the frequency theory of hearing works?

It states that higher frequencies cause a higher rate of firing in auditory nerves. Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of brief exposure to 150 decibels?

Permanent hearing loss Signup and view all the answers

Where do higher tones register most strongly in the cochlea?

At the base of the cochlea Signup and view all the answers

What happens in cases of sensorineural hearing loss?

Auditory messages are blocked from reaching the brain. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of cochlear implants in hearing loss treatment?

They stimulate auditory nerves directly. Signup and view all the answers

According to the place theory of hearing, how do specific tones affect the cochlea?

Higher and lower tones excite specific areas in the cochlea. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of the cochlea in hearing?

It signals pitch based on area activation. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'hunter's notch' refer to in hearing loss?

Damage to specific hair cells in the cochlea. Signup and view all the answers

What triggers the creation of action potentials in the olfactory sensory neurons?

Chemical molecules in the air. Signup and view all the answers

According to the lock-and-key theory of olfaction, what is required for odor detection?

Chemical molecules must have specific shapes that correspond to receptors. Signup and view all the answers

What condition can lead to anosmia, a loss of smell sensitivity?

Infections and allergies. Signup and view all the answers

How many different odors can humans generally detect?

At least 10,000 odors. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of smell receptors in the process of olfaction?

To respond to airborne chemical molecules. Signup and view all the answers

What happens during the process of transduction in the nose?

Chemical energy is turned into electrical energy as action potentials. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Sensory Experiences and Adaptation

Sensory experiences are limited compared to potential sensory inputs of certain animals.
Sensory Adaptation occurs when sensory receptors become less responsive to unchanging stimuli.
Example: Olfactory receptors diminish response to constant odors, leading to the inability to detect the smell after prolonged exposure.
Sensory receptors are more responsive to changes in stimuli rather than constant input.

Feature Detection

The brain utilizes feature detectors to process sensory input by identifying key attributes like lines, shapes, and colors.
Feature detectors are specialized cells in the cerebral cortex, which facilitate the processing of perceptual features over detailed sensory patterns.
Visual pop-out demonstrates the sensitivity of the visual system to specific features, influenced by both innate traits and early life experiences.

Vision and Sensory Transduction

The visible spectrum represents only a small fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum perceivable by the eye.
Vision involves photoreceptors in the retina, which transduce light into electrical signals for the brain to interpret.
There are two types of photoreceptors: cones and rods.

Photoreceptors

Cones: Approximately 5 million per eye; function best in bright light and are responsible for color perception and detail.
- Located mainly in the fovea, they yield high visual acuity (20/20 vision).
- Color blindness occurs due to cone malfunction or absence, affecting color perception without visual acuity loss.
Rods: About 120 million per eye, sensitive to dim light and responsible for peripheral vision.
- Provide black and white vision, particularly responsive to movement.
- Involved in dark adaptation, allowing increased sensitivity to light in low-light conditions.

Hearing and Sound

Prolonged exposure to 85 decibels or more can lead to permanent hearing loss; 120 decibels can cause immediate damage.
Cochlear implants are used to assist those with hearing loss by directly stimulating the auditory nerve bypassing damaged hair cells.

Theories of Hearing Pitch

Frequency Theory: Proposes pitch is determined by the rate at which hair cells fire. Effective for sounds up to 4,000 hertz.
Place Theory: Higher frequencies stimulate specific cochlear locations, useful for understanding sounds above 4,000 hertz. Specific cochlear areas correlate with pitch perception, leading to conditions like "hunter’s notch."

Chemical Senses: Olfaction and Gustation

Olfaction: The sense of smell, where receptors respond to airborne chemical molecules.
The process of transduction in olfaction converts chemical stimuli into electrical signals through nerve fibers in the nasal lining.
Lock-and-key Theory: Suggests odors correspond to the shapes of airborne molecules fitting specific receptors.

Olfactory Sensitivity and Anosmia

Anosmia refers to a loss of smell sensitivity, which can be caused by infections, trauma, or chemical exposure.
Humans can detect at least 10,000 different odors through specific receptor combinations triggered by various chemicals.

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Description

Explore the fascinating concept of sensory adaptation in this quiz. Discover how our senses respond to unchanging stimuli and the remarkable ways in which different animals perceive the world. Learn about the mechanisms behind our diminishing response to constant odors and other sensory experiences.