Psychology Chapter 5: Sensation and Perception
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Questions and Answers

What is the difference between sensation and perception?

  • Sensation is a cognitive process, while perception is purely physiological.
  • Sensation involves the interpretation of sensory information, while perception is about the detection of stimuli.
  • Sensation refers to the conscious awareness of sensory information, whereas perception occurs subconsciously.
  • Sensation is the process of experiencing physical stimuli, while perception is the mental interpretation of those stimuli. (correct)

Which concept explains the minimum difference in stimulation that a person can detect 50% of the time?

  • Just noticeable difference (correct)
  • Signal-detection theory
  • Subliminal perception
  • Absolute threshold

Which theory of color vision emphasizes the role of three types of cones in the retina?

  • Retinal disparity theory
  • Opponent process theory
  • Trichromatic theory (correct)
  • Color constancy theory

What is the primary function of the human ear's cochlea?

<p>To convert sound vibrations into neural signals (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes bottom-up perception?

<p>Perception that starts with sensory input and builds up to a final interpretation (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'absolute threshold' refer to in sensory processing?

<p>The smallest amount of stimulation needed to detect a stimulus half of the time (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'just noticeable difference' (JND) imply?

<p>The smallest difference between two stimuli needed to detect a change at least half of the time (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Weber's Law, what does the size of a just noticeable difference depend on?

<p>The constant proportion of the size of the initial stimulus (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How is sensation defined in the context of sensory processing?

<p>The detection of stimuli through sensory organs (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about perception is accurate?

<p>Perception involves the organization and interpretation of sensory input (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which example illustrates the concept of an absolute threshold?

<p>Noticing a faint sound in a quiet room (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of Weber's Law, what would be an appropriate scenario illustrating the JND?

<p>Adding one marshmallow to a pile of 50 marshmallows making it imperceptible (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the trichromatic theory of colour vision propose?

<p>There are three types of receptors sensitive to distinct light wavelengths. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of colour blindness involves the inability to distinguish between one of the primary colours?

<p>Dichromacy (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What concept describes pairs of colours that produce grey tones when mixed?

<p>Complementary colours (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What visual phenomenon occurs after staring at a colour stimulus and then looking away?

<p>Afterimage (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes a type of drawing that can be interpreted in multiple ways?

<p>Reversible figure (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the term 'perceptual set'?

<p>Readiness to perceive stimuli in a particular way. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do opponent process theories suggest about colour perception?

<p>It involves antagonistic responses to three pairs of colours. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which phenomenon illustrates the subjectivity of perception?

<p>Reversible figures (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does signal-detection theory suggest about the detection of stimuli?

<p>Detection includes both decision processes and sensory processes. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is subliminal perception?

<p>The registration of sensory input without conscious awareness. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the lens in the human eye?

<p>To focus light rays onto the retina. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of cones in the human visual system?

<p>To enable daylight vision and color perception. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does sensory adaptation affect perception?

<p>It leads to a gradual decline in sensitivity due to stimuli. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which part of the retina has the highest density of cones?

<p>The fovea. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during dark adaptation in the human eye?

<p>The eye adjusts to become more sensitive in low illumination. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of the pupil constricting?

<p>It sharpens the image but allows less light. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about light adaptation is correct?

<p>It occurs when entering a brightly lit environment. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Absolute Threshold

The minimum amount of stimulus energy needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time.

Sensory Adaptation

The decrease in sensitivity to a constant stimulus over time.

Trichromatic vs Opponent-Process Theories of Color Vision

Two different ways the brain processes color: First, three types of color receptor cells, and second, color receptors working in opponent pairs.

Bottom-up vs Top-down Perception

Bottom-up is when sensory information builds into a perception. Top-down is when prior knowledge influences what's perceived.

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Gestalt Principles

Rules that our minds use to group elements in a coherent way, like proximity or closure.

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Just Noticeable Difference (JND)

The smallest difference between two stimuli needed to detect a change half of the time.

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Weber's Law

The size of a JND is a constant proportion (Weber fraction) of the size of the initial stimulus.

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Sensation

Detecting sensory input; a bottom-up process focusing on the stimulation of the sense organs.

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Perception

Interpreting sensory input; a top-down process involving selection, organization, and interpretation.

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Sensory Input

Energy (like light or sound waves) absorbed by sensory organs (like the eyes or ears).

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Difference Threshold

Another term for Just Noticeable Difference (JND).

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Signal Detection Theory

The idea that detecting a stimulus involves both sensory processing and decision-making. It recognizes that there's no perfect accuracy in stimulus detection, and external factors and psychological factors influence our judgments.

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Criterion

The internal standard or threshold you set for deciding whether a stimulus is present. It influences how you respond to potential signals.

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Hits, Misses, False Alarms, Correct Rejections

These are the four possible outcomes of a signal detection task. A hit is correctly detecting a signal. A miss is failing to detect a present signal. A false alarm is incorrectly detecting a non-existent signal. A correct rejection is correctly identifying the absence of a signal.

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Subliminal Perception

The registration of sensory input without conscious awareness below the threshold of perception. This means you detect something but are not consciously aware of it.

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Amplitude of Light

The height of a light wave. It affects our perception of brightness.

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Wavelength of Light

The distance between peaks of a light wave. It affects our perception of color.

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Purity of Light

The variation in mixture of wavelengths. It influences our perception of saturation or richness of color.

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Accommodation

The process by which the curvature of the eye lens adjusts to focus light rays onto the retina. This enables us to see objects at different distances.

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Trichromatic Theory

This theory states that our eyes have three types of color receptors, each sensitive to different wavelengths of light. These wavelengths are associated with red, green, and blue.

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Opponent-Process Theory

Instead of three receptors, this theory proposes that we perceive color through cells that respond antagonistically to three color pairs: red vs. green, yellow vs. blue, and black vs. white.

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Color Blindness

This is a condition that affects color perception due to deficiencies in the ability to distinguish colors. It's more common in males.

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Dichromats

People with dichromacy have only two functioning color channels, meaning they are insensitive to one of the three primary colors (red, green, or blue).

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Complementary Colors

These are pairs of colors that create a gray tone when mixed together. They are often found in the opponent-process theory.

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Afterimage

This is the visual image that stays imprinted after a stimulus is removed. The color you see in the afterimage is often complementary to the original color.

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Reversible Figure

This is a visual image that can be interpreted in two different ways, switching back and forth between the interpretations.

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Perceptual Set

This refers to a mental predisposition or readiness to perceive a stimulus in a certain way, affecting how we interpret sensory information.

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Subjective Perception

The way we perceive the world is subjective, meaning it's influenced by individual experiences and internal factors. The same stimulus can be perceived differently by different people.

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Study Notes

Sensation and Perception

  • Sensation is the detection of stimuli, a bottom-up process. It involves the stimulation of sense organs (e.g., eyes, ears) by energy (e.g., light, sound).

  • Perception is the translation of sensory information into meaningful experiences. It's a top-down process, involving the selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory input.

Key Concepts and Terms

  • Absolute Threshold: Smallest amount of stimulation needed to detect a stimulus half of the time; defines the limits of sensory abilities.

  • Just Noticeable Difference (JND): Smallest difference between two stimuli that can be detected half of the time. Weber's Law states the JND is a constant proportion (not a fixed amount) of the initial stimulus.

  • Signal Detection Theory: Stimulus detection depends on both sensory processes and decision processes (e.g., expectations, criteria).

  • Subliminal Perception: Sensory input below the threshold of conscious awareness.

  • Sensory Adaptation: Gradual decrease in sensitivity to a constant stimulus.

  • Vision: Processes include color mixing (additive and subtractive), theories (trichromatic and opponent process), and vision for perception/action. Structures of the eye (cornea, pupil, lens, retina, rods, cones, etc.) and processes involved in light/dark adaptation, and receptive fields are involved.

  • Hearing: Mechanisms include place theory and frequency theory, describing how sound waves are translated into neural signals. Structures include outer ear (pinna, auditory canal), middle ear (eardrum, hammer, anvil, stirrup), and inner ear (cochlea, basilar membrane).

  • Gustation (Taste) and Olfaction (Smell): Chemical substances trigger taste and smell, involving specific receptors and pathways to the brain.

  • Tactile (Touch): Receptors in the skin detect pressure, temperature, and pain, with various types present (Merkel cells, Meissner corpuscles, Ruffini endings, Pacinian corpuscles).

Gestalt Principles

  • Phi Phenomenon: Illusion of movement from rapidly presented stimuli.

  • Proximity: Grouping nearby objects together.

  • Similarity: Grouping similar objects together.

  • Closure: Filling in gaps to perceive complete shapes.

  • Continuity: Following continuous patterns.

  • Perceptual Hypothesis: Drawing inferences about distal stimuli based on proximal stimuli.

  • Monocular and Binocular Cues: Techniques used to judge distance and depth (monocular cues use one eye, binocular cues use both). Examples include linear perspective, texture gradient, and interposition.

Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Processing

  • Bottom-up: Information processing that begins with sensory receptors and works up to higher levels of processing.
  • Top-down: Processing guided by your experiences and expectations that influences perception.

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Description

Explore the fundamental concepts of sensation and perception in psychology. This quiz covers key terms such as absolute threshold, just noticeable difference, and signal detection theory, helping you understand how we interpret sensory information. Test your knowledge to enhance your grasp of these essential psychological processes.

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