Psychology Chapter on Sensation and Perception

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Questions and Answers

What does the trichromatic theory primarily focus on?

The genetic causes of color blindness

The detection of various wavelengths of light (correct)

The functionality of cones in the retina

Afterimages in visual perception

Which condition is characterized by a complete loss of color perception?

Protanopia

Deuteranopia

Achromatopsia (correct)

Dichromatic vision

What is the main effect of having protanopia?

Confusion between reds and greens (correct)

Inability to see any colors

Reduced ability to distinguish blues

Seeing everything in shades of blue and gray

How is color blindness most commonly inherited?

Sex-linked recessive trait Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the cones in the retina?

Perceive color differences Signup and view all the answers

Which type of color blindness occurs due to a defect in the blue cone cells?

Tritanopia Signup and view all the answers

Why do men have a higher chance of developing color-deficient vision compared to women?

Men need to inherit only one recessive gene Signup and view all the answers

What does the Ishihara Test primarily assess?

Color blindness Signup and view all the answers

What is considered a 'hit' in the context of stimulus detection?

Correctly identifying a stimulus that is present Signup and view all the answers

How does habituation differ from sensory adaptation?

Habituation reduces brain's response to unchanging stimuli, sensory adaptation reduces receptor response Signup and view all the answers

What does a 'miss' indicate in stimulus detection?

Failing to detect a stimulus that is in fact present Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario is an example of a false alarm?

Waking up to an alarm that is not sounding Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the brain regarding sensory information?

To respond mainly to changes in the environment Signup and view all the answers

In the example of smelling garbage, what process occurs over time?

Sensory adaptation as the smell fades Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a correct rejection in stimulus detection?

Correctly asserting that no stimulus is present when it is not Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes sensory receptors during sensory adaptation?

They become less responsive to unchanging stimuli Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the pinna in the outer ear?

It concentrates and funnels sound waves from the environment. Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the richness in tone of a sound?

Timbre Signup and view all the answers

Which structure is responsible for amplifying vibrations from the eardrum?

Auditory ossicles Signup and view all the answers

How are sound waves measured in terms of frequency?

Hertz Signup and view all the answers

Which bone is the last in the chain of auditory ossicles?

Stirrup (stapes) Signup and view all the answers

What determines the loudness of a sound?

Amplitude Signup and view all the answers

What is the frequency range that humans can typically hear?

20-20,000 Hz Signup and view all the answers

What happens when the oval window vibrates?

It causes the fluid in the cochlea to vibrate. Signup and view all the answers

What does sensation refer to in the context of psychology?

The process of converting stimuli into neural signals. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes transduction?

The conversion of outside stimuli into neural activity. Signup and view all the answers

What is the absolute threshold?

The level of stimulation detectable 50 percent of the time. Signup and view all the answers

What condition is characterized by the processing of sensory information as more than one sensation?

Synesthesia. Signup and view all the answers

What does Weber's law state about just noticeable difference (JND)?

The JND is proportionate to the intensity of the initial stimulus. Signup and view all the answers

What are subliminal stimuli?

Stimuli below the level of conscious awareness. Signup and view all the answers

Which theory assesses accuracy in judgments under uncertain conditions?

Signal detection theory. Signup and view all the answers

What role do sensory receptors play in perception?

They convert physical energy into electrical signals. Signup and view all the answers

What defines subliminal perception?

The unconscious processing of stimuli that cannot be perceived consciously. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the organ of Corti?

To contain the auditory receptors for hearing Signup and view all the answers

Which theory explains that pitch is related to the speed of vibrations in the basilar membrane?

Frequency theory Signup and view all the answers

How does the volley principle enhance the perception of sound?

By allowing auditory neurons to work in unison to transmit sound information Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes conduction deafness?

Issues with the mechanics of the middle or outer ear Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes sound localization?

It determines the directional origin of a sound based on loudness and timing Signup and view all the answers

In the context of hearing impairments, what does sensorineural deafness indicate?

Damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve Signup and view all the answers

According to place theory, how is pitch perceived?

By recognizing the location of stimulated hair cells in the organ of Corti Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines pitch?

The psychological experience related to sound frequency Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Why Study Sensation and Perception?

Sensation and perception influence our behavior and mental processes.
They provide a bridge between biology and cognition, bridging the gap between how we think and how we behave.

The ABC’s of Sensation

Sensation is the process of converting outside stimuli into neural signals in the brain.
The sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, skin, and taste buds) detect these stimuli.
Transduction is the process of converting outside stimuli into neural activity.
Sensory receptors are specialized neurons stimulated by specific types of energy (light, vibrations, pressure/temperature, chemical substances)
Synesthesia is a condition where signals from different senses are processed differently, resulting in mixed sensations.

Weber's Law and Just Noticeable Difference

Weber's law of just noticeable difference (JND) is the smallest difference between two stimuli that can be detected 50% of the time.
The JND is always a constant percentage of the original stimulus.

Absolute Threshold and Subliminal Perception

The absolute threshold is the lowest level of stimulation that can be consciously detected 50% of the time.
Subliminal stimuli are stimuli below the level of conscious awareness that activate sensory receptors.
Subliminal perception is the unconscious processing of sensory information.

Signal Detection Theory

Signal detection theory is a method to assess the accuracy of judgments under uncertainty.
It involves analyzing "hits", "misses", "false alarms", and "correct rejections".
The theory helps understand how people detect stimuli in their environment.

Habituation and Sensory Adaptation

Habituation is the tendency of the brain to ignore constant, unchanging information.
Sensory adaptation is the tendency of sensory receptor cells to become less responsive to unchanging stimuli.

The Science of Seeing

Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that travels in waves.
Wavelengths are interpreted as color.
Amplitude is interpreted as brightness.
The eye has specialized structures for processing light.

The Retina

Contains photoreceptor cells called rods and cones.
Rods are responsible for vision in low light.
Cones are responsible for color vision and visual acuity.

Theories of Color Vision

Trichromatic Theory: The eye has three types of cones (red, blue, and green) sensitive to different wavelengths of light.
Opponent-Process Theory: Colors are perceived in opposing pairs (red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white).

Color Blindness

It is the inability to perceive color differences.
Caused by defective cones in the retina.
It is a genetic condition.

Types of Color Blindness

Achromatopsia (monochromatic vision): Complete lack of color perception.
Dichromatic vision: One cone type is not functioning properly.
Protanopia: Red cones are deficient.
Deuteranopia: Green cones are deficient.
Tritanopia: Blue cones are deficient.

The Hearing Sense

Audition is the biological processing of sound waves.
Sound waves are vibrations of molecules in the air.
Wavelength is interpreted as pitch.
Amplitude is interpreted as loudness.
Timbre is interpreted as the richness of the sound.

Structure of the Ear

Outer Ear:
- Pinna focuses soundwaves into the auditory canal.
- Auditory canal transmits sound waves to the eardrum.
Middle Ear:
- Contains three tiny bones (ossicles): hammer, anvil, and stirrup.
- They amplify vibrations from the eardrum.
- The stirrup vibrates the oval window, which separates the middle ear from the inner ear.
Inner Ear:
- Contains the cochlea, filled with fluid.
- Vibrations of the oval window cause fluid to vibrate.
- This fluid movement stimulates hair cells within the organ of Corti, causing them to send neural signals.
- The auditory nerve transmits these signals to the brain.

Perceiving Pitch

Pitch is the psychological experience of sound frequency.
Place Theory suggests different pitches stimulate hair cells at different locations on the organ of Corti.
Frequency Theory states pitch depends on the speed of vibrations of the basilar membrane.
Volley Principle explains how hair cells fire in a volley pattern for pitches between 400 -4,000 Hertz.

Sound Localization

This is the ability to determine the origin of a sound based on ear's reception of loudness and timing.

Types of Hearing Impairments

Hearing impairement is a broad term for difficulties hearing.
Conduction deafness is caused by problems with sound transmission in the outer or middle ear.
Sensorineural deafness (nerve deafness) is caused by damage to the inner ear, auditory nerve or auditory processing areas in the brain.

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Description

Explore the essential concepts of sensation and perception in psychology. This chapter covers the mechanisms of sensory processing, including transduction and sensory receptors, as well as Weber's Law and its implications. Understand how these processes influence our behavior and cognition.