Psychology: Sensation and Perception

The process of sensory receptors being stimulated and sending information about the environment to the brain.

Specialized cells that detect and respond to stimuli from the environment. Different types of receptors exist for different senses.

Light waves that stimulate receptors in the eyes.

Sound waves that stimulate receptors in the ears.

Chemical substances (in liquid form) that stimulate receptors on the tongue.

Chemical substances (in gaseous form) that stimulate receptors in the nose.

Physical stimuli like pressure, pain, heat, and cold that stimulate receptors in the skin.

Central Nervous System: The brain and spinal cord.

Selecting, organizing, and interpreting sensory information to recognize meaningful objects and events.

Converting external stimuli into neural signals (action potentials).

Awareness of body position and movement, a type of tactile sensation.

The minimum stimulus needed to produce a sensation.

Rate of sound wave vibrations, determining pitch (high/low).

Inability to identify objects by touch alone, even though the sense of touch is intact.

Part of the visual system that processes spatial information, like where objects are in space and how they move.

Part of the visual system that processes information about what objects are, their shape, color, etc.

A condition where people have difficulty recognizing faces, even though they can see the faces clearly.

The part of the brain that processes sensations of touch, temperature, pain, and pressure from the body.

A distorted map of the human body on the somatosensory cortex, reflecting the relative sensitivity of different body parts.

A region in the midbrain that plays a crucial role in pain regulation. It can block pain signals by releasing endorphins.

Our personal experience of the world, which is shaped by our beliefs, feelings, and expectations.

The illusion of movement created by rapidly flashing lights, like neon signs.

A set of principles that explain how our brains group individual elements into meaningful wholes.

We tend to perceive things in the simplest and most organized way possible.

Our ability to distinguish between the object we are focusing on (figure) and the background (ground).

Objects that share similar features (shape, color, etc.) are grouped together.

It is closely linked to memory centers in the brain, like the hippocampus and amygdala, which explains how smells can trigger strong memories.

The tendency to perceive a complete form even when some parts are missing, filling in gaps to create a whole image.

Grouping objects that are close together in space as belonging together.

Objects enclosed within a boundary are perceived as a group.

Objects aligned in a straight line or smooth curve are perceived as a single unit.

Objects moving in the same direction at a similar speed are perceived as a unified group.

Objects forming familiar or meaningful patterns are more likely to be grouped together.

The ability to perceive objects as having the same size regardless of their distance from us.

The ability to perceive an object's shape as constant even when viewed from different angles.

The tendency to perceive the brightness of an object as constant even when the amount of light reflecting off it changes.

The ability to perceive an object's color as constant even when the lighting conditions change.

Comparing the size of objects in a scene, smaller objects are perceived as farther away.

One object partially blocking another object is perceived as closer.

Objects higher in the visual field are perceived as farther away.

Parallel lines appear to converge in the distance, creating a sense of depth.

Objects at different distances move at different speeds relative to the viewer, creating a sense of depth.

The illusion of movement created by rapidly flashing two different light sources in succession.

Perception of stimuli below the conscious threshold of awareness. These sensations are too weak to be consciously perceived but can still influence behavior.

Stimuli presented below the threshold of conscious awareness, designed to influence thoughts and behavior without the individual's knowledge.

Playing an audio recording backwards, often used to embed hidden messages or subliminal cues.

Frames that flash quickly in video footage, often for a fraction of a second, to prime viewers' thoughts or associations.

Static images embedded within another image, hidden in plain sight, often used to convey a subliminal message.

The ability to perceive information beyond the known senses, including telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition.

The direct transmission of thoughts or ideas from one mind to another without the use of sensory channels.

The ability to move or influence physical objects with the mind, without physical contact.

Perceptions of stimuli that are not actually present in the environment. The individual may see, hear, feel, smell, or taste something that isn't there.