AP Psych Unit 3 Review Flashcards

senses collect info from environment and convert it to signals that travel through the brain

the process by which the brain organizes and interprets sensory input

transforms stimulus energy into electrochemical energy of neural impulses for all the senses except for smell

taking sensory information and assembling it until an object is formed in minds

processing and perceiving new information you encounter with things you already know

studies how physical energy affects our psychological experiences

the diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

the smallest level of stimulus that can be detected at least half of the time

predicts that the intensity of stimuli and state of the person affects whether or not they are able to detect the stimuli

stimuli that are under your absolute threshold for conscious awareness

minimum difference person can detect between 2 stimuli half the time

2 stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage to be perceived different

when we focus on one particular stimuli in our environment and ignore the rest

when our focus is directed at one stimulus, leaving us blind to other stimuli

when a stimulus undergoes a change without being noticed by its observer due to visual interruptions

the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters

a colored muscle that dilates or constricts in response to light intensity or inner emotions

the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images in the retina

light- sensitive inner surface of the eye which contains the receptor rods and cones and neurons

receptor cells in the retina responsible for detecting light in general

receptor cells that are responsible for color vision and visual adaptation to changes in light

the retinas central area of focus, where most cones are clustered around

the nerve that carries visual information to the brain

the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye and there are no receptors

the main interneurons, providing the main pathway between the photoreceptors of the eye to ganglion cells

retinal cells that are responsible for carrying the visual stimuli to the brain

neurons located in the visual cortex that respond to specific features of stimulus

the ability of the brain to process things such as color, motion, shape, etc. simultaneously

theory that your retina contains 3 types of receptor cells that can process three colors (green, blue, and red)

theory that opposing retinal processes (red- green, yellow- blue, and white- black) enable color vision

distance of wave of light from peak to peak, which determines the color of the wave

dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of the light

height of each peak in a wavelength, which determines the brightness of the light

continuation of visual sensation even after the stimulus is removed

cornea

pupil

lens

iris

retina

fovea

optic nerve

blind spot

organized whole; we tend to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes

organization of visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings

perceptual tendency to organise stimuli into coherent groups

ability to see objects in 3-D, which allows us to judge depth

laboratory device for testing depth perception in babies and young animals

depth cues that depend on the use of both eyes

binocular cue for perceiving depth (greater disparity means closer object)

depth cues such as interposition and linear perspective, not dependent on use of both eyes

illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and odd in quick succession

perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change

perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color even if changing illumination alters the wavelength reflected by object

ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field

biological process by which our ears process sound waves

how loud sound is, measured on a scale of decibels (dB)

number of wavelengths in a sound wave every second

wavelength of sound wave (high or low) determined by the frequency of the wave

portion of ear that can be seen with inspection (pinna, ear canal, and ear drum)

visible part of ear that directs sound waves into the ear canal

canal that guides sound waves down it to the eardrum

also known as the tympanic membrane, which vibrates when the sound waves hit it

chamber between the eardrum and the cochlea containing the hammer, anvil and stirrup

the hammer, anvil, and stirrup are known as ossicles, they are responsible for transferring the vibrations from the eardrum to the cochlea

innermost part of the ear (cochlea, semicircular canals, basilar membrane, and vestibular sacs)

a fluid- filled tube responsible for triggering nerve impulses from sound waves

fluid- filled tubes are responsible for helping you maintain your balance

membrane of cochlea that moves due to the fluid, causing action potential

located in the basilar membrane and responsible for changing vibrations into neural impulses

sensory cells responsible for maintaining balance

hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea receptor cells or auditory nerves

hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea

device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulation the auditory nerve

theory that links pitch we hear with the place that the cochlea is stimulated

theory that rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of tone

set of mental tendencies to perceive one thing and not another

controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input

study of paranormal phenomena (ex: ESP or psychokinesis)

theory that spinal cord contains "gate" that blocks or sends pain signals

sensory receptor for painful stimuli, which act as predictors of harm

system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts

sense of body movement and position including the sense of balance

principle that one sense may influence another (ex: smell and taste)

influence of bodily sensations, gestures, etc. on cognitive preferences/ judgements