Chapter 6

The receptor cells for hearing are located in the:

cochlea

Which sequence correctly arranges the structures of the inner ear from the largest and most inclusive to the smallest and most specific?

cochlea > basilar membrane > hair cells

transduction

conversion of one form of energy into another

In what order does the light pass through the three structures?

cornea, pupil, lens

binocular cues

depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two eyes

Synesthesia

describing one kind of sensation in terms of another

sensory adaptation

diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

monocular cues

distance cues, such as linear perspective and overlap, available to either eye alone

The claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input is known as _____ perception.

extrasensory

embodied cognition

in psychological science, the influence of bodily sensations, gestures, and other states on cognitive preferences and judgments

With respect to the sensory systems, the cerebellum is involved:

in the vestibular sense and kinesthesia.

perceptual adaptation

in vision, the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field

prosopagnosia

inability to recognize faces

top-down processing

information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

feauture detectors

nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement

feature-detecting neurons

neurons in the visual cortex that receive visual information and respond to certain features such as lines, angles, movements, etc.; neurons that respond selectively to very specific features of more complex stimuli

nociceptors

sensory receptors that enable the perception of pain in response to potentially harmful stimuli

closure principle

the Gestalt principle that describes a person's tendency to supply missing information in order to perceive a holistic image

depth perception

the ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional; allows us to judge distance

semicircular canals

three canals within the inner ear that contain specialized receptor cells that generate nerve impulses with body movement

Weber's Law

to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage

Intensity

the amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, as determined by the wave's amplitude

fovea

the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster

the flavor of a food is due to:

the combination of aroma, taste, texture, and temperature

Wavelength

the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next. Electromagnetic wavelengths vary from the short blips of cosmic rays to the long pulses of radio transmission

inner ear

the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs

Retina

the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information

absolute threshold

the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time

optic nerve

the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

figure-ground

the organization of the visual field into objects (the figures) that stand out from their surroundings (the ground).

grouping

the perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups

blind spot

the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye

sensory interaction

the principle that one sense may influence another

accommodation

the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina

Perception

the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events

parrallel processing

the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving.

gate-control theory

the spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain

opponent-process theory

the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision. For example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green

Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory

the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors—one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue—which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color.

telepathy

mind to mind communication

Prolonged exposure to sounds exceeding _____ decibels may cause hearing loss.

85

proximity

(n.) nearness, closeness

Marissa's preterm baby is stimulated with hand massage several times each day. Which of these can she expect to happen to her baby?

Her baby will gain weight faster and be able to go home sooner than preterm babies who are not stimulated with hand massage.

Why are children often repelled by the taste of novel meat dishes and bitter vegetables?

Novel or bitter foods were considered potentially toxic by our ancestors.

Psychophisics

Study of the relationship between physical stimuli and psychological reactions to those stimuli

difference threshold

The minimum amount of difference that can be detected between two stimuli

Which statement about the skin is true?

The skin is receptive to a mix of four basic and distinct skin senses.

retinal disparity

a binocular cue for perceiving depth by comparing images from the retinas in the two eyes, the brain computes distance—the greater the disparity (difference) between the two images, the closer the object.

visual cliff

a lab device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals

perceptual set

a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another

Iris

a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening

signal detection theory

a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person's experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness.

extrasensory perception (ESP)

an ability to gain information by some means other than the ordinary senses

McGurk Effect

an error in perception that occurs when we misperceive sounds because the audio and visual parts of the speech are mismatched.

phi phenomenon

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

Gestalt

an organized whole. Gestalt psychologists emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes.

bottom-processing

analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information

Tinnitus is a(n) _____ phantom limb sensation.

auditory

subliminal

below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness

After a rap concert, as Jamie walks out into the fresh air, she notices her ears are ringing. This ringing indicates possible damage to the:

hair cells of the basilar membrane.

The _____, anvil, and stirrup are three tiny bones that make up the middle ear.

hammer

_____ is the result of the transduction of air pressure waves into neural messages that are interpreted by the brain.

hearing

sensorineural hearing loss

hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea's receptor cells or to the auditory nerves; also called nerve deafness

Laurie has a persistent itch on her arm. This is MOST likely caused by the action of _____ receptors.

pain

color constancy

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

perceptual constancy

perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change

Amanda is convinced she smells rotten eggs, but no one in the house can smell the odor. Amanda's sensation is known as _____ smells.

phantom

The ability to see future events before they happen is known as:

precognition

Cones

retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. The cones detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations.

rods

retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don't respond