4a Sensation and Perspective

Transduction

is the process that occurs when many sensors in the body convert physical signals from the environment into encoded neural signals sent to the central nervous system.

just noticeable difference (JND)

A researcher presents to an observer one light at a constant intensity, and then presents alternate lights at either higher or lower intensities to measure when a change can be detected. The researcher is attempting to measure the observer's:

sensation; perception

Anna is reading her psychology text. The activation of receptors in her retina is called _____; her interpretation of the stimuli as particular words is termed _____.

sensory adaptation

Barbara stubbed her toe last night. It hurts and all day today she has been aware of her toe. She says, "This is so weird. I usually don't think about my toe." Barbara is describing:

absolute

During a hearing test, many sounds were presented at such a low level of intensity that Mr. Antall could hardly ever detect them. These sounds were below Mr. Antall's _____ threshold.

dependent

In a typical psychophysical experiment, the absolute threshold is a(n) _____ variable

15.2 oz

Rather than increase food prices, manufacturers sometimes imperceptibly decrease the amount of food in a package. Acme Foods wants to raise the price of peanut butter but still sell each jar for $2.89. The current jar contains 16 oz. of peanut butter. Assume the Weber fraction for felt weight is 0.05. Which size jar is the SMALLEST that will still feel the same as the 16-oz. jar to most people?

Psychophysics

The German scientist Gustav Fechner founded the field of:

signal detection

The initial approach to measuring individual differences in sensation was the use of absolute thresholds. In the 21st century, researchers use a more sophisticated approach that takes an observer's response bias into account. This approach is termed _____ theory.

transduction

The local fire department sounds an alarm. The conversion of the siren's sound waves into neural impulses exemplifies the process of:

perception

When Sanjay recognizes line segments and areas of light and dark as his friend's face at an airport gate, he is demonstrating:

sensation, transduction, perception

Which sequence BEST orders the information processing activities described in the text, from first to last?

Sensation is the registration of stimulus energy by the sense organs.

Which statement is TRUE regarding the definition of an information-processing activity?

Sensation

brain damage is LEAST likely to affect:

two distinct activities

sensation and perception are: