Module 16: Basic Principles of Sensation and Perception

subliminal

A stimuli that is below the threshold for awareness. The subliminal affects are minor and don't really influence the experiment.

bottom-up processing

Analysis that goes from the sensory receptors up to the brain. Using bottom-up processing, we understand what we feel without any prior knowledge.

Sensory adaptation

Constant stimulation causes our sensory perception to change. Sensory adaptation happens when some sense are constantly being fired so our brains overlook their output.

top-down processing

Information is influenced by our perceived senses (brain down). Using top-down processing, our preconceived notions of what something will be like come into effect.

selective attention

Purposely focusing on a certain stimulus. With selective attention, people are able to shift their focus from one thing to another based on importance.

absolute threshold

The bare minimum amount of stimulation that is needed to detect a stimulus 50% of the time. The absolute threshold allows us to see the differences in stimuli 50% of the time.

Weber's law

To be perceived as different, a certain percentage must be met (a ratio that needs to be maintained). Weber's law implies that we won't notice small differences as easily as large ones.

difference threshold

The minimum difference between two stimuli that make it so that we notice 50% of the time. With the difference threshold we can see how two different stimuli are different half of the time.

priming

The predisposition we have to certain stimuli because of prior actions. Priming means that we make a guess to what we will feel.

psychophysics

The study of the relationships between physical characteristics of stimuli and the psychological experience of them. With psychophysics, we can understand how certain stimuli cause people to generally react.

Sensation

The way that sensory receptors and nervous system deal and show stimuli from our environment. Sensation allows us to understand our five main senses.

Perception

The way the body interprets sensory information and allows us to understand what is happening. With perception, we can understand different feelings (warmth, cold, etc.)

signal detection theory

Theory that looks at how we can detect the presence of a faint stimulus within background stimulation. The signal detection theory lets the softer noises come through instead of the loud ones.

transduction

When energy goes from one type to another. Using transduction, the brain can interpret neural impulses that represents senses.

change blindness

When you don't notice changes in the surrounding environment. I was change blind to the gorilla that entered the video.

inattentional blindness

When you don't see clearly visible objects because your attention is on something else. I didn't see the car coming because I was looking at the stop light, this is in attentional blindness.