Psychology Chapter 5

Rods

Specialized photoreceptor that works well in low light conditions

Vestibular sense

contributes to our ability to maintain balance and body posture

congenital deafness

deafness from birth

just noticeable difference

difference in stimuli required to detect a difference between the stimuli

binocular disparity

different view of the world that each eye recieves

trichromatic theory/opponent process theory

equally accurate, apply different levels of nervous system

sensory adaptation

not perceiving stimuli that remain relatively constant over prolonged periods of time

Nociception

perception of pain

Kinesthesia

perception of the body's movement through space

bottom-up processing

system in which perceptions are built from sensory input

thermoception

temperature perception

pupil

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

Cornea

the transparent outer covering of the eye

Binaural cue

two-eared cue to localize sound

what are the other taste groups?

umami and fat content

Perception

way that sensory information is interpreted and consciously experienced

Sensation

what happens when sensory information is detected by a sensory receptor

what does the place theory of pitch perception suggest?

Different portions of basilar membrane are sensitive to sounds of different frequencies

Crest

Highest point of a wave

signal detection theory

change in stimulus detection as a function of current mental state

Trough

Lowest point of a wave

How does the term Gestalt relate to the psychological study of perception?

Perception involves more than simply combining sensory stimuli

inattentional blindness

a failure to perceive objects that are not the focus of attention