Chapter 6 Part 2

Hair Cells

sensory receptors embedded in the basilar membrane. It transducer the physical vibration of the sound waves into neural impulses.

Oval Window

the stirrup transmits the amplified vibrations to this. It is a small membrane separating the middle ear from the inner ear. It relays vibrations to the cochlea.

Middle Ear

amplifies sound waves.

Mucous Membrane

at the top of each nostril contains receptor cells that absorb airborne chemical molecules.

Convergence

binocular depth cue in which the closer the object, the more the eyes converge/turn inward.

Papillae

bumps that cover the tongue which are covered with taste buds.

Olfactory Receptors

can detect over 10,000 distinct smells. This ability can help us detect odors ranging from fragrant flower to dangerous leaking gas.

Nerve Deafness

caused by damage to the cochlea, hair cells, or auditory nerve.

Conduction Deafness

caused when the tiny bones in the middle ear are damaged and cannot transmit sound waves to the inner ear. Hearing aids can help amplify sounds and help overcome conducting deafness.

Selective Attention

cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one or more aspects of the environment while filtering out or ignoring other information.

Receptor cells

communicate neural messages to the olfactory bulb.

Place Theory

different frequencies excite different hair cells at different locations along the basilar membrane. High frequency causes maximum vibrations near the stirrup end of the basilar membrane. Lower frequency sounds cause max vibrations at the opposite end.

Semicircular Canals

filled with fluid and lined with hairlike receptor cells that shift in response to motion. They provide the brain with info about the body's posture and head position. Located in inner ear and are closely associated with the vestibular sense of balance.

Pinna

flap of skin and cartilage attached to each side of our head. It catches sound waves and channels them into the auditory canal.

Gestalt Psychology

founded by Max Wertheimer. this maintained that we actively process our sensations according to consistent perceptual rules. These rules create whole perceptions/gestalts that are meaningful, symmetrical, and as simple as conditions will allow.

Figure Ground Relationship

human tendency to distinguish between figure and ground is the most fundamental Gestalt principle. the figure is the main element of a scene that clearly stands out. The ground is the less distinct background scene.

Relative Size

if two or more objects are assumed to be similar in size, the object that appears larger is perceived as being closer.

Motion Parallax

As you move, you use the speed of passing objects to estimate the distance of the objects.

Retinal Disparity

Binocular depth cue in which the separation of the eyes causes different images to fall on each retina. When two retinal images are different we think they're close by but if they're identical we perceive them as being farther away.

Outer Ear

Collects sound waves

Aerial Perspective

Distance objects often appear hazy and blurred compared to close objects

Visual Cliff Experiment

Eleanor Gibson placed infants old enough to crawl on a plexiglas-topped table. She placed a cloth right under the table and then one far under the table to create depth. The toddlers didn't venture out if the cloth was far. Depth perception in humans is an innate capacity that emerges during infancy

Eardrum/Tympanic Membrane

a tightly stretched membrane located at the end of the auditory canal. It vibrates when hit by sound waves matching the intensity and frequency of the incoming sound waves.

Skin Senses

larges and heaviest sense organ. It protects our internal organs, holds body fluids, produces sensations of touch, warmth, and cold and provides essential information about pain.

Linear Perspective

parallel lines appear to converge toward a vanishing point as they recede into the distance

Touch

pressure receptors are not evenly distributed among the different areas of our bodies. It plays a particularly important role in human relationships by helping communicate feelings of support, conformity, and love.

Body Senses

provide essential information about your position and orientation in space.

Vestibular Sense

provides a sense of balance and equilibrium

Pitch

relative highness or lowness of a sound.

Binocular Depth Clues

requires the use of both eyes to process distance or depth.

Basilar Membrane

runs the length of the cochlea. It holds the hair cell receptors for hearing.

Auditory Canal

sound waves travel down this and bounce into the ear drum

Feature Detectors

specialized neurons that respond only to certain sensory information.

Cochlea

spiral-shaped, fluid-filled structure that contains the basilar membrane and hair cells (means snail)

Frequency Theory

the basilar membrane vibrates at the same frequency as the sound wave. It explains how low-frequency sounds are transmitted to the brain.

Gate Control Theory of Pain

the brain regulates pain by sending signals down the spinal cord that either open or close sensory pathways or "gates". open gate = pain, closed = reduced pain

Law of Closure

there is a tendency to fill in the gaps in an incomplete image.

The Law of Similarity

there is a tendency to perceive objects of a similar size, shape, or colors as a unit or figure.

Law of Proximity

there is a tendency to perceive objects that are physically close to one another as a single unit.

Hammer, Anvil, and Stirrup

three tiny bones in the middle ear. Their joint action doubles the amplification of sound.

Inner Ear

transducer sound waves into neural messages.