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Human Sensation and Perception Chapter 1 and 2
Introduction to Perception and Introduction to the Physiology of Perception
85
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
02/02/2013

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Cards

Term
Absolute Threshold
Definition
The minimum stimulus engergy necessary fo an observer to dected a stimulus
Term
Action
Definition
Motor activities such as moving the head or eyes and locomoting through the environment. One of the major outcomes of the perceptual process
Term
Attended Stimulus
Definition
The stimulus that a person is attending to at a given point in time
Term
Bottom-Up Processing
Definition
Processing in which a person constructs a perception by analyzing the information falling on the receptor. Also called data-based processing.
Term
Classic psychopysical methods
Definition
The method of limits, adjustment, and constant stimuli, described by Fechner, that are used for measuring thresholds
Term
Cognitive Influences on Perception
Definition
How the knowledgem memories, and expectation that a person brings to a situation influence his or her perception
Term
Difference Threshold
Definition
The minimal detectable difference between two stimuli
Term

Environmental Stimulus

 

Definition
All of the things in our environment that we can potentially percieve at a given point in time
Term
Knowledge
Definition
Any information that the perviever brings to a situation.
Term
Magnitude Estimation
Definition
A psychophysical method in whcih the subject assigns number to a stimulus that are proportional to the subjective magnitude of the stimulus
Term
Method of Adjustment
Definition
A psychophysical method in which the experimentor or the observer adjust the stimulus intensity in a continuous manner until the observer detects the stimulus
Term
Method of Constant Stimulu
Definition
A psychophysical mehtod in which a number of stimuli with different intensities are presented repeatedly in a random order
Term
Method of Limits
Definition
A physcophysical methodfor measuring threshold in which the experimenter presents stimuli in alternating ascending and descending order. 
Term
Neural Processing
Definition
Operations that transform electrical signals within a network of neurons or that transform  the response of individual neurons.
Term
Perception
Definition
Concious sensory experience
Term
Perceptual process
Definition
A sequence of steps leading from the enviroment to perception of a stimulus, recognition of the stimulus, and action with regard to the stimulus
Term
Phenomenological Method
Definition
Method of determining the relationship between stimuli and perception in which the observer describes what he or she perceives.
Term
Physiological approach to perception
Definition
Analyzing perception by determinig how a person's perception is related to physiological processes that are occuring within the person. This approach focuses on determining the relationship between stimuli and physiological responding and between physiological responding and perception. 
Term
Power Function
Definition

A mathematical function of the form  P=KSn where

P is percieved magnitude

K is a cosntant

S is the stimulus intensity

n is an exponent

 

Term
Psychophysical approach  to perception
Definition
Analyzing perception by by determining how a person's perception is relation to stimuli in the environment. Used to determine the realtionship between  stimulue and perceptual responses.
Term
Psychophysics
Definition
All the methods that are used to determine the relationship between stimuli and perception.
Term
Recognition
Definition
The ability to place an object in a category that gives it meaning 
Term
Response Compression
Definition
The result when doubling the physical intensity of a stimulus less than doubles the subjetive magnitude of the stimulus
Term
Response Expansion
Definition
The result when doubling the physical intensity of a stimulus  more than double the subjective magnitide of the stimulus. 
Term
Signal Detection Theory
Definition
A theory stating that the detection of a stimulus deptend both on the participant's sensitivity to the stimulus and the participants response criterion
Term
Top-Down Processing
Definition
Processing that starts witht he analysis of high-level information, such as the knowledge a person brings to a situation. Also called knowledge-based processing. Head to Sense.
Term
Transduction
Definition
In the senses, the transformation of environmental energy into electrical engery. Example: Retinal receptiors transduce light energy into electrical energy.
Term
Weber Fraction and Law
Definition

The ration of the differences threshold to the balue of the standard stimulus in law.

A law stating that the ration of the difference threshold (DL)  to the value of the stimulus (S) is constant. The doubling of the value of the stimulus will cause a doubling of the difference threshold DL/S is the ratio

Term
Visual Form Agnosia
Definition
The inability to recognize objects
Term
Action Potential
Definition
rapid increase in positive charge in a nerve fiber that travels down the fiber; aka nerve impulse
Term
Grandmother Cells
Definition
A hypothesized type of neuron that responds only to a very specific stimulus, such as a person's grandmother
Term
Hard Problem of Conciousness
Definition
The problem of determining how physiological process, such as ion flwo across enrve membranes, cause different perceptual experiences.
Term
Axon
Definition
the part of teh neuron that onducts nerve impulse over distances; aka nerve fiber
Term
Inhibitory area 
Definition
Area of a receptive field that is associated with inhibition. Stimulation of this area causes a decrease in the rate of nerve firing
Term
Cell body
Definition
the part of a neuron that ontains the neuron's metabolic machinery and that receives stimulation from other neurons
Term
Inhibitory Response
Definition
The response of a nerve fiber in which the firing rate decreases die to inhibition from another neuron
Term
Center-surrounded antagonism
Definition
the competition between the center and surround regions of a regions of a center-surrounded reeptive field, caused by the fact that one is excitatiory and the other is inhibitory. stimulating enter and surround areas simultaneously decreases responding of the neuron, compared to stimulating the excitatory area alone
Term
Inhibitory transmitters
Definition
Neurotransmitters taht cause the inside of a neuron to become negatively charged. These decreases the probibilty that an action potential will be generated and are also associated with decreases in the rate of nerve firing. 
Term
Inhibitory-center-excitatory-surrounded receptive field
Definition
A center surrounded receptive field in which stimulation of the center causes an inhibitory response and stimulation of the surround causes an excitatory response. 
Term
center-surrounded receptive field
Definition
a receptive field that consists of a roughly circular excitatory area surrounded by an inhibitory area, or a circular inibitory center surrounded bby an excitory area  
Term
Ions
Definition
Charged molecules found floating in the liquid that surrounds nerve fibers
Term
Microelectrode
Definition
A thin piece of wire that is small enough to record electrical signals from a single neuron
Term
Cerebral cortex
Definition
the 2-mm thick layer that covers the surface of the brain and contains the machinery for creating perception, as well as for other functions, such as language, memory, and thinking
Term
Mind-Body Problem
Definition
One of the most famous problems in the science: How do physical processes such as nerce impluses or sodium and potassium molecules flowing across membranes (the body part) become transformed into the richness of perceptual experience (the mind part)
Term
Convergence
Definition
when many neurons synapse onto a single neuron
Term
Modular Organization 
Definition
The organization of specific functions into specific brain structures
Term
Dendrites
Definition
nerve processes on the cell body that receive stimulaiton from other neurons
Term

Occipital lobe

 

Definition
A lobe at the back of the cortex that is the site of the cortical receiving area for vision
Term
Depolarization
Definition
when the inside of a neuron becomes more positive, as occurs during the initial phases of the action potential. depolarization is often associated with the action of exitatory neurotransmitters
Term
Hyperpolarization
Definition
When instide of a neuron becomes more negative. It is often associated with the action of inhibitory neurotransmitters.
Term
distributed coding
Definition

type of neural code in which different perceptions are signaled by the pattern of activity that is distributed across many neurons 

*see specificity coding

Term
Parietal lobe
Definition
A lobe at the top of the cortex that is the site of the cortical receiving area for touch and is the termination point of the dorsal stream for visual processing
Term
Nerve
Definition
A group of nerve fibers travelling together
Term
Doctirne of specific nerve energies 
Definition
a priniple proposed bby Mueler, which states that our perceptions depend on "nerve energies" reaching the brain and that the specific quality we experiene depends on which nerves are stimulated. for example, activating the opti nerve results in seeing, and activating the auditory nerve results in hearing
Term
Nerve Fiber
Definition
In most sensory neurons, the long part of the neuron that transmits electrical impulses from one point to another. Also called the axon.
Term
Neural Circuits 
Definition
A number of neurons that are connected by synapses
Term
Permeability
Definition
A property of a membrane that refers to the ability of molecules to pass through it. If the permeability to a molecule is high, the molecule can easily pass through the membrane
Term
Nueral Correlate fo Conciousness (NCC)
Definition
Connections between the firing of neurons and perceptual experience. 
Term
Easy problem of consciousness
Definition

the problem of determining the relationship between physiological processes like nerve firing and perceptual experience. note that this involves determining a relationship, not a cause

*see hard problem of consciousness

Term
Neuron Theory
Definition
The idea that the nervous system consists of distinct elements or cells
Term
Pineal Gland
Definition
Gland at the base of the brain that Rene Descartes identified as being the seat of the soul
Term
Neurotransmitter
Definition
A chemical stored in synaptic vesicles that is released in response to a nerve impulse and has an excitatory or inhibitory effect on another neuron.
Term
Excitatory area
Definition
area of a receptive field that is associated with excitation. stimulation of this area causes an increase in the rate of nerve firing
Term
Primary Receiving Areas
Definition
Areas of the cerebral cortex that first receive most of the signals initiated by a sense's receptors. For example, the occipital cortex is the site of the primary receiving area for vision, and the temporal lobe is the site of the primary receiving area for hearing
Term
Excitatory Response
Definition
the response of a nerve fiber in which the firing rate increases
Term
Ventricles
Definition
Cavities located at the center of the brain that were identified by Galen as the source of "spirits" that determined human health, thoughts, and emotions
Term
Excitatory transmitters
Definition
neurotransmitters that cause the inside of a neuron to become more positively charged. excitatory neurotransmitters increase the probability that an action potential will be generated and are also associated with increases in the rate of nerver firing
Term
Temporal Lobe
Definition
A lobe on the side of the cortex that is the site of the cortical receiving area for hearing and the termination point for the ventral, or what, stream for visual prcoessing. A number of areas in the temporal lobe such as the fusiform face area and the extrastriate body area, serve functions related to perceiving and recognizing objects. 
Term
excitatory-center-inhibitory -surround receptive field
Definition
a center-surround receptive field in which stimulation of the center area causes an excitatory response, and the stimulation of the surround causes an inhibitory response
Term
Propagated Response
Definition
A response, such as a nerve impulse, that travels all the way down the nerve fiber without decreasing in amplitude
Term
Frontal lobe
Definition
receiving signals from all of the senses the frontal lobe plays an important role in perceptions that involve the coordination of information received through two or more senses. it also serves functions such as language, thought, memory, and motor functioning
Term
Receptive field
Definition
A neuron's receptive field is the area on the receptor surface (retina for vision, skin for touch) that, when stimulated, affects the firing of that neuron
Term
Synapse
Definition
A small space between the end of one neuron (the presynaptic neuron) and the cell body of another neuron (the postsynaptic neuron)
Term
Selective permeability
Definition
occurs when a cell membrane is highlly permeable to one specifi type of molecule, but not to others
Term
Refractory Period
Definition
The time period of about 1/1000th of a second that a nerve fiber needs to recover from conducting a nerve impulse. No new nerve impulses cna be generated in the fiber until this period is over. 
Term
Receptor site
Definition
Small area on the postsynaptic neuron that is sensitive to specific neurotransmitters
Term
Sparse coding
Definition
the idea that a particular object is represented by the firing of a relatively small number of neurons
Term
Resting Potential
Definition
The difference in charge between the inside and the outside of the nerve fiber when the fiber is not conducting electrical signals. Most nerve fibers have one of about -70 mV, which means that inside of the fiber is negative relative to the outside. 
Term
Specificity coding
Definition

type of neural code in which different perceptions are signaled by activity in specitfic neurons

*see distributed coding

Term
Receptors
Definition
A sensory receptor is a neuron sensitive to environmental energy that changes this energy into electrical signals in the nervous system
Term
Spontaneous activity
Definition
nerve firing that occurs in the absense of environmental stimulation
Term
Reticular Theory
Definition
An early alternative to neuron theory that held that the nervous system consisted of a large network of fused nerve cells. 
Term
Staining 
Definition
a technique in which neurons take up a dye that makes their structure visible
Term
Synapse
Definition
a small space between the end of one neuron (the presynaptic neuron) and the cell body of another neuron (the postsynaptic neuron)
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