MCAT Behavioral Science > Sensation and Perception > Flashcards

Sensation and Perception Flashcards

(56 cards)

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1
Q

Sensation

A

The conversion, or transduction, of physical, electromagnetic auditory, and other info from the internal and external environment into electrical signals in the nervous system

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2
Q

Perception

A

The processing of sensory info to make sense of its significance

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3
Q

Sensory receptors

A

Nerves that respond to stimuli and trigger electrical signals

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4
Q

Sensory neurons are associated with

A

sensory ganglia (Collections of cell bodies outside the central nervous system)

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5
Q

Projection areas

A

Where sensory stimuli are transmitted to, which further analyze the sensory input

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6
Q

Common Sensory Receptors

A

Photoreceptors, hair cells, nociceptors, thermoreceptors, osmoreceptors, olfactory receptors, and taste receptors

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7
Q

Threshold

A

The minimum stimulus that causes a change in signal transduction

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8
Q

Absolute threshold

A

The minimum of stimulus energy that is needed to activate a sensory system

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9
Q

Threshold of conscious perception

A

The minimum of stimulus that will create a signal large enough in size and long enough in duration to be brought into awareness

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10
Q

Difference threshold (Jnd)

A

The minimum difference in magnitude between 2 stimuli before one can perceive this difference

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11
Q

Weber’s law

A

States that the jnd for a stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the stimulus, and that this proportion is constant over most of the range of possible stimuli

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12
Q

Signal detection theory

A

Refers to the effects of nonsensory factors ,such as experiences, motives, and expectations, on perception of stimuli

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13
Q

Signal detection experiments

A
  • Allow us to look at response bias
  • A stimulus may or may not be given, and subject is asked to state whether it was given or not
  • 4 possible outcomes - Hits, misses, false alarms, or correct negatives
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14
Q

Adaptation

A

Refers to a decrease in response to a stimulus over time

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15
Q

Eye

A

Organ specialized to detect light in the form of photons

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16
Q

Cornea

A

Gathers and filters incoming light

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17
Q

Iris

A

Divides the front of the eye into anterior and posterior chambers

  • Contains 2 muscles dilator and constrictor pupillae ( They open and close the pupil)
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18
Q

Lens

A

Refracts incoming light to focus it on the retina and is held in place by suspensory ligaments connected to the ciliary muscle

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19
Q

Ciliary body

A

Produces aqueous humor, which drains through the canal of schlemm

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20
Q

Retina contains

A

rods and cones
- Rods - detect light and dark

  • Cones - (Short, Medium, and long) detect color
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21
Q

The retina contains cones in the ?

A

Macula (Which corresponds to the central visual field)

The center of macula is fovea - Contains cones only

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22
Q

Rods and Cones synapse on

A

Bipolar cells, which synapse of ganglion cells.

-Integration of the signals from ganglion cells and edge-sharpening is performed by horizontal and amacrine cells

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23
Q

The bulk of the eye is supported by ?

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Vitreous on the inside
  • Sclera and Choroid in the inside
24
Q

Visual Pathway

Study These Flashcards
A

Optic nerves > optic chiasm > Optic tracts > LGN of thalamus > Visual Radiations > Visual Cortex

25
Optic Chiasm
Contains fibers crossing from the nasal side of the retina (Temporal visual fields) of both eyes
26
Visual Radiation run through
temporal and parietal lobes
27
Visual cortex is in which lobe ?
Occipital
28
Vision is processed through
Parallel Processing - The ability to simultaneously analyze and combine info regarding color, form motion, and depth
29
Form is detected by
Parvocellular cells, with high spatial resolution and low temporal resolution
30
Motion is detected by
Magnocellular cells, with low spatial resolution and high temporal resolution
31
Depth is detected by
Binocular Neurons
32
The ear is divided into three parts
Outer, middle, and inner ear
33
outer ear
Consists of pinna (auricle), external auditory canal, and tympanic membrane
34
Middle ear
Consists of ossicles : Malleus (Hammer) , incus, and stapes. The footplate of the stapes rests on the oval window of the cochlea. The middle ear is connected to the nasal cavity by the eustachian tube
35
Inner ear
-Contains the bony labyrinth. The bony labyrinth is filled with perilymph; -The membrane labyrinth is filled with endolymph. - Membranous labyrinth consists of the cochlea - Detects sound -Utricle and Saccule - Detect linear acceleration - Semicircular canals - Detect rotational acceleration
36
Auditory Pathway
Cochela > Vestibulocochlear nerve > Medial Geniculate nucleus (MGN) of the thalamus > Auditory cortex in the temporal lobe
37
Sound info also project to
Superior olive - Localizes the sound, and the inferior colliculus, which is involved in the startle reflex
38
Smell
Is the detection of volatile or aerosolized chemicals by the olfactory chemoreceptors (Olfactory nerves) in the olfactory epithelium
39
Olfactory Pathway
Olfactory nerves > Olfactory bulb > Olfactory tract > Higher order brain area such as the limbic system
40
Pheromones
Chemicals given off by animals that have an effect on social foraging, and sexual behavior in other members of that species
41
Taste is the detection of
Dissolved compounds by taste buds in papillae. - 5 modalities - Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, Umami (Savory)
42
Somatosensation
Refers to the four touch modalities: Pressure, vibration, pain, and temperature
43
Two-Point threshold
Minimum distance necessary between two points of stimulation on the skin such that the points will be felt as two distinct stimuli
44
Physiological Zero
Normal temperature of the skin to which objects are compared to determine if they feel "warm "or "Cold"
45
Nociceptors
Responsible for pain perception - Gate theory of pain - Pain sensation is reduced when other somatosensory signals are present
46
Kinesthetic sense (Proprioception)
Refers to the ability to tell where one's body is in 3D space
47
Bottom-Up (Data driven) processing
Refers to recognition of objects by parallel processing and feature detection. It is slower but less prone to mistakes
48
Top-down (Conceptually driven) processing
Refers to recognition of an object by memories and expectations, with little attention to detail. It is faster, but more prone to mistakes
49
Perceptual organization
Refers to our synthesis of stimuli to make sense of the world, including integration of depth, form, motion, and constancy
50
Gestalt principles
Ways that the brain can infer missing parts of a picture when a picture is incomplete
51
Law of proximity
Elements close to one another tend to be perceived as a unit
52
Law of similarity
Objects that are similar appear to be grouped together
53
Law of good continuation
Elements that appear to follow the same pathway tend to be grouped together
54
Subjective contours
Perception of nonexistent edges in figures, based on surrounding visual cues
55
Law of closure
Says that when a space is enclosed by a group of lines, it is perceived as a complete or closed line
56
Law of Pragnanz
Says that perceptual organization will always be as regular, simple, and symmetric as possible
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