Psych- Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

19 cards   |   Total Attempts: 188
  

Cards In This Set

Front Back
The activation of the sense organs by a source of physical energy
Sensation
The sorting out, interpretation, analysis, and integration of stimuli by the sense organs and brain
Perception
Energy that produces a response in a sense organ
Stimulus
The study of the relationship between the physical aspects of stimuli and our psychological experience of them
Psychophysics
The smallest intensity of a stimulus that must be present for the stimulus to be detected
Absolute threshold
An adjustment in sensory capacity after prolonged exposure to unchanging stimuli
Adaptation
The activation of neurons in the cortex by visual stimuli of specific shapes or patterns
Feature detection
The theory that there are three kinds of cones in the retina, each of which responds primarily to a specific range of wavelengths
Trichromatic theory of color vision
The theory that receptor cells for color are linked in pairs, working in opposition to each other
Opponent-process theory of color vision
The theory that different areas of the basilar membrane respond to different frequencies
Place theory of hearing
The theory that the entire basilar membrane acts like a microphone, vibrating as a whole in response to a sound
Frequency theory of hearing
Three tubelike structures of the inner ear containing fluid that sloshes through them when the head moves, signaling rotational or angular movement to the brain
Semicircular canals
Tiny, motion-sensitive crystals within the semicircular canals that sense body acceleration
Otoliths
The senses of touch, pressure, temperature, and pain
Skin senses
The theory that particular nerve receptors in the spinal cord lead to specific areas of the brain related to pain
Gate-control theory of pain