SENSATION AND PERCEPTION
Sensation -Experience of sensory
stimulation, the activation or our senses
Perception -Process of creating meaningful
patterns from raw sensory information
ENERGY SENSES
VISION
Vision is the dominant sense in human beings.
Sighted people use vision to gather information about
their environment more than any other sense. The
process of vision involves several steps.
Step 1: Gathering light
Step 2: Within the eye
Cornea -The transparent protective coating over the
front part of the eye
Pupil -small opening in the iris through which light enters the eye.
Iris -colored part of the eye.
Lens -transparent part of the eye inside the pupil that focuses light onto the retina
Retina -lining of the eye containing receptor cells that are sensitive to light
Step 3: Transduction
Transduction –process by which sensory signals are transformed into neural impulses
Receptor cell -Specialized cell that responds to a particular type of energy.
Rods -Receptor cells in the retina responsible for night vision and perception of brightness.
Cones -Receptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision
Fovea -Area of the retina that is the center of the visual field
Optic nerve - The bundle of axons of ganglion cells that carries neural messages from each eye to the
brain.
Blind spot - Place on the retina where the axons of all the ganglion cells leave the eye and where there
are no receptors Optic chiasm -Point near the base of the brain where some fibers in the optic nerve
from each eye cross to the other side of the brain
Step 4: In the Brain
Theories or color visionTrichromatic theory -Theory of color vision that holds that all color perception derives from three
different color receptors in the retina
Opponent-process theory - Theory of color vision that holds that three sets of color receptors respond
in an either/or fashion to determine the color you experience
Colorblindness -Partial or total inability to perceive hues.
Trichromats -People who have normal color vision
Monochromats -People who are totally color blind
Dichromats - People who are blind to either red-green or yellow-blue
HEARING
The ears contain structures for both the sense of hearing and the
sense of balance. The eighth cranial nerve (vestibulocochlear
nerve made up of the auditory and vestibular nerves) carries
nerve impulses for both hearing and balance from the ear to the
brain.
Amplitude – the height of the wave , determines the loudness of the sound, measured in decibels
Frequency - The number of cycles per second in a wave; in sound, the primary determinant of pitch
Hertz (Hz) - Cycles per second; unit of measurement for the frequency of waves
Pitch - Auditory experience corresponding primarily to frequency of sound vibrations, resulting in a higher
or lower tone
Decibel -The magnitude of a wave; in sound the primary determinant of loudness of sounds
Parts of the earEar canal – also called the auditory canal
EardrumHammer, anvil, stirrup - The three small bones in the middle ear that relay vibrations of the
eardrum to the inner ear
Oval window - Membrane across the opening between the middle ear and inner ear that conducts
vibrations to the cochlea
Round window - Membrane between the middle ear and inner ear that equalizes pressure in the
inner ear.
Cochlea - Part of the inner ear containing fluid that vibrates which in turn causes the basilar
membrane to vibrate.
Basilar membrane -Vibrating membrane in the cochlea of the inner ear; it contains sense
receptors for sound
Organ of Corti -Structure on the surface of the basilar membrane that contains the receptors cells
for hearing
Auditory nerve -The bundle of neurons that carries signals from each ear to the brain
PITCH THEORIES- As with color vision, two different theories describe the two processes involved
in hearing pitch: place theory and frequency theory.
Place theory -Theory that pitch is determined by the location of greatest vibration of the basilar
membrane
Frequency theory -Theory that pitch is determined by the frequency wigh which hair cells in the
cochlea fire
DEAFNESS
Hearing Loss
People can lose all or some of their ability to hear because of loud noises, infections, head
injuries, brain damage and genetic diseases. Hearing loss is common in older people.
There are several types of hearing loss:




Conductive Hearing Loss: occurs when sound vibrations from the tympanic
membrane to the inner ear are blocked. This may be caused by ear wax in the
auditory canal, fluid buildup in the middle ear, ear infections or abnormal bone
growth.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss: occurs when there is damage to the vestibulocochlear
(auditory) nerve. This type of hearing loss may be caused by head injury, birth
defects, high blood pressure or stroke.
Presbycusis: occurs because of changes in the inner ear. This is a very common
type of hearing loss that happens gradually in older age.
Tinnitus: people with tinnitus hear a constant ringing or roaring sound. The cause
of this ringing cannot always be found. Some cases of tinnitus are caused by ear
wax, ear infections or a reaction to antibiotics, but there are many other possible
causes of this disorder.
TOUCH
When our skin is indented, pierced, or experiences a change in temperature, our sense of touch is
activated by this energy.
Gate control theory - Theory that a ‘neurological gate in the spinal cord controls the transmission
of pain messages to the brain
CHEMICAL SENSES
TASTE (GUSTATION)
Taste buds
Papillae-
Humans sense four different tastes: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter
All other tastes come from a combination of these four basic tastes. Actually, a fifth
basic taste called "Umami" has recently been discovered. Umami is a taste that
occurs when foods with glutamate (like MSG) are eaten. Different parts of the
tongue can detect all types of tastes. Morever, the simple tongue "taste map" that
is found in many textbooks has been criticized for several reasons.
The actual organ of taste is called the "taste bud". Each taste bud (and there about
about 10,000 taste buds in humans) is made up of many (between 50-150) receptor
I
cells. Receptor cells live for only 1 to 2 weeks and then are replaced by new
receptor cells. Each receptor in a taste bud responds best to one of the basic tastes.
A receptor can respond to the other tastes, but it responds strongest to a particular
taste.
SMELL (OLFACTION)
The Nose Knows
The smells of a rose, perfume, freshly baked bread and cookies...these smells are all
made possible because of your nose and brain. The sense of smell, called olfaction,
involves the detection and perception of chemicals floating in the air. Chemical
molecules enter the nose and dissolve in mucous within a membrane called the olfactory
epithelium. In humans, the olfactory epithelium is located about 7 cm up and into the
nose from the nostrils.
Olfactory epithelium - Nasal membranes containing receptor cells sensitive to odors
Pheromone - Chemical that communicates information to other organisms through smell
VESTIBULAR SENSE – tells us about how our body is oriented in space.
Semicircular canals - Structure in the inner ear particularly sensitive to body rotation.
Vestibular sacs - Sacs in the inner ear that are responsible for sensing gravitation and forward,
backward, and vertical movement
KINESTHETIC SENSES -Senses of forces and movement of muscles
Stretch receptors -Receptors that sense muscle stretch and contraction
Golgi tendon organs -Receptors that sense movement of the tendons, which connect muscle to
bone.
PERCEPTION
THRESHOLDS
Absolute threshold -The least amount of energy that can be detected as a stimulation 50 percent of the
time
Subliminal- stimuli below our absolute threshold
Difference threshold -The smallest change in stimulation that can be detected 50 percent of the time
just-noticeable difference – the smallest amount of change needed in a stimulus before we detect a change
Weber’s Law -The principle that the just noticeable difference for any given sense is a constant proportion
of the stimulation being judged.
PERCEPTUAL THEORIES
Psychologists use several theories to describe how we perceive the world.
Signal detection theory- investigates the effects of the distractions and interference we experience while
perceiving the world.
Response criteria
False positive
Top-Down Processing – we perceive by filling in gaps in what we sense
Schemata
Perceptual set
Backmasking
Bottom-up Processing, also called feature analysis – we use only the features of the object itself to build a
complete perception
GESTALT RULES
Proximity
Similarity
Continuity
Closure
CONSTANCY- Tendency to perceive objects as stable and unchanging despite changes in sensory
stimulation
Size constancy - Perception of an object as the same size regardless of the distance from which it is viewed
Shape constancy - Tendency to see an object as the same shape no matter what angle it is viewed from
Brightness constancy - Perception of brightness as the same, even though the amount of light reaching the
retina changes
DEPTH CUES
Visual cliff experimentMonocular cues - Visual cues requiring the use of one eye
Interposition - Monocular distance cue in which one object, by partly blocking a second object, is
perceived as being closer.
Linear perspective - Monocular cue to distance and depth based on the fact that two parallel lines
seem to come together at the horizon
Relative size-Monocular cue in which closer objects seem larger than distant objects
Texture gradient-Course objects appear closer than smooth objects
ShadowingBinocular cues - Visual cues requiring the use of both eyes
Retinal disparity - Binocular distance cue based on the difference between the images
Convergence- cast on the two retinas when both eyes are focused on the same object
Stereoscopic vision - Combination of two retinal images to give a three-dimensional perceptual
experience.
SENSATION AND PERCEPTION QUIZ
1.
Our sense of smell may be a powerful trigger for memories because
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
2.
The cochlea is responsible for
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
3.
protecting the surface of the eye
transmitting vibrations received by the eardrum to the hammer, anvil, and stirrup.
The receptors at the top of each nostril conect with the cortex
Smell is a powerful cue for encoding memories into long-term memory
Strong smells encourage us to process events deeply so they will most likely be remembered.
In a perception research lab, you are asked to describe the shape of the top of a box as the box is
slowly rotated. Which concept are the researchers most likely investigating?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
4.
we are conditioned from birth to make strong connections between smells and events.
The nerve connecting the olfactory bulb sends impulses directly to the limbic system
The receptors at the top of each nostril connect with the cortex
Smell is a powerful cue for encoding memories into long-term memory
Strong smells encourage us to process events deeply so they will most likely be remembered
feature detectors in the retina
feature detectors in the occipital lobe
placement of rods and cones in the retina
binocular depth cues
shape constancy
The blind spot in our eye results from
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
5.
Smell and taste are called _______ because
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
6.
the lack of receptors at the spot where the optic nerve connects to the retina
the shadow the pupil makes on the retina
competing processing between the visual cortices in the left and right hemisphere
floating debris in the space between the lens and the retina
retinal damage from bright light
energy senses; they send impulses to the brain in the form of electric energy
chemical senses; they detect chemicals in what we taste and smell
flavor senses; smell and taste combine to create flavor.
Chemical senses; they send impulses to the brain in the form of chemicals.
Memory senses; they both have powerful connections to memory
What is the principal difference between amplitude and frequency in the context of sound waves ?
A. Amplitude is the tone or timbre of a sound, while frequency is the pitch.
B. Amplitude is detected in the cochlea, while frequency is detected in the auditory cortex.
C. Amplitude is the height of the sound wave, while frequency is a measure of how frequently the
sound waves pass a given point.
D. Both measure qualities of sound, but frequency is a more accurate measure since it measures the
shapes of the waves rather than the strength of the waves.
E. Frequency is a measure for light waves, while amplitude is a measure for sound waves.
7.
Weber’s law determines
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
8.
absolute threshold.
Focal length of the eye.
Level of subliminal messages.
Amplitude of sound waves.
Just-noticeable difference.
Gate control theory refers to
A.
B.
C.
D.
which sensory impulses are transmitted first from each sense
which pain messages are perceived
interfering sound waves, causing some waves to be undetected
the gate at the optic chiasm controlling the destinaiton hemisphere for visual information from
each eye.
E. How our minds choose to use either bottom-up or top-down processing.
9.If you had sight in only one eye, which of the following depth cues could you NOT use?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
texture gradient
convergence
linear perspective
interposition
shading
10. Which of the following sentences best describes the relationship between sensation and perception?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Sensation is a strictly mechanical process, while perception is a cognitive process.
Perception is an advanced form of sensation.
Sensation happens in the senses, while perception happens in the brain.
Sensation is detecting stimuli, perception is interpreting stimuli detected.
Sensation involves learning and expectations, and perception does not.
11. What function does the retina serve?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
The retinal contains the visual receptor cells
The retinal focuses light coming in the eye through the lens.
The retina determines how much light is let into the eye.
The retina determines which rods and cones will be activated by incoming light
The retina connects the two optic nerves and sends impulses to the left and right visual cortices.
12. Color blindness and color afterimages are best explained by what theory of color vision?
A..trichromatic theory
B. Visible hue theory
C. Opponent-process theory
D. Dichromatic theory
E. Binocular disparity theory
13. You are shown a picture of your grandfather’s face, but the eyes and mouth are blocked out. You still
recognize it as a picture of your grandfather. Which type of processing best explains this example of
perception?
A.
B.
C.
D.
bottom-up processing
signal detection theory
top-down processing
opponent-process theory
14. What behavior would be difficult without our vestibular sense ?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
integrating what we see and hear
writing our name
repeating a list of digits
walking a straight line with our eyes closed
reporting to a researcher the exact position and orientation of our limbs
Chapter 5: Sensation
Perception
Sensation
Bottom-up processing
Top-down processing
Prosopagnosia
Thresholds







Psychophysics
Absolute thresholds
Signal detection theory
Subliminal stimulation
Difference thresholds (just noticeable difference)
Weber’s law
Sensory adaptation
Vision




Transduction
Electromagnetic spectrum
Wavelength
Hue













Intensity
Amplitude
Cornea
Pupil
Iris
Lens
o Accommodation
Retina
o Rods
o Cones
o Bipolar cells
o Ganglion cells
Fovea
Optic nerve
o Blind spot
Acuity
Nearsighted
Farsighted
Optic chiasm
Visual Information processing



Feature detector
Parallel processing
Blindsight
Color Vision



Young-Helmholtz trichromatic (3 color) theory
o Subtractive color mixing
o Additive color mixing
Opponent-process theory
o Afterimages
Color constancy
Hearing
Audition
Amplitude
Frequency
Pitch
Decibels
The Ear


Outer ear
o Eardrum
o Ear canal
Middle ear
o Hammer
o
o
o







Anvil
Stirrup
Semicircular canals
Inner ear
o Cochlea
o Oval window
o Basilar membrane
o Auditory nerve
Hermann von Helmholtz
o Place theory
Frequency theory
Conduction hearing loss
Sesorineural hearing loss (nerve deafness)
Cochlear implant
McGurk effect
Other senses



Touch (somatosensory)
o Pain
 Bio-psycho-social perspective on pain
o Phantom limb
o Gate-control theory
o Pain control
 Lamaze
 Hypnosis
 Thought distraction
Taste (gustation)
o 4 taste sensation
 Umami
o Taste aversion
o Sensory interaction
Smell (olfaction)
o
o
Kinesthetic sense(body movement)
Vestibular sense
 Semicircular canals
I. Definition of sensation and perception
A. Sensation is the process by which we receive information from the
environment,
1. Involves coordination among
a. Receptors
b. Neural pathways
c. Sensory processes
2. Sensory systems are tied to perception.
B. Perception
1. The process of selecting information from the environment
2. The interpretation of information from the environment
II. Thresholds
A. Absolute threshold
1. The point at which a stimulus can be detected 50 percent of the
time
2. Given a particular stimulus, the minimum stimulation needed for
detection
B. Difference threshold
1. The minimal change in stimulation that can be reliably detected 50
percent of the time
2. Also called the just noticeable difference (jnd)
III. Receptors
A. Environmental information (stimuli) exist in many forms:
1. Air vibrations, gases, chemicals, tactile pressures
2. The body receives these forms through specialized cells:
a. Receptor cells act as transducers, converting one form of
energy into another
b. E.g., taste buds on the tongue convert chemical signals to a
pattern of electro- chemical activity sent to the brain.
B. Receptor sensitivity is subject to change.
1. Sensory adaptation
a. A decline in receptor activity when stimuli are unchanging
b. E.g., noticing a bad smell as one first enters a room, yet the
smell seems to abate after a short time
2. Habituation
a. A decline in sensory sensitivity at the neural level due to
repeated stimulation
b. Different from sensory adaptation in that responsiveness can
reappear if stimulation level is increased or decreased
I. Vision
A. Begins with light entering the eye
1. Human photoreceptors in the eye are sensitive to wavelengths of
light energy called the visible spectrum.
2. Visible spectrum ranges from red to violet.
B. Structures of the eye
1. Sclera- mostly "white part" of eye that provides protection and
structure
2. Cornea- specialized, transparent portion of the sclera through
which light enters
3. Iris- pigmented muscle that gives the eye its color and regulates
the size of the pupil
4. Pupil- opening in iris
5. Lens- transparent, shape-changing convex structure that focuses
images on the retina
6. Retina- layer containing photoreceptors, rods and cones that
transduce light energy to electrochemical energy
a. Rods
(1) located primarily in the retina's periphery
(2) capable of receiving light energy in low light
(3) unable to detect color
b. Cones
(1) concentrated in the middle of the retina
(2) detect color in brighter light
c. Both rods and cones synapse with bipolar cells, which
synapse with ganglion cells which form the optic nerve
C. Visual Pathways
1. Optic chiasm-junction of the two optic nerves where fibers from
the nasal sides of the two retinas cross
2. Visual cortex-located in the occipital lobe of both hemispheres, it
contains the many specialized cells for visual perception
D. Characteristics of light
1. Wavelength corresponds to the perceptual term hue.
2. Intensity corresponds to the perceptual term brightness.
3. Complexity (purity) determined by the mixture of wavelengths,
corresponds to the perceptual term saturation.
E. Color theories
1. Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory
a. Three different kinds of cones respond only to red, blue, and
green.
b. "Other colors" are perceived through the mixing of signals
from the cones.
2. Opponent process theory
a. Two-color processes, one for red versus green perception,
and one for yellow versus blue perception
b. In the thalamus, some neurons are turned on by red but off
by green, for example, which helps explain afterimages.
II. Audition
A. Begins with sound entering the ear
1. Sound is mechanical energy typically caused by vibrating object.
2. Vibrations produce movement of air molecules {sound waves).
B. Structures
1. Pinna-extemal {visible) flap of skin and cartilage
2. Auditory canal-part of outer ear along with pinna, leads to
tympanic membrane
3. Tympanic membrane-a1so called eardrum, separates outer ear
from middle ear and vibrates with reception of sound
4. Ossicles-three bones in middle ear set in motion by ear drum that
transmit sound vibrations to the cochlea.
5. Cochlea- a part of the inner ear, containing fluid and receptors
a. Basilar membrane-subject to pressure changes in cochlear
fluid, contains the Organ of Corti
b. Hair cells-hair cells of the Organ of Corti deflected by fluid
movement trigger neural impulses to the brain via the
auditory nerve
C. Characteristics of sound
1. Frequency corresponds to the perceptual term pitch.
2. Amplitude corresponds to the perceptual term loudness {volume).
3. Complexity corresponds to the perceptual term timbre {quality).
D. Auditory theories
1. Place theory-differences in pitch result from stimulation of different
areas of the basilar membrane.
2. Frequency theory-differences in pitch are due to rate of neural
impulses traveling up the auditory nerve.
I. Gustation
A. Taste cells are chemical-sensitive receptors located in taste bud clusters.
1. Taste buds located on tongue, throat and soft palate.
2. For a stimulus to be tasted it must dissolved.
B. Receptors are sensitive to four basic taste qualities:
1. Sweetness
2. Saltiness
3. Sourness
4. Bitterness
C. Other influences on taste:
1. Smell
2. Touch
3. Temperature
II. Olfaction
A. Receptors for smell are located on the olfactory epithelium,
1. Thin membrane found in the upper nasal cavity
2. Olfactory cells in this membrane are stimulated by gases
dissolved in the fluid covering the membrane.
3. For stimulus to be smelled, it must be dissolved.
B. Pheromones - same-species odors, used as a form of chemical
communication
III. Somesthesis
A. Skin senses
1. Basic skin sensations include cold, warmth, pressure, and pain.
2. Current research does not support the belief that specialized
receptor cells for each of the four skin sensations exist.
B. Kinesthesis
1. Communicates information about movement and location of body
parts
2. Receptors found in joints and ligaments
C. Vestibular sense
1. Also called equilibratory sense
2. Receptors are in semicircular canals and vestibular sacs found in
the inner ear
3. Concerned with the sense of balance and knowledge of body
position
I. Perceptual processes
A. Attention - a process in which consciousness is focused on particular
stimuli
1. Selective attention-ability to focus on one stimulus while excluding
other stimuli that are present
2. Divided attention - ability to respond to more than one stimulus
B. Perceptual organization - processes which group smaller units of the
perceptual world into larger units
1. Figure-ground perception - tendency to organize the visual field
into objects (figures) that stand apart from surroundings (ground)
2. Minimum tendency organization
a. Law of Pragnanz
1. Also called the law of simplicity
2. Tendency to see things in the simplest form
b. Closure - filling in missing information from the perceptual
array by closing in gaps
c. Laws of grouping
1. Similarity - grouping things on the basis of how
similar they are to one another
2. Proximity - grouping things on the basis of how near
they are to one another
II. Perceptual abilities
A. Perceptual constancy
1. Shape constancy - perceived shape ofan object remains constant
despite changes in the shape of the retinal image of that object
2. Size constancy - perceived size of an object remains constant
despite changes in the size of the retinal image of that object
B. Depth perception - perceived by using a number of cues
1. Binocular cues - cues provided by both eyes
a. Binocular disparity - takes account of the disparate images
of each retina
b. Convergence - takes account of the muscle tension
resulting from external eye muscles that control eye
movement
2. Monocular cues - cues provided by one eye
a. Accommodation
1. Bulging and elongating of lens
2. Effective only for objects within 25 feet
b. Motion parallax - phenomenon where near objects are seen
as moving more rap- idly than far objects when the viewer's
head is moving
c. Texture gradient - texture of a surface receding in the
distance changes in clarity, blurring at further distances
d. Linear perspective - produced by apparent converging of
parallel lines in the dis- tance
C. Pattern perception
1. Also called form perception
2. Refers to recognition and identification of faces, words, shapes,
melodies, etc.
a. Feature-analysis theory - patterns are identified by a step
wise perceptual and decisional analysis of their distinctive
features
b. Prototype-matching theory - patterns are identified by
being compared against a set of prototypical patterns stored
in memory
c. Bottom-up processing - information processing that begins
at the receptor level and continues to higher brain centers
d. Top-down processing - information processing that begins
in higher brain centers and proceeds to receptors
Note: Bottom-up and top-down processing are also covered in the
area of cognition.
The Seven Dwarves (oh, I mean Senses)
II. Hearing
The sense of hearing is also known as __________________.
Sound travels in waves and aspects of these waves determine the sound we hear.
1) __________________________ -- (number of waves per second) determines the
___________
2) _____________________ -- (height of the wave) determines the _______________
There are three parts to the ear: ______________________, _______________________, and the
____________________________.
The outer ear is composed of the ___________________, the _________________________,
and the ___________________________. The function of the outer ear is to focus the sound
waves to the middle ear.
The middle ear is composed of three bones: the ______________________, the
__________________, and the ___________________. The function of these bones is to
amplify the soundwaves.
The inner ear is composed of the ______________________ and the
_____________________________. The ___________________ is involved in hearing,
whereas the ______________________ are involved in balance.
Inside the cochlea, there is a membrane (called the _________________ membrane) covered in
tiny _________________________. Amplified sound waves cause these to bend, which opens
ion channels and sends a neural message to the thalamus via the
_________________________________. From there, the message is passed to the auditory
cortex in the _____________________________.
How does our brain distinguish pitches? Two complementary theories:
1. ________________ theory – the basilar membrane ______________ at the same
frequency as the sound waves; sound waves of higher frequency cause more
________________ action potentials which the brain interprets as a
___________________ pitch. Problem – we can hear pitches of frequencies higher than
the membrane can move.
2. _________________ theory – high-frequency sounds vibrate most near the
___________________ of the cochlea, whereas lower-frequency sounds vibrate more at
the _____________ end. The brain interprets the pitch based on which nerves are firing.
It is thought that BOTH frequency and place are involved, rather than one over the other.
Two types of hearing loss:
1. _________________________ hearing loss – problems with the mechanical system that
conducts sound waves to the cochlea; example, a punctured eardrum, stiffening of the
middle ear bones
2. _________________________ hearing loss – damage to the hair cell receptors or
associated nerves; caused by aging or prolonged exposure to loud noises
III. Smell (also known as ___________________________)
When we smell something, it is because _________________ in the air have entered our nasal
passages and bind to ____________________________________. When bound, these cells send
_____________________________ to the brain via olfactory nerves. Different odors bind to
different __________________, which is how the brain can distinguish the different smells.
Unlike other senses, messages from the olfactory nerves go directly to the ____________
(without entering the _________________ first).
IV. Taste (also known as ______________________)
Taste occurs when molecules are __________________ in saliva and drip down to the
_____________________________ between the little bumps on your tongue where the taste buds
are located. When molecules bind to the receptors, ___________________
_______________________ are sent to the ___________________ and then passed on regions of
your cortex. It was once thought that there were four basic taste categories: ______________,
_______________, ________________, and __________________. Recently, however, a fifth
basic taste was found called ___________________ (it senses the taste of
___________________)!
V. Touch
The sense of touch is composed of several different types of receptors in the skin that detect
______________, _______________________, and ______________. Sensory receptors are
distributed ________________________ around your body, which is why your sensitivity to
pressure, temperature, and pain ______________ from one area of the body to another.
Pain
Pain begins when an _________________ stimulus activates special sensory neurons called
____________ ____________ _____________ in the skin, muscles, or internal organs. The free
nerve endings send their message to the ________________________, which releases a chemical
called _________________. Substance P stimulates other neurons in the spinal cord, which send
the message of pain via the thalamus to the cortex.
How do some people seem to “ignore” extreme pain (think Keri Strugg)?
_______________________________ describes the fact that psychological factors can affect our
experience of pain. It is believed that there are “gates” in the spinal cord that can
__________________ the message of pain from being sent to the brain. __________
________________ and __________________ are two things that have been found to reduce the
perception of pain. In extreme emotional states, the body also releases
__________________________, which act as natural painkillers. This is independent of the
“gates” in the gate control theory.
VI. ______________________ – the sense of location and position of body parts in relation to
one another.
The kinesthetic sense involves special sensory neurons, called ______________________, which
are located in muscles, joints, and the inner ear. They constantly communicate information to the
brain about changes in body _____________ and muscle ______________.
VII. ______________________ sense – the sense of balance and equilibrium; controlled by the
_____________________________ in the inner ear.
Movement of fluid along hair cells located in the ______________________ _________ lets us
know which way our head is tilted and whether or not we are moving. The spinning sensation
you have immediately after spinning is caused by the fact that the fluid in the semicircular canals
has not stops moving yet.
All of the senses are subject to sensory adaptation! Try to name an experience in which each
sense has become adapted (kinesthetic? Vestibular?)












Perception
Selective attention
Cocktail party effect
Inattentional blindness
Perceptual Illusions
Muller-Lyer
Ames room
Visual Capture
Perceptual Organization
Gestalt
o Figure-ground
o Grouping

Proximity

Similarity

Continuity

Connectedness
 Closure
Depth Perception
o Visual cliff
o Binocular Cues
 Retinal disparity
 Convergence
o Monocular Cues
 Relative size
 Interposition
 Relative clarity
 Texture gradient
 Relative height
 Relative motion (motion parallax)
 Liner perspective
 Light and shadow
o Motion Perception
 Phi phenomenon
o Perceptual Constancy
Perceptual Interpretation
o Perceptual adaptation
o Perceptual set
o Context effects
o Human factors psychologist
Extrasensory perception (ESP)
o Parapsychology




Telepathy
Clairvoyance
Precognition
Psychokinesis
Perception ID’s
1. perception
2. selective attention
3. cocktail party effect
4. Inattentional blindness
5. change blindness
6. Muller-Lyer
7. Ames Room
8. visual capture
9. gestalt
10. figure-ground
11. grouping
12. proximity
13. similarity
14. continuity
15. connectedness
16. closure
17. depth perception
18. visual cliff
19. binocular cues
20. retinal disparity
21. convergence
22. monocular cures
23. relative size
24. interposition
25. relative clarity
26. texture gradient
27. relative height
28. relative motion
29. liner perspective
30. light & shadow
31. phi phenomenon
32. perceptual constancy
33. shape constancy
34. size constancy
35. relative huminance
36. color constancy
37. perceptual adaptation
38. perceptual set
39. humans factors psychologist
40. extrasensory perception (ESP)
41. parapsychology
42. telepathy
43. clairvoyance
44. precognition (psychic)
45. Psychokinesis
Sensation ID’s
1. sensation
2. perception
3. bottom-up processing
4. top-down processing
5. prosopagnosia
6. psychophysics
7. absolute thresholds
8. signal detection theory
9. subliminal
10. priming
11. difference threshold (just noticeable difference.. jnd)
12. Weber’s law
13. sensory adaptation
14. transduction
15. wavelength
16. pupil
17. iris
18. lens
19. accommodation
20. retina
21. cornea
22. intensity
23. hue
24. amplitude
25. acuity
26. nearsightedness
27. farsightedness
28. rods
29. cones
30. optic nerve
31. blind spot
32. fovea
33. feature detector
34. young- helmholtz trichromatic theory
35. additive color mixing
36. afterimages
37. opponent-process theory
38. opponent color
39. color constancy
40. audition
41. frequency
42. pitch
43. eardrum
44. middle ear
45. cochlea
46. oval window
47. basilar membrane
48. hair cells
49. semicircular canals
50. inner ear
51. hammer
52. anvil
53. stirrup
54. place theory
55. frequency theory
56. volley principle
57. stereophonic hearing
58. conduction hearing loss
59. sensorneural hearing loss (nerve deafness)
60. cochlear implant
61. gate-control theory
62. Umami
63. sensory interaction
64. olfaction
65. kinesthesis
66. vestibular sense