4 - Sensation and Perception
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Explain how our senses act as a data reduction system. Include the concepts of perceptual features and feature
detectors.
Explain how sensory receptors act as biological transducers.
Explain the concept of sensory localization.
Define the terms sensation and perception.
Describe hue, saturation, and brightness in terms of their representation in the visual spectrum of
electromagnetic radiation.
Briefly describe the functions of the lens, the photoreceptors, and the retina. Explain how the eye focuses and
describe the process of accommodation.
Describe the following four conditions:
a. hyperopia
b. myopia
c. astigmatism
d. presbyopia
Describe the functions of the rods and cones, including the fovea and visual acuity. What is the blind spot?
Understand peripheral vision.
Discuss the following theories of color vision:
a. trichromatic theory b. opponent-process theory
Describe color blindness and color weakness. What is the Ishihara test?
Briefly describe the process of dark adaptation including the function of rhodopsin in night vision and night
blindness.
Explain the stimulus for hearing.
Describe the location and explain the function(s) of the following parts of the ear:
a. pinna
e. cochlea
b. eardrum (tympanic membrane) f. hair cells
c. auditory ossicles
g. stereocilia
d. oval window
h. organ of Corti
Describe the frequency theory and the place theory of hearing.
List and describe the three general types of deafness and include a description of cochlear implants.
Describe the factors that determine whether hearing loss will occur from stimulation deafness.
Describe the sense of smell including:
a. its nature and how it works
b. a description of the condition called anosmia
c. a description of the lock and key theory
Describe the sense of taste (gustation) including:
a. its nature and how it works
b. the five basic taste sensations
c. the tastes to which humans are most and least sensitive
d. the location and function of the taste buds
List the three somesthetic senses and be able to describe the function of each.
List and be able to recognize the five different sensations produced by the skin receptors.
Describe the concepts warning pain and reminding pain.
List and discuss the three reasons why many sensory events never reach conscious awareness.
Discuss how sensory gating affects pain.
Describe how sensory conflict theory explains motion sickness.
Describe the following perceptual constancies:
a. size
b. shape
c. brightness
Give examples of the following as they relate to organizing perceptions:
a. figure-ground b. nearness c. similarity d. continuity e. closure
f. contiguity g. common region
Explain what a perceptual hypothesis is and give an example of an ambiguous stimulus.
Define depth perception and describe the visual cliff research.
Describe the following cues for depth perception and indicate in each case whether the cue is
monocular or binocular:
a. accommodation
b. convergence
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c. retinal disparity (include the term stereoscopic vision)
31. Describe the following two-dimensional, monocular, pictorial depth cues:
a. linear perspective
e. overlap
b. relative size
f. texture gradients
c. height in the picture plane g. aerial perspective
d. light and shadow
h. relative motion (motion parallax)
32. Describe the phenomenon of the moon illusion. Include in your explanation the apparent distance hypothesis.
33. Define the term perceptual reconstruction.
34. Define the terms perceptual learning and perceptual habit, and explain how the latter allows learning to affect
perception. Include the Ames room as an example.
35. Describe research, which demonstrates the brain's sensitivity to perceptual features in the environment.
36. Differentiate between an illusion and a hallucination.
37. Describe the Müller-Lyer illusion and explain how perceptual habits may account for this illusion.
38. Define inattentional blindness.
39. Describe the role that motives play in perception.
40. Discuss how the boiled frog syndrome applies to human beings.
41. Explain what bottom-up and top-down processing are.
42. Explain how perceptual expectancies may influence perception. Include the concept of perceptual sets.
43. Define extrasensory perception and the term parapsychology.
44. Define psi phenomena.
45. Describe the following purported psychic abilities:
a. clairvoyance
c. precognition
b. telepathy
d. psychokinesis
46. Describe the research with Zener cards, and explain why most psychologists remain skeptical about psi
abilities.
47. Describe the best conclusion to make about psi events.
48. Explain why most eyewitness testimony is inaccurate, including the concept of weapon focus.
49. Explain what the term reality testing means.
50. Explain Maslow's concept of perceptual awareness and discuss how attention affects perception.
51. List seven ways to become a better “eyewitness” to life.
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