A.P. Psychology
Unit 6 Schedule: Chapter 6
Sensation and Perception
Big Question: How do we construct our representation of the external world?
NOTE: Please have all readings listed on a given day DONE for that day’s class!
All page numbers refer to the Myers Psychology text.
A
B
Wed
11/11
Thurs
11/12
(1/2
day)
Mon
11/16
Fri
11/13
(1/2
day)
Tues
11/17
Thurs
11/19
Wed
11/18
Fri
11/20
(1/2
day)
Mon
11/23
Tues
11/24
Tues
11/25
Tues
12/1
Wed
11/26
1/2 day
Mon
11/30
Thurs
12/3
Wed
12/2
Agenda
Reading
Psychophysics and the basic principles of sensation
 Absolute and Difference Thresholds
 Sensory Adaptation
pp. 229 - 236
Vision
 Physiology of the eye
Visual information processing
 Feature detection, color vision
What did you say? Hearing
 Physiology of the ear
 Hearing loss, types of deafness
Sensation Quiz – Vision and Hearing
The other senses – touch, taste, smell, kinesthetic, and vestibular
Perception and Gestalt perceptual organization
 Selective attention
 Perceptual illusions
 Form perception and depth perception
Perceptual interpretation and adaptation
Perceptual illusions
Sensation and Perception Quiz
Human Factors psychology
pp. 236 - 252
Extrasensory perception (ESP)
 Telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition
Catch up / Review
Sensation and Perception TEST
Binders Due
pp. 282 - 285
pp. 252 - 263
pp. 263 - 272
pp. 272 - 279
pp. 279 - 281
Unit 6 Objectives:
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Contrast the processes of sensation and perception.
Distinguish between absolute and difference thresholds and discuss research findings on subliminal stimulation.
Describe the phenomenon of sensory adaptation and show how it focuses our attention on changing stimulation.
Explain the visual process, including the stimulus input, the structure of the eye, and the transduction of light
energy
Discuss the value of parallel processing, especially regarding vision.
Explain the Young-Helmholtz and opponent process theories of color vision.
Explain the auditory process, including the stimulus input and the structure and function of the ear.
Discuss the nature and causes of hearing loss and describe the effects of noise on hearing and behavior.
Describe the sense of touch and explain the basis of pain.
Describe the senses of taste, smell, kinesthesis, and equilibrium.
Discuss the effects of sensory restriction.
 Describe the debate over the role of nature and nurture in perception and explain how illusions help us to
understand perception.
 Discuss Gestalt psychology’s contribution to our understanding of perception
 Discuss research on depth perception involving the use of the visual cliff.
 Describe the binocular and monocular cues in depth perception.
 Discuss the concept of the adaptability of perception.
 State the claims of ESP and explain why most research psychologists remain skeptical.
 Discuss the effect of assumptions, expectations, schemas, and contexts on our perception.
Chapter 6 Overview
Sensation refers to the process by which we detect physical energy from the environment and
encode it as neural signals. This chapter describes the senses of vision, hearing, taste, touch, smell,
kinethesis, and the vestibular sense. It also presents research findings from studies of sensory restriction
and subliminal stimulation.
In this chapter there are many terms and several theories you must understand. Many of the terms
are related to the structure of the eye, ear, and other sensory receptors. Labeling diagrams and rehearsing
the material frequently will help you memorize these structures and their functions. The theories
discussed include signal detection, Young-Helmholtz three-color and opponent-process theories of color
vision, and the frequency and place theories of pitch. As you study these theories, concentrate on
understanding the strengths and weaknesses (if any) of each.
Chapter 6 also explores how we select, organize, and interpret our sensations into meaningful
perceptions. The chapter introduces a wide range of terminology, especially in the Perceptual
Organization section. Each of the two sections that follow deals with an important issue. The first issue
is the role of experience, as opposed to heredity, in perception. Make sure you understand the results of
studies of recovery from blindness, early sensory restriction, adaptation to distorted environments, and
perceptual set. The second is the possible existence of ESP, pr perception without sensation. You should
be able to discuss both the claims made for ESP and the criticisms of these claims.
Key Terms
Using your own words, write a brief definition or explanation of each of the following. Do this after or while
reading the assigned pages for class.
Sensation
1. Sensation –
2. Perception –
3. bottom-up processing –
4. top-down processing –
5. psychophysics –
6. absolute threshold –
7. signal detection theory –
8. subliminal –
9. difference threshold (jnd) –
10. Weber’s Law –
11. Sensory adaptation –
12. transduction –
13. acuity –
14. nearsightedness –
15. farsightedness –
16. rods and cones –
17. optic nerve –
18. blind spot –
19. fovea –
20. feature detectors –
21. parallel processing –
22. Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory –
23. opponent process theory –
24. color constancy –
25. audition –
26. pitch and frequency –
27. middle ear –
28. inner ear –
29. cochlea –
30. place theory –
31. frequency theory –
32. conduction deafness –
33. nerve deafness –
34. gate-control theory –
35. sensory interaction –
36. kinethesis –
37. vestibular sense –
Perception
38. selective attention –
39. visual capture –
40. gestalt –
41. figure-ground relationship –
42. grouping –
43. depth perception –
44. visual cliff –
45. binocular cue –
46. monocular cue –
47. retinal disparity –
48. convergence –
49. phi phenomenon –
50. perceptual constancy –
51. perceptual set –
52. extrasensory perception (ESP) –
53. parapsychology –
Sensation Chapter Study Guide
Complete the following study guide as you read the assigned pages for class.
Intro and Sensing the World pp. 229 - 236
1. Explain and contrast the processes of sensation and perception
2. Distinguish between absolute and difference thresholds and discuss the research findings
on signal detection.
3. Discuss whether subliminal stimuli are sensed, the role of priming, and whether
subliminal stimuli are persuasive.
4. Describe Weber’s Law using an example.
5. Describe the phenomenon of sensory adaptation and show how it focuses our attention on
changing stimulation.
Vision pp. 236 - 245
6. Explain the visual process, including the stimulus input, the structure of the eye, and the
transduction of light energy.
7. In your own words, explain how feature-detector nerve cells work.
8. Explain the cause of the two common problems involving acuity.
9. Discuss how both the Young-Helmholtz and the opponent-process theories contribute to
our understanding of color vision.
10. Using three or more terms for this section, explain the rapid sequence of events that
occurs when you see and recognize someone you know.
Hearing pp. 245 - 252
11. Explain the auditory process, including the stimulus input and the structure and function
of the ear.
12. Discuss how both the place and frequency theories contribute to our understanding of
pitch perception.
13. Explain the two main forms of deafness. Explain the controversy regarding cochlear
implants.
The Other Senses pp. 252 – 263
14. Describe the sense of touch, focusing on pain and the gate-control theory of pain.
15. Describe taste, smell, kinethesis, and the vestibular sense.
16. Explain the nature of sensory interaction.
Perception Study Guide
Perceptual Organization pp. 263 - 272
17. Discuss Gestalt psychology’s contribution to our understanding of perception, including
the figure-ground relationship and principles of perceptual grouping in form perception.
18. Explain how many monocular and binocular depth cues contribute to our depth
perception and our ability to see in three dimensions.
19. Explain how perceptual constancies help us organize sensations into meaningful
experiences.
Perceptual Interpretation pp. 272 - 281
20. Discuss the research findings on sensory restriction and restored vision.
21. Discuss the effects of assumptions, expectations, schemas, and contexts on out
perceptions.
22. How do human factors psychologists work to create user-friendly machines and other
work settings? Give an example from the text and come up with an example of your
own.
Is There Extrasensory Perception? pp. 282 - 285
23. State the claims of ESP and explain why most research psychologists remain skeptical.
Draw a diagram of the eye. Label iris, lens, pupil, cornea, retina, fovea, blind spot, & optic
nerve.
Draw a diagram of the ear. Label hammer, anvil, stirrup, eardrum, cochlea, semicircular canals,
& auditory nerve.