Psych 100 Exam 2 UIUC UPDATED ACTUAL Questions and
CORRECT Answers
sensation detecting physical energy with our sense organs
perception the brain's interpretation of the raw sensory information
illusion the way we perceive a stimulus doesn't match its physical reality
transduction conversion of an external stimulus into a neural signal
sensory receptors specialized cells designed to convert a certain kind of external information into
a neural signal
sensory adaptation sensory neurons adjust their sensitivity based on recent stimulus history
aftereffects are opposing sensory or perceptual distortions that occur after adaptation
psychophysics the study of how our sensations correspond to physical events in the world
absolute threshold the lowest level of a stimulus needed for the nervous system to detect a
change 50% of the time
just noticeable difference (JND) the smallest change in the intensity of a stimulus that we can detect
weber's law the stronger the stimulus, the bigger the change needed to detect it/ amount
of stimulus energy required to produce a JND
signal detection theory how stimuli are detected under different conditions
signal what you are trying to detect
noise similar stimuli that might compete with the signal and interfere with your ability
to detect the signal
signal to noise ratio difficulty of detecting the signal depends on the strength of the signal in
relation to the strength of the noise
hit stimulus present + respond yes
miss stimulus present + respond no
false alarm stimulus absent + respond yes
correct rejection stimulus absent + respond no
response criterion how liberal or conservative you are about saying yes
, dichotic listening play different information through each ear of headphones, information
reported only from the attended ear
cocktail party effect happens when important information pops out in a conversation that you are
not attending
inattentional blindness occurs when unattended stimuli are ignored as if they weren't there
change blindness is a version of inattentional blindness that occurs when you fail to detect
obvious changes in your environment
bottom up processing constructing a representatino from parts and basic features
top down processing processing influenced by previous experience and knowledge
perceptual sets set formed when our expectations influence our perceptions`
sclera the white part of the eye
pupil circular hole where the light enters
iris colored portion of the eye that controls pupil size
cornea curved, transparent layer covering the iris and pupil that helps focus light
lens oval shaped disc that bends light
accomodation changing of the lens' shape to focus on near/far objects
Myopia nearsightedness, if your eye is too long
hyperopia farsightedness, if your eye is too short
retina membrane at the back of the eye responsible for converting light into a neural
signal
fovea central portion of the retina, responsible for visual acuity
acuity sharpness of vision
saccades small jerky movements of the eye allowing for rapid changes of focus
rods respond under low levels of light, not color sensitive, more common outside of
fovea
cones sensitive to fine detail, primarily located in fovea, color sensitive, less plentiful
than rods
optic nerve bundle of axons that travels from the retina to the brain
blind spot area of the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye
CORRECT Answers
sensation detecting physical energy with our sense organs
perception the brain's interpretation of the raw sensory information
illusion the way we perceive a stimulus doesn't match its physical reality
transduction conversion of an external stimulus into a neural signal
sensory receptors specialized cells designed to convert a certain kind of external information into
a neural signal
sensory adaptation sensory neurons adjust their sensitivity based on recent stimulus history
aftereffects are opposing sensory or perceptual distortions that occur after adaptation
psychophysics the study of how our sensations correspond to physical events in the world
absolute threshold the lowest level of a stimulus needed for the nervous system to detect a
change 50% of the time
just noticeable difference (JND) the smallest change in the intensity of a stimulus that we can detect
weber's law the stronger the stimulus, the bigger the change needed to detect it/ amount
of stimulus energy required to produce a JND
signal detection theory how stimuli are detected under different conditions
signal what you are trying to detect
noise similar stimuli that might compete with the signal and interfere with your ability
to detect the signal
signal to noise ratio difficulty of detecting the signal depends on the strength of the signal in
relation to the strength of the noise
hit stimulus present + respond yes
miss stimulus present + respond no
false alarm stimulus absent + respond yes
correct rejection stimulus absent + respond no
response criterion how liberal or conservative you are about saying yes
, dichotic listening play different information through each ear of headphones, information
reported only from the attended ear
cocktail party effect happens when important information pops out in a conversation that you are
not attending
inattentional blindness occurs when unattended stimuli are ignored as if they weren't there
change blindness is a version of inattentional blindness that occurs when you fail to detect
obvious changes in your environment
bottom up processing constructing a representatino from parts and basic features
top down processing processing influenced by previous experience and knowledge
perceptual sets set formed when our expectations influence our perceptions`
sclera the white part of the eye
pupil circular hole where the light enters
iris colored portion of the eye that controls pupil size
cornea curved, transparent layer covering the iris and pupil that helps focus light
lens oval shaped disc that bends light
accomodation changing of the lens' shape to focus on near/far objects
Myopia nearsightedness, if your eye is too long
hyperopia farsightedness, if your eye is too short
retina membrane at the back of the eye responsible for converting light into a neural
signal
fovea central portion of the retina, responsible for visual acuity
acuity sharpness of vision
saccades small jerky movements of the eye allowing for rapid changes of focus
rods respond under low levels of light, not color sensitive, more common outside of
fovea
cones sensitive to fine detail, primarily located in fovea, color sensitive, less plentiful
than rods
optic nerve bundle of axons that travels from the retina to the brain
blind spot area of the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye
