PSCL 101 Exam 2 questions correctly
answered
sensation - correct answer ✔✔The process by which our sensory organs receive stimulus energies from
the environment and transduce them into the electrical energy of the nervous system.
transduction - correct answer ✔✔The transformation of sensory stimulus energy from the environment
into neural impulses.
perception - correct answer ✔✔The neural processing of electrical signals to form an internal mental
representation inside your brain of what's on the outside.
psychophysics - correct answer ✔✔The study of the relationship between the physical characteristics of
environmental stimuli and our mental experience of them.
absolute threshold - correct answer ✔✔The minimum amount of stimulation necessary for someone to
detect a stimulus half of the time.
signal detection theory - correct answer ✔✔An approach to measuring thresholds that takes into
account both the intensity of the stimulus and psychological biases for a more accurate assessment.
difference threshold - correct answer ✔✔The minimum difference required between two stimuli for an
observer to detect a difference half the time.
just-noticeable difference (JND) - correct answer ✔✔The minimum difference required between two
stimuli for an observer to detect a difference half the time.
Weber's law - correct answer ✔✔The observation that the likelihood of perceiving a stimulus change is
proportional to the magnitude of the stimuli.
,adaptation - correct answer ✔✔A phenomenon whereby an individual stops noticing a stimulus that
remains constant over time, resulting in enhanced detection of stimulus changes.
___ occurs at the level of sensory receptors, while ___ occurs higher up in the brain. - correct answer
✔✔sensory adaptation, perceptual adaptation
aftereffects - correct answer ✔✔Opposing distortions that occur after adaptation
^Ex: staring at a lightbulb adapts cells in your eye and results in a dark afterimage that persists when you
look elsewhere
pitch - correct answer ✔✔The perceptual quality of sound that makes a flute sound high and a tuba low.
middle ear - correct answer ✔✔The portion of the ear containing the eardrum and ossicles.
ossicles - correct answer ✔✔Three tiny bones in the ear—the hammer, anvil, and stirrup—that act as
levers to amplify incoming sound waves.
inner ear - correct answer ✔✔The innermost part of the ear, where the cochlea resides.
cochlea - correct answer ✔✔A spiral structure in the inner ear where the basilar membrane, containing
auditory sensory neurons, is located.
basilar membrane - correct answer ✔✔A structure in the cochlea where the auditory cilia, or auditory
sensory neurons, are located.
frequency theory - correct answer ✔✔A theory of pitch perception stating that the brain uses the
frequency of auditory sensory neuron firing to indicate pitch.
place theory - correct answer ✔✔A theory of pitch perception stating that different pitches arise from
stimulation at different places along the basilar membrane.
, primary auditory cortex - correct answer ✔✔The region of the brain, located in the temporal lobe,
where sound is processed.
tonotopic organization - correct answer ✔✔The arrangement of the auditory cortex such that nearby
frequencies are processed near each other in the brain, resulting in a sound map.
tactile sense - correct answer ✔✔The sense of touch.
nociceptor - correct answer ✔✔A bare nerve ending that signals potential harm and causes a withdrawal
reflex (such as when you pull your foot back after stubbing your toe)
primary somatosensory cortex - correct answer ✔✔The region of the brain where the processing of
touch sensations occurs.
somatosensory homunculus - correct answer ✔✔A depiction of how the body is represented by the
brain, proportional to the amount of cortex devoted to each body part.
secondary somatosensory cortex - correct answer ✔✔AKA association cortex, next to the primary
somatosensory cortex
-Represents more complex features, such as the sensation of motion on the skin, and enables the
recognition of objects
haptic perception - correct answer ✔✔Examining an object by touch.
proprioception - correct answer ✔✔The sensory system responsible for awareness of body positions.
vestibular system - correct answer ✔✔The sensory system primarily responsible for balance.
kinesthesis - correct answer ✔✔The senses responsible for monitoring the position and movement of
the body, including proprioception and the vestibular system.
olfaction - correct answer ✔✔The sense of smell.
answered
sensation - correct answer ✔✔The process by which our sensory organs receive stimulus energies from
the environment and transduce them into the electrical energy of the nervous system.
transduction - correct answer ✔✔The transformation of sensory stimulus energy from the environment
into neural impulses.
perception - correct answer ✔✔The neural processing of electrical signals to form an internal mental
representation inside your brain of what's on the outside.
psychophysics - correct answer ✔✔The study of the relationship between the physical characteristics of
environmental stimuli and our mental experience of them.
absolute threshold - correct answer ✔✔The minimum amount of stimulation necessary for someone to
detect a stimulus half of the time.
signal detection theory - correct answer ✔✔An approach to measuring thresholds that takes into
account both the intensity of the stimulus and psychological biases for a more accurate assessment.
difference threshold - correct answer ✔✔The minimum difference required between two stimuli for an
observer to detect a difference half the time.
just-noticeable difference (JND) - correct answer ✔✔The minimum difference required between two
stimuli for an observer to detect a difference half the time.
Weber's law - correct answer ✔✔The observation that the likelihood of perceiving a stimulus change is
proportional to the magnitude of the stimuli.
,adaptation - correct answer ✔✔A phenomenon whereby an individual stops noticing a stimulus that
remains constant over time, resulting in enhanced detection of stimulus changes.
___ occurs at the level of sensory receptors, while ___ occurs higher up in the brain. - correct answer
✔✔sensory adaptation, perceptual adaptation
aftereffects - correct answer ✔✔Opposing distortions that occur after adaptation
^Ex: staring at a lightbulb adapts cells in your eye and results in a dark afterimage that persists when you
look elsewhere
pitch - correct answer ✔✔The perceptual quality of sound that makes a flute sound high and a tuba low.
middle ear - correct answer ✔✔The portion of the ear containing the eardrum and ossicles.
ossicles - correct answer ✔✔Three tiny bones in the ear—the hammer, anvil, and stirrup—that act as
levers to amplify incoming sound waves.
inner ear - correct answer ✔✔The innermost part of the ear, where the cochlea resides.
cochlea - correct answer ✔✔A spiral structure in the inner ear where the basilar membrane, containing
auditory sensory neurons, is located.
basilar membrane - correct answer ✔✔A structure in the cochlea where the auditory cilia, or auditory
sensory neurons, are located.
frequency theory - correct answer ✔✔A theory of pitch perception stating that the brain uses the
frequency of auditory sensory neuron firing to indicate pitch.
place theory - correct answer ✔✔A theory of pitch perception stating that different pitches arise from
stimulation at different places along the basilar membrane.
, primary auditory cortex - correct answer ✔✔The region of the brain, located in the temporal lobe,
where sound is processed.
tonotopic organization - correct answer ✔✔The arrangement of the auditory cortex such that nearby
frequencies are processed near each other in the brain, resulting in a sound map.
tactile sense - correct answer ✔✔The sense of touch.
nociceptor - correct answer ✔✔A bare nerve ending that signals potential harm and causes a withdrawal
reflex (such as when you pull your foot back after stubbing your toe)
primary somatosensory cortex - correct answer ✔✔The region of the brain where the processing of
touch sensations occurs.
somatosensory homunculus - correct answer ✔✔A depiction of how the body is represented by the
brain, proportional to the amount of cortex devoted to each body part.
secondary somatosensory cortex - correct answer ✔✔AKA association cortex, next to the primary
somatosensory cortex
-Represents more complex features, such as the sensation of motion on the skin, and enables the
recognition of objects
haptic perception - correct answer ✔✔Examining an object by touch.
proprioception - correct answer ✔✔The sensory system responsible for awareness of body positions.
vestibular system - correct answer ✔✔The sensory system primarily responsible for balance.
kinesthesis - correct answer ✔✔The senses responsible for monitoring the position and movement of
the body, including proprioception and the vestibular system.
olfaction - correct answer ✔✔The sense of smell.
