PSYC 101 EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE GRADED
A+
sensation
process of detecting a physical stimulus, such as light, sound, heat, or pressure
-stimulus in the environ. contains energy that's turned into a signal that the nervous
system can use
perception
process of integrating organizing, & interpreting sensations
-represents integration of signals in the context of the environ.
-result is a meaningful interpretation of the environ.
-depends on prior experience (memory), expectations, & biases
single
many researchers in this area of psychology regard sensation & perception as a _____
process
sensory receptors
specialized cells unique to each sense organ that respond to a particular form of
sensory stimulation
transduction
process by which a form of physical energy is converted into a coded neural signal that
can be processed by the nervous system
-these neural signals are sent to the brain, where the perceptual processes of
organizing & interpreting the coded messages occur
threshold
point at which a stimulus is strong enough to be detected because it activates a sensory
receptor
absolute threshold
smallest possible strength of a stimulus that can be detected half the time
difference threshold
smallest possible difference b/w 2 stimuli that can be detected half the time; also called:
just noticeable difference
Weber's law
principle of sensation that holds that the size of the just noticeable difference will vary
depending on its relation to the strength of the original stimulus
original
so whether we can detect a change in the strength of stimulus depends on the intensity
of the ___ stimulus
relative
what Weber's law underscores is that our psychological experience of sensation is
_____
-there's NO simple one-to-one correspondence b/w the objective characteristics of a
physical stimulus & our psychological experience of it
subliminal perception
detection of stimuli that are below the threshold of conscious awareness; non conscious
perception
-can briefly influence attitudes, thoughts, preferences, & emotions
mere exposure effect
, finding that repeated exposure to a stimulus increases a person's preference for that
stimulus
sensory adaptation
decline in sensitivity to a constant stimulus
-experience of sensation is relative to the duration of exposure
sensory adaptation
b/c of ___ ____ we become accustomed to constant stimuli, which allows us to quickly
notice new or changing stimuli
wavelength
distance from 1 wave peak to another
-differs in various types of electromagnetic energy
-humans are capable of seeing only a minuscule portion of the electromagnetic energy
range
cornea
clear membrane covering the visible part of the eye that helps gather & direct incoming
light ** focuses objects
sclera
white portion of the eye that's a tough, fibrous tissue that covers the eyeball except for
the cornea
pupil
black opening of the eye in the middle of the iris that changes size to let in different
amounts of light; black part of eye
iris
colored part of the eye which is the muscle that controls the size of the pupil & thus the
amount of light entering the eye
lens
transparent structure located behind the pupil that actively focuses or bends light as it
enters the eye
accommodation
process by which the lens changes shape to focus incoming light so that it falls on the
retina
-we use info provided by muscles controlling the shape of the lens to judge depth
retina
thin, light-sensitive membrane, located at the back of the eye, that contains the sensory
receptors for vision
-covers most of the inner surface
rods
long, thin blunt sensory receptors of the eye that are highly sensitive to light, but not to
color
-primarily responsible for peripheral vision & night vision
-located in retina
-adapt relatively slowly, reaching max sensitivity to light in ~30 min.
cones
short, thick, pointed sensory receptors of the eye that detect color & are responsible for
color vision & visual activity
-located in retina
A+
sensation
process of detecting a physical stimulus, such as light, sound, heat, or pressure
-stimulus in the environ. contains energy that's turned into a signal that the nervous
system can use
perception
process of integrating organizing, & interpreting sensations
-represents integration of signals in the context of the environ.
-result is a meaningful interpretation of the environ.
-depends on prior experience (memory), expectations, & biases
single
many researchers in this area of psychology regard sensation & perception as a _____
process
sensory receptors
specialized cells unique to each sense organ that respond to a particular form of
sensory stimulation
transduction
process by which a form of physical energy is converted into a coded neural signal that
can be processed by the nervous system
-these neural signals are sent to the brain, where the perceptual processes of
organizing & interpreting the coded messages occur
threshold
point at which a stimulus is strong enough to be detected because it activates a sensory
receptor
absolute threshold
smallest possible strength of a stimulus that can be detected half the time
difference threshold
smallest possible difference b/w 2 stimuli that can be detected half the time; also called:
just noticeable difference
Weber's law
principle of sensation that holds that the size of the just noticeable difference will vary
depending on its relation to the strength of the original stimulus
original
so whether we can detect a change in the strength of stimulus depends on the intensity
of the ___ stimulus
relative
what Weber's law underscores is that our psychological experience of sensation is
_____
-there's NO simple one-to-one correspondence b/w the objective characteristics of a
physical stimulus & our psychological experience of it
subliminal perception
detection of stimuli that are below the threshold of conscious awareness; non conscious
perception
-can briefly influence attitudes, thoughts, preferences, & emotions
mere exposure effect
, finding that repeated exposure to a stimulus increases a person's preference for that
stimulus
sensory adaptation
decline in sensitivity to a constant stimulus
-experience of sensation is relative to the duration of exposure
sensory adaptation
b/c of ___ ____ we become accustomed to constant stimuli, which allows us to quickly
notice new or changing stimuli
wavelength
distance from 1 wave peak to another
-differs in various types of electromagnetic energy
-humans are capable of seeing only a minuscule portion of the electromagnetic energy
range
cornea
clear membrane covering the visible part of the eye that helps gather & direct incoming
light ** focuses objects
sclera
white portion of the eye that's a tough, fibrous tissue that covers the eyeball except for
the cornea
pupil
black opening of the eye in the middle of the iris that changes size to let in different
amounts of light; black part of eye
iris
colored part of the eye which is the muscle that controls the size of the pupil & thus the
amount of light entering the eye
lens
transparent structure located behind the pupil that actively focuses or bends light as it
enters the eye
accommodation
process by which the lens changes shape to focus incoming light so that it falls on the
retina
-we use info provided by muscles controlling the shape of the lens to judge depth
retina
thin, light-sensitive membrane, located at the back of the eye, that contains the sensory
receptors for vision
-covers most of the inner surface
rods
long, thin blunt sensory receptors of the eye that are highly sensitive to light, but not to
color
-primarily responsible for peripheral vision & night vision
-located in retina
-adapt relatively slowly, reaching max sensitivity to light in ~30 min.
cones
short, thick, pointed sensory receptors of the eye that detect color & are responsible for
color vision & visual activity
-located in retina
