FOPAC Exam Revision UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
What is sensation? - CORRECT ANSWER - Sensation is not the same thing as
perception.
- Is a process that occurs in the brain.
- Sensation: the information sent to the brain from our senses.
- The brain alters the sensation into what we see.
What is perception? - CORRECT ANSWER - Perception is not the same thing as
sensation.
- Sensory processing (the brain) alters perception.
- Perception: our awareness of the environment.
- Can be accurate or inaccurate.
Sensation pathway - CORRECT ANSWER Information enters the eyes, passing
through the optic nerve and into the brain for processing. The information goes into the
cortex of the brain, where perception occurs.
Perception pathway - CORRECT ANSWER Stimuli enters the eyes and is detected by
the eyes. It is then transferred by nerve impulses up the optic nerve and into the visual cortex.
Awareness occurs in the visual cortex which is where perception occurs.
The retina - CORRECT ANSWER Rods: distributed evenly over the retina at the back
of the eye.
Cones: not well distributed over the edges. At zero degrees there is a structure called fovea.
,Fovea: only part of the eye that see in sharp focus and in fine detail.
Blindspot: where information goes into the optic nerve.
Visual pathway - CORRECT ANSWER Split visual field: one eye can only see one
part of the stimuli, with that information being transferred to the opposite side of the brain.
Both eyes transfer information to opposite sides of the brain, depending on where the
information is coming from. This depends on where the eye is situated.
- Information goes to V1 and is transferred dorsally or ventrally depending on what the
information is.
- Visual information doesn't just go to the visual cortex, but to other parts of the brain to be
processed to form schemas about the world.
Measuring perception - CORRECT ANSWER - If perception is merely internal, can it
be measured?
- Should it be measured?
- Our approach: if we can determine how perception changes under various conditions, then
we should be able to predict these changed and therefore understand perception.
- Measuring perception allows us to see how it is linked to behaviour and how we can avoid
mistakes.
Measurement properties - CORRECT ANSWER - Measuring perception is known as
psychophysics.
- Threshold: below threshold, we don't sense it.
- Absolute threshold: the minimum amount of energy needed to detect a stimulus.
Classical idea: there is a sharp transition in the internal state of the observer between when a
stimulus can and cannot be detected.
Measurement methods - CORRECT ANSWER - Method of adjustment: the observer
adjusts intensity until they can just barely detect the stimulus.
- Method of limits: the experimenter adjusts intensity until the observer changes their
response.
, - Method of constant stimuli: the observer views several pre-set stimulus intensities and
judges whether each is perceived or not.
Threshold example - CORRECT ANSWER Threshold example.
- Psychophysical function.
- Sensitivity function/
- Just noticeable difference the minimum change in a stimulus for the change to be
perceivable.
Human colour vision - CORRECT ANSWER - Densely packed in the fovea.
- Most sensitive to 560nm - daylight levels.
- Three different types of absorption spectra for cones.
· Short wavelengths: blue
· Medium wavelengths: green
· Long wavelengths: red.
Colour vision deficiency - CORRECT ANSWER Colour vision deficiency.
- More common in men than women.
- Two common types: deuteranopes (complete lack of green (medium wave) cones),
protanopes (complete lack of red (long wave) cones).
- This is important to know that people perceive the world differently than what they sense,
helping us adjust the world to help.
Mathematical models for sensory measurement - CORRECT ANSWER - Sensory
processes.
- Debate about representations.
- Mathematical models: the way we can simulate cognition.
Hierarchical stages of sensory processing - CORRECT ANSWER Receptors ->
Intermediate neurons -> Intermediate neurons -> Thalamus -> Primary cortex -> Secondary
cortex -> Higher cortex.
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
What is sensation? - CORRECT ANSWER - Sensation is not the same thing as
perception.
- Is a process that occurs in the brain.
- Sensation: the information sent to the brain from our senses.
- The brain alters the sensation into what we see.
What is perception? - CORRECT ANSWER - Perception is not the same thing as
sensation.
- Sensory processing (the brain) alters perception.
- Perception: our awareness of the environment.
- Can be accurate or inaccurate.
Sensation pathway - CORRECT ANSWER Information enters the eyes, passing
through the optic nerve and into the brain for processing. The information goes into the
cortex of the brain, where perception occurs.
Perception pathway - CORRECT ANSWER Stimuli enters the eyes and is detected by
the eyes. It is then transferred by nerve impulses up the optic nerve and into the visual cortex.
Awareness occurs in the visual cortex which is where perception occurs.
The retina - CORRECT ANSWER Rods: distributed evenly over the retina at the back
of the eye.
Cones: not well distributed over the edges. At zero degrees there is a structure called fovea.
,Fovea: only part of the eye that see in sharp focus and in fine detail.
Blindspot: where information goes into the optic nerve.
Visual pathway - CORRECT ANSWER Split visual field: one eye can only see one
part of the stimuli, with that information being transferred to the opposite side of the brain.
Both eyes transfer information to opposite sides of the brain, depending on where the
information is coming from. This depends on where the eye is situated.
- Information goes to V1 and is transferred dorsally or ventrally depending on what the
information is.
- Visual information doesn't just go to the visual cortex, but to other parts of the brain to be
processed to form schemas about the world.
Measuring perception - CORRECT ANSWER - If perception is merely internal, can it
be measured?
- Should it be measured?
- Our approach: if we can determine how perception changes under various conditions, then
we should be able to predict these changed and therefore understand perception.
- Measuring perception allows us to see how it is linked to behaviour and how we can avoid
mistakes.
Measurement properties - CORRECT ANSWER - Measuring perception is known as
psychophysics.
- Threshold: below threshold, we don't sense it.
- Absolute threshold: the minimum amount of energy needed to detect a stimulus.
Classical idea: there is a sharp transition in the internal state of the observer between when a
stimulus can and cannot be detected.
Measurement methods - CORRECT ANSWER - Method of adjustment: the observer
adjusts intensity until they can just barely detect the stimulus.
- Method of limits: the experimenter adjusts intensity until the observer changes their
response.
, - Method of constant stimuli: the observer views several pre-set stimulus intensities and
judges whether each is perceived or not.
Threshold example - CORRECT ANSWER Threshold example.
- Psychophysical function.
- Sensitivity function/
- Just noticeable difference the minimum change in a stimulus for the change to be
perceivable.
Human colour vision - CORRECT ANSWER - Densely packed in the fovea.
- Most sensitive to 560nm - daylight levels.
- Three different types of absorption spectra for cones.
· Short wavelengths: blue
· Medium wavelengths: green
· Long wavelengths: red.
Colour vision deficiency - CORRECT ANSWER Colour vision deficiency.
- More common in men than women.
- Two common types: deuteranopes (complete lack of green (medium wave) cones),
protanopes (complete lack of red (long wave) cones).
- This is important to know that people perceive the world differently than what they sense,
helping us adjust the world to help.
Mathematical models for sensory measurement - CORRECT ANSWER - Sensory
processes.
- Debate about representations.
- Mathematical models: the way we can simulate cognition.
Hierarchical stages of sensory processing - CORRECT ANSWER Receptors ->
Intermediate neurons -> Intermediate neurons -> Thalamus -> Primary cortex -> Secondary
cortex -> Higher cortex.
