Chapter 4 Psychology 175.102

Perception is the related process by which the brain selects organises and interprets sensations

Sensation is the process by which sense organs gather information about the environment and transmit it to the brain for initial processing

Specialised cells in the nervous system that transform energy in the environment in to neural impulses that can be interpreted by the brain

The process of converting physical energy or stimulus information into impulses

The minimum amount of physical energy needed for an observer to notice a stimulus

Asserts that judgements about the presence or absence of stimulus reflect the observer’s sensitivity to the stimulus and the observers response bias.

The individual readiness to report detecting a stimulus when uncertain

The lowest level of stimulation required to sense that a change in stimulation has occurred

The just detectable difference between two stimuli

States that regardless of the magnitude of two stimuli, the second must differ by constant proportion from the first for it to be perceived as different.

States that the magnitude of the stimulus grows logarithmically as the subjective experience of intensity grows arithmetically, so that people subjectively experience only a fraction of actual increases in stimulation.

States that subjective intensity increases in a linear fashion as actual intensity grows exponentially.

Different forms of radiation have waves of different length

A tough transparent tissue covering the front of the eyeball

An opening in the centre of the iris

The pigmented tissue that gives the eye it’s blue, green or brown colour

And elastic, disc shaped structure about the size of lima bean that is involved in focusing the eyes.

The process in which the lens flattens for distant objects and becomes more rounded or spherical for closer objects.

A light sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye that transduces light into visual sensations.

The clear liquid in the eye

Two types of light receptors, or photo receptors, which are named for the distinctive shapes.

Information from rods and cones are transmitted to these, then onto ganglion cells

These integrate information from many bipolar cells

Made up of axons from many ganglion cells, this optic nerve carries visual information to the brain