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Definition
| The activation of the sense organs by a source of physical energy. |
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Definition
| The sorting out, interpretation, analysis, and the integration of stimuli by the sense organs and brain. |
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Definition
| The study of the relationship between the physical aspects of stimuli and our psychological experience of them. |
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| Difference threshold (just noticeable difference) |
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Definition
| The smallest level of added or reduced stimulation required to sense that a change in stimulation has occurred. |
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Term
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Definition
| A basic law of psycho-physics stating that a just noticeable difference is in constant proportion to the intensity of an initial stimulus. |
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Definition
| An adjustment in sensory capacity after prolonged exposure to unchanging stimuli. |
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Definition
| The part of the eye that converts the electromagnetic energy of light to electrical impulses for transmission to the brain. |
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Term
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Definition
| Thin, cylindrical receptor cells in the retina that are highly sensitive to light. |
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Definition
| Cone-shaped, light-sensitive receptor cells in the retina that are responsible for sharp focus and color perception, particularly in bright light. |
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Definition
| A bundle of ganglion axons that carry visual information to the brain. |
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Definition
| The activation of neurons in the cortex by visual stimuli of specific shapes or patterns. |
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Term
| Trichromatic theory of color vision |
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Definition
| The theory that there are three kinds of cones in the retina, each of which responds primarily to a specific range of wavelengths. |
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Term
| Opponent-process theory of color vision |
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Definition
| The theory that receptor cells for color are linked in pairs, working in opposition to each other. |
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Term
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Definition
| The movement of air molecules brought about by a source of vibration. |
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Term
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Definition
| The part of the ear that vibrates when sound waves hit it. |
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Term
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Definition
| A coiled tube in the ear filled with fluid that vibrates in response to sound. |
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Term
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Definition
| A vibrating structure that runs thorough the center of the cochlea, dividing it into an upper chamber and a lower chamber and containing sense receptors for sound. |
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Term
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Definition
| The cells covering the basilar membrane that, when bent by vibrations entering the cochlea, transmit neural messages to the brain. |
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Term
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Definition
| The theory that different areas of the basilar membrane respond to the different frequencies. |
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Term
| Frequency theory of hearing |
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Definition
| The theory that the entire baislar membrane acts like a microphone, vibrating as a whole in response to a sound. |
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Term
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Definition
| Three tube-like structures of the inner ear cell containing fluid that sloshes through them when the head moves, signaling rotational or angular movement of the brain. |
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Definition
| Tiny, motion-sensitive crystals within semicircular canals that sense body acceleration. |
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Term
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Definition
| The senses of touch, pressure, temperature, and pain. |
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Term
| Gale-control theory of pain |
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Definition
| The theory that particular nerve receptors in the spinal cord lead to specific areas of the brain related to pain. |
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Term
| Gestalt laws of organization |
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Definition
| A series of principles that describe how we organize bits and pieces of information into meaningful wholes. |
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Term
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Definition
| Perception that is guided by higher-level knowledge, experience, expectations, and motivations. |
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Term
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Definition
| Perception that consists of the progression of recognizing the processing information from individual components of a stimuli and moving to the perception of the whole. |
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Term
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Definition
| The ability to view the would in three dimensions and to perceive distance. |
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Term
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Definition
| Physical stimuli that consistently produce errors in perception. |
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