Term
|
Definition
| the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the process of organizing and interpreting sensory info, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brains integration of sensory info |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| info processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experiences on them |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a theory prediction how and when we detect the presence of a fait stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time. we experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli most differ by a constant minimum percent, not constant amount |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| conversion of one form of energy into another. in sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains can interpret |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the amount of energy in a light or sound wave (brightness or loudness) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the light sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual info |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray: necessary for peripheral and twilight vision |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. See color |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the point at which the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a "blind" spot because no receptor cells are located there |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle or movement |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously: the brian's natural mode of info processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving |
|
|
Term
| young-helmholtz trichromatic (three-color) theory |
|
Definition
| the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors- red, green, blue |
|
|
Term
| opponent-processing theory |
|
Definition
| the theory that opposing retinal processes enable color vision. Ex: some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| an organized whole. our tendency to integrate pieces of info into meaningful wholes |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| organization of the visual field into objects that stand out from their surroundings (figures vs. ground) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the ability to see objects in three dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensional (allows us to judge distance) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a lab device for testing depth perception in infants |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of two eyes |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a binocular cue for perceiving depth: by comparing images from the two eyes the brain computes distance |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| an illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| in vision the ability to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a branch of psychology that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| our awareness of ourselves and our environment |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the principle that info is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| failing to notice changes in the environment |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| rapid eye movement sleep, a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| false sensory experiences such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| recurring problems in failing or staying asleep |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a sleep disorder characterized by temporary pause of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during Stage 4 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping persons mind |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a social interaction in which one person suggests to another that certain perceptions feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a suggestion, made during a hypnosis session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized, used by some clinicians to help control undesired symptoms and behaviors |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the processing of info into the memory system |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the retention of encoded info over time |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the process of getting info out of memory storage |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the immediate, very brief recording of sensory info in the memory system |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| activated memory that holds a few items briefly |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of the memory system, includes knowledge, skills, and experiences |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| newer understanding of STM that focuses on conscious, active processing of incoming auditory and visual-spatial info, and of info retrieved from LTM |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| unconscious encoding of incidental info, such as space, time and frequency, and of well-learned info, such as word meanings |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| encoding that requires attention and conscious effort |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the conscious repetition of info, either to maintain it in consciousness or to encode it for storage |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the tendency for distributed study or practice to yield better long-term retention that is achieved through massed study or practice |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| our tendency to recall best the last and first items in a list |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the encoding of picture images |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the encoding of sound, especially the sound of words |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the encoding of meaning, including the meaning of words |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| mental pictures; a powerful aid to effortful processing, especially when combined with semantic encoding |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| memory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| organizing items into familiar, manageable units; often occurs automatically |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli; a photographic or picture-image memory lasting no more than a few tenths of a second |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli; if attention is elsewhere, sounds and words can still be recalled within 3 or 4 seconds |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a neural center that is located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a measure of memory in which the person must retrieve info learned earlier, as on a fill in the blank test |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a measure of memory in which the person need only identify items previously learned, as on a multiple choice test |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning material for a second time |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the activation, often unconsciously, of particular associations in memory |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| that eerie sense that its happened before. cues from the current situation may subconsciously trigger retrieval of an earlier experience |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the tendency to recall experiences that are consistent with ones current good or bad mood |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new info |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old info |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| incorporating misleading info into ones memory of an event |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| attributing to the wrong source an event we have experienced, heard about, read about, or imagined |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| our spoken, written, or signed words and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| in language, the smallest distinctive sound unit |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| in a language, the smallest unit that carries meaning; may be a word or a part of a word |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| in a language, a system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the set of rules by which we derive meaning from morphemes, words, and sentences in a given language; also, the study of meaning |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the rules from combining words into grammatically sensible sentences in a given language |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| beginning at about 4 months, the stage of speech development in which the infant spontaneously utters various sounds at first unrelated to the household language |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the stage in speech development, from about age 1 to 2, during which a child speaks mostly in single words |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| beginning about age 2, the stage in speech development during which a child speaks mostly two-word statements |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| early speech stage in which a child speaks like a telegram "go car" using mostly nouns and verbs |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| impairment of language usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to broca's area or to wernickes area |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| controls language expression- area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| controls language reception- a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| whorf's hypothesis that language determines the way we think |
|
|
