Psych. 101 - Introduction to Psychology

Chapt. 4 - Sensation & Perception - Study Guide

Dr. David L. Carpenter

Rev. 8/99

Return to Syllabus for:   Psych 101-03    Psych 101-04

  1. Sensation vs. Perception
    1. Sensation
    2. Perception
  2. Psychophysics
    1. Detection
      1. The Classical Psychophysics Approach
        1. Detection Threshold
      2. The Signal Detection Theory Approach
        1. sensitivity
        2. criterion
    2. Discrimination
      1. Just-noticeable difference (jnd)
      2. Weber's Law 

  1. Vision
    1. Light - electromagnetic radiation of about 400 nm to 700 nm
      1. Wavelength - Hue
      2. Amplitude - Brightness
    2. The Visual System
      1. The Anatomy of the Eye
        1. Cornea
        2. Iris
        3. Pupil
        4. Lens
        5. Retina
        6. Fovea
      2. Cells in the Retina
        1. Receptor Cells- 2 types
          1. Cones
          2. Rods
        2. Ganglion Cells
        3. Optic Nerve
        4. Blind Spot
      3. From the Eye to the Brain
        1. Optic Chiasm
        2. Binocular Vision
        3. Visual Cortex
      4. Cortical Neurons
        1. Single-cell Recording Technique
        2. PET Scan (positron emission tomography)
    3. Basic Visual Functions
      1. Acuity - Visual acuity
      2. Dark Adaptation
        1. Pupil dilation
        2. Increase in amount of light sensitive chemical in the rods
        3. Chemical changes in the cells of the visual system
      3. Eye Movements
        1. Pursuit Movement
        2. Saccadic Movement
      4. Visual disorders
        1. Focusing Disorder
        2. Disorders involving eye coordination
        3. Disorders of the lens and retina
        4. Other visual disorders
    4. Color Vision
      1. Trichromatic Theory
        1. Young - Helmholtz 1800's
        2. Short, medium and long wavelengths
      2. Opponent-Process Theory
        1. Red-green, blue-yellow, black-white cells
      3. Color deficiency vs. color blindness
    5. Shape Perception
      1. Figure-Ground Relationship - Gestalt Approach
      2. Laws of grouping
        1. Law of Proximity
        2. Law of Similarity
        3. Law of Good Continuation
        4. Law of Closure
      3. Pattern Recognition
        1. Distinctive Features
        2. Recognition-by-Components Theory - geons
        3. Bottom-up Processing
        4. Top-Down Processing
        5. Word-Superiority Effect
    6. Motion Perception
      1. Biological Motion
    7. Distance Perception
      1. Monocular
        1. Relative Size
        2. Overlap
        3. Texture Gradient
        4. Linear Perspective
        5. Atmospheric Perspective
      2. Binocular – Binocular Disparity
    8. Constancy
      1. Size
      2. Shape
      3. Color
    9. Illusions
      1. Line-Length Illusion
        1. Muller-Lyer Illusion
        2. Ponzo Illusion
        3. Theory of misapplied constancy
      2. Illusory Contours
  2. Hearing
    1. The Nature of Sound
      1. Sound Waves - perception of them = sound
      2. Frequency
      3. Amplitude
    2. The Auditory System
      1. Auditory Canal
      2. Eardrum
      3. Cochlea
        1. Hair Cells
        2. Basilar Membrane
      4. Auditory Nerve
      5. Auditory Cortex
    3. Basic Auditory Functions
      1. Pitch
        1. Frequency Theory
        2. Place Theory
      2. Loudness
      3. Timbre
      4. Localization
    4. Hearing Disabilities
      1. Conduction Deafness - Outer or middle ear
      2. Nerve Deafness - Inner ear
  3. Other Perceptual Systems
    1. Touch
      1. Passive Touch
      2. Adaptation
      3. Active Touch
    2. Pain
      1. Phantom limb pain
      2. Gate-Control Theory - Melzack & Wall
      3. Endorphins
      4. Stress-Induced Analgesia
      5. Prepared childbirth
  4. Smell - Tip-of-the-nose Phenomenon
  5. Taste - Flavor
    1. Taste is from receptors in the mouth.
    2. Flavor includes taste, smell, touch, pain
    3. Highly adaptable

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