Master this deck with 80 terms through effective study methods.
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your brain’s tireless attempt to create a constant perceptual set (all sights, sounds, sensations in a given moment) at all times.
a tendency to view things only in a certain way.
The mechanism by which the brain in the Central Nervous System (CNS) receives afferent/sensory information from first-order neurons in the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) and makes evaluations and judgements on that information to determine what to do next.
the mechanism by which information is taken in by first order (sensory/afferent) neurons, passed through the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) to the brain in the Central Nervous System (CNS) so the information can be evaluated. IT DOES NOT EVALUATE THE INFORMATION.
thought patterns which deal with automatic and effortless reactions to information from the outside world because they are routine and commonplace. E.G.: Your stomach gurgling at 12 noon because it is lunch time. You don’t tell your body to do it, it does it on its own
thought patterns which deal with deliberately evaluating presented knowledge and making decisions about that information. E.G.: Seeing a potential romantic partner and deciding what to say to them. Your brain dedicates significant energy and neurons to consciously piece together a possible message.
The process by which a subject prioritizes key details in a perceptual set over other details due to the limited processing capacity of the human brain/nervous system.
rhe brain’s inability to recognize a stimulus (outside force) because it was focusing on something else.
the individual’s ability to recognize an outside stimulus relies on two factors: the intensity of the stimulus itself and the physical/psychological status of the subject.
the ability to turn outside signals into electrochemical signals the human body can understand.
The brain’s adjustment to a new perceptual set. The brain works normally after adjusting and doesn’t recognize the dramatic difference in incoming data.
a gradual decrease over time in the responsiveness of the sensory system to a constant stimulus.
the minimum amount of stimulation required to trigger a reaction or produce a sensation.
the smallest difference between two stimuli that can be consistently and accurately detected on 50% of trials. E.G.: I can tell that my speakers are at 65% instead of 60% or 63%.
mathematical model of the difference threshold stating that the magnitude needed to detect physical change in a stimulus is proportional to the absolute magnitude of that stimulus.
The whole or organizational pattern we tend to perceive.
This Gestalt theory states that any objects which share visual characteristics such as shape, size, color, texture, or other designated value will be seen as belonging together in the viewer’s mind.
Any stimulus that is different from its surroundings and is easy to identify.
If objects are close together, the human brain places them in the same group.
A Gestalt grouping principle where the human brain despises gaps in its perceptual field and will go to great lengths to fill them.
In this Gestalt grouping principle, if movement is implied in an image, that movement will continue in that direction usually without stopping.
Depth perception which deals with only one eye.
A monocular cue where we determine depth when one object covers another.
Depth perception which deal with the use of two eyes.
When both eyes focus on an object to determine its location in space (it usually gets blurry first).
the brain’s ability to correct different images between two eyes.
the process by which the focus of the eye is changed to allow near or distant objects to form sharp images on the retina.
The cornea is the outermost layer of the human eye. It is responsible for protecting the sensitive portions of the eye from potentially damaging outside objects such as dust, infectious organisms, and --in some cases-- certain kinds of ultraviolet radiation.
The iris is the colored part of the eye and serves as a muscular “gate” to allow the appropriate amount of light in through the pupil. The iris surrounding the pupil expands or contracts depending on the amount of available light.
The retina receives the light and constructs the image with the help of two kinds of photoreceptors:
A special kind of photoreceptor which is responsible for registering bright lights and color.
A special kind of photoreceptor which is responsible for registering dim lights and shapes.
Ganglion cells are the only connecting neuron between the retina and the optic nerve. It packages the complete image of something someone is seeing and sends it to the occipital lobe so that the image can be built by the visual cortex and analyzed.
a theory of color vision which states that all the colors we see are the result of the three types of cones being activated in different intensities.
A theory for color vision which states that our perception of color is brought on by three sets of opposing colors (red/green, blue/yellow, black/white) suppressing your brain’s ability to recognize the other color for the moment you’re observing an image. Opponent process theory states that for every image that we see, there is an opposite image made up by light and colors which are suppressed.
a version of a colorful object one is seeing that is identical in shape to the original image but possessing opposite color characteristics.
the mucous membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids.
the white outer layer of the eyeball. At the front of the eye it is continuous with the cornea. The primary sclera function is to provide mechanical support to the eyeball. The sclera, in combination with the intraocular pressure (IOP), helps to maintain the shape of the eyeball. The second major sclera function is to protect the eye from any mechanical injuries or trauma.
the clear fluid filling the space in the front of the eyeball between the lens and the cornea. It is responsible for pumping nutrients into the eye.
a small depression in the retina of the eye where visual acuity is highest. The center of the field of vision is focused in this region, where retinal cones are particularly concentrated.
a perceptual phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. E.G.: Confusing color and how something feels.
The outer part of the ear mechanism. It vibrates when hearing sound waves from the outside.
Small bones in the middle of the ear which vibrate when they are triggered by the Eardrum.
Small liquid/hair filled structures in the inner ear. The semicircular canals send impulses to the brain regarding the direction and speed of rotation of the head,for example, when nodding the head up and down or looking from right to left. It impacts vestibular sense.
A shell like structure filled with saltwater solution which ripple when receiving vibrations from the middle ear.
A perceptual trait relating to the quality of a sound. For example, even though electric guitars and ukuleles are both string instruments, their timbres are dramatically different.
The speed of vibrations in the air which determine the “pitch” of a sound.
the speed of propagation of the wave motion divided by its frequency.
The energy of a sound wave determined by its height. The higher the amplitude the louder the sound.
A perceptual phenomenon which occurs when a person perceives that another’s lip movements do not correspond to what that individual is saying.
the apparent increase or decrease in wavelength or frequency observed when a source of electromagnetic radiation or sound approaches or recedes from the observer or listener, producing a change in hue or pitch.
a band of nerve fibers that originates in the olfactory bulb and extends backward along the bottom side of the frontal lobe of the brain towards the amygdala. Smell provides more sensory information for what someone is eating so much so that if a subject has a cold --or if their olfactory tract is in someway impaired-- their ability to eat is reduced to the five senses of taste.
the outer, protective, nonvascular layer of the skin of vertebrates. Sweat ducts and affector/sensory neurons are located there.
A part of the human body responsible for body temperature regulation, immune system support, and detection of stimulus/stimuli.
the layer of skin beneath the outermost layer (epidermis). The dermis contains blood and lymphatic vessels, nerves and nerve endings, and the hair follicles.
the bottom layer of your skin, located below the epidermis (top layer) and dermis (middle layer) in your skin. One of the main function of the hypodermis of vertebrates is to store fat, which serves as an energy source later. Moreover, this fat layer serves as an insulator, which helps to regulate body temperature.
Special afferent/sensory cells responsible located on the tongue. They are chemically sensitive. Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, savory
Special kind of afferent/sensory cells responsible for registering pain.
the hypothesis that the subjective experience of pain is modulated by large nerve fibers in the spinal cord that act as gates, such that pain is not the product of a simple transmission of stimulation from the skin or some internal organ to the brain.
the sense that provides information through receptors in the muscles, tendons, and joints, enabling humans and other animals to control and coordinate their movements, including walking, talking, facial expressions, gestures, and posture.
the sense that enables the maintenance of balance while sitting, standing, walking, or otherwise maneuvering the body.
The special chemical responsible for registering spicy food.
a subject’s perception of time, a subject’s sleep schedule and a subject’s metabolism (specifically tissue repair)/immune system.
A subject’s sense of time.
Diurnal: A circadian rhythm in which someone is active during the day. Nocturnal: A circadian rhythm in which someone is active during the night. Crepuscular: A circadian rhythm in which a state of consciousness blends between night and day.
Any body process which is completed in less than 24 hours.
This hormone stimulates the hunger process.
A body process that takes more than 24 hours to complete.
in electroencephalography, the type of brain wave (frequency 13–30 Hz) associated with alert wakefulness and intense mental activity.
A state of semiconsciousness. Because NREM 1 is a mix between being awake and asleep, your body can sometimes fire off a series of sensations to check whether you are really awake or asleep.
in electroencephalography, a type of regular brain wave with a frequency of 4 to 7 Hz. Theta waves occur during REM sleep in nonhuman animals, Stage 2 NREM sleep in humans, and the drowsy state prior to sleep onset in newborn infants, adolescents, and adults. Such waves are also recorded in trances, hypnosis, and daydreams.
Otherwise known as “light sleep,” NREM 2 occurs when a subject is completely unconscious ---and therefore unaware of their surroundings--- but can easily be woken up.
these sudden bursts of energy intentionally check whether connections between places like the thalamus (which relays sensory information to the rest of the brain), hippocampus (which regulates memory) and prefrontal cortex remain open.
If some sort of alarming stimulus was registered by the senses (such as a roar of a lion), this spike in electrical activity. This indicates that the subject registered the stimulus but could not analyze it. If the subject experiences more than 1 K-Complex, this phenomenon could potentially prime the brain to wake up and experience fight or flight.
Deepest state of sleep in which electrical activity is minimal and synchronized in certain patterns called Delta Waves.
the lowest frequency brain wave recorded in electroencephalography. Delta waves are large, regular-shaped waves that have a frequency of 1 to 3 Hz. They are associated with deep sleep (delta-wave sleep) and indicate a synchronization of cells of the cerebral cortex.
The state of higher electrical activity during sleep.
in scalp electroencephalography, a type of low-amplitude brain wave (frequency 8–12 Hz) that typically occurs when the eyes are closed or unfocused and no deliberate mental tasks are taking place; it is associated with a wakeful but relaxed state
A school of thought which states that dreams have no meaning and are byproducts of other biological processes.
Random bursts of electricity are shot into parts of the cerebral cortex to activate day residue: information a subject experienced during the day.