Download Unit 4 Reading Guide 2016

AP Psychology
Unit 4
Sensation
& Perception
Reading Guide
Name_____________________ Block _______
Due Date ____________________
2
As you read each module, complete the packet.
NAME______________________________
Mod 16: Basic Principles of Sensation and Perception (pg. 151-160)
Define the following:
 Sensation:
o Example

Perception:
o Example

Bottom-Up Processing:
o Example

Top-Down Processing:
o Example
Describe an example that illustrates the difference between sensation and perception:
3
Selective Attention
 Selective Attention:
o Example

Cocktail Party Effect:

What does selective attention mean for how you should study? (or even do this
study guide?!)
Fill in this chart.
Selective
Attention
Definition
Example
Inattentional
Blindness
Change
Blindness
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Transduction:
What are the 3 steps that are basic to all our sensory systems? All our senses…
1.
2.
3.
Psychophysics:
Thresholds

Absolute Thresholds
o Example:

Signal Detection Theory:
o Example:

Subliminal Stimulation:
o Example
5

Priming:
o Example:

Difference Threshold (just noticeable difference):
o Example

Weber’s Law:
o Example
Sensory Adaptation
 Sensory Adaptation:
o Example:

Why do we have sensory adaptation—what is its important benefit?
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Mod 17: Influences on Perception (pg. 163-169)

Perceptual Set:
o Example:
Give an example of how context affect our perceptions.
Give an example of how emotion and motivation affect our perceptions.
After reading the section “Thinking Critically About ESP” (pg. 167-169), do you believe that
ESP exists? Why or why not?
Extrasensory perception (ESP):
Parapsychology:
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Mod 18: Vision (pg. 171-179)
The Stimulus Input: Light Energy
 Wavelength of Light

Hue:

Amplitude of Light

Intensity:
Fill in this chart with drawings to represent the physical properties of light waves.
High
Low
Wavelength
(Hue)
Amplitude
(Intensity)
8
The Eye Diagram: Label it!
9
Fill in this chart with the function of the parts of the eye.
Eye Part
Function
Cornea
Pupil
Iris
Lens
Retina
Rods
Cones
Bipolar Cells
Ganglion Cells
Optic Nerve
Thalamus
Visual Cortex
Accommodation of the lens:
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Why do we have a Blind Spot in our vision?
Describe the Fovea and how it works.
**IMPORTANT: What is the difference between the Blind Spot and the Fovea?
Fill in this chart.
Cones
Rods
Number in retina
Location in retina
Sensitivity in dim light
Color sensitivity
Detail sensitivity
11
Visual Information Processing
 After being processed in the retina, the optic nerve carries visual information to
what part of the brain before it reaches the visual cortex?

Feature Detectors (Hubel & Wiesel):

Parallel Processing:
o Example:
Color Vision
 Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic Theory:

3 colors our eyes are sensitive to:

According to this theory, how is color deficiency caused?
12

Opponent-Process Theory (by Hering):
3 sets of opponent retinal processes:
1.
2.
3.
Explain how after-images appear in our vision.
Mod 19: Visual Organization (pg. 182-191)
 Gestalt:

What is the fundamental truth underlying all of the Gestalt principles?

Figure-ground:
o Example:
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
Grouping:
o Example:
Gestalt
Grouping
Principle
Definition
Draw an example
Proximity
Continuity
Closure

Depth Perception:

Explain the Visual Cliff Experiment by Gibson and Walk:

What did the visual cliff experiments demonstrate—is depth perception learned or
not?
14

How do Binocular cues help us to judge depth?
o Retinal Disparity:

How do Monocular cues help us to judge depth?

Phi Phenomenon:
o Example

Stroboscopic Movement:
o Example

Perceptual Constancy:
o Examples:
15
Fill in this chart with descriptions of each monocular cue.
Monocular Depth Cues
Relative Height
Description
Relative Size:
Interposition:
Relative Motion:
Linear Perspective:
Light and Shadow:
Relative Height
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
Color Constancy:
*comparisons govern our perceptions

Example of size constancy:

Example of shape constancy:
Our brain constructs our perceptions.
How are critical periods critical for normal sensory and perceptual development? In other
words, how does “Use it or lose it” apply here?

Perceptual Adaptation:
o Example:
IN CLASS: Describe the experience with the perception goggles. How did you adapt?
17
Mod 20: Hearing (pg. 194-199)

Audition:
The Stimulus Input: Sound Waves
Fill in this chart with drawings to represent the physical properties of sound waves.
High
Low
Frequency
(Pitch)
Amplitude
(Loudness)

Amplitude determines what?

Frequency determines what?

What is sound measured in?
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The Ear
Ear Part
OUTER EAR
Pinna
Function
Ear Canal
Eardrum
MIDDLE EAR
Ossicle Bones
(hammer, anvil, stirrup)
INNER EAR
Cochlea
(oval window)
Semicircular Canals
(Basilar Membrane
Hair Cells
BRAIN
Thalamus
Auditory Cortex
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Summary of hearing: Fill in the blanks.
Vibrations cause the cochlea’s membrane to shake. This causes ripples in the
_________________________, bending the __________________________ lining its surface. Hair
cells convert the messages into neurons that are then sent by the ______________________
to the thalamus, then onto the ___________________ cortex in the ___________________lobe.
What is the difference between sensorineural hearing loss and conduction hearing loss?
How are hair cells involved in sensorineural hearing loss?
What are some biological changes linked with sensorineural hearing loss?
What causes conduction hearing loss?
How do Cochlear implants work to restore hearing to those with
conduction hearing loss?
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How do we interpret the loudness of a sound?
How do we perceive pitch?
Place Theory:
Frequency Theory:
Volley Principle:
How do we locate the source of sounds?
If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around, does it make a sound? Explain.
21
Mod 21: The Other Senses (pg. 202-212)
Touch:
What are the 4 distinct skin senses that make up touch? (Your body has these receptors.)
Why do you need to feel pain?
***Pain= combination of sense of touch and your BRAIN!!
How does the Gate-Control Theory (for pain) work?
How are phantom limb sensations a creation of the brain?
List 2 examples of psychological influences of pain.
1.
2.
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List 2 examples of social-cultural influences of pain.
1.
2.
Taste
What is the scientific name for taste?
What are the 5 basic tastes?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Describe the characteristics of Umami.
Give an example of umami food.
23
Taste is a chemical sense. What does that mean for how it works?
Smell
What is the scientific name for smell? (hint: it starts with an O)
Because it is a primitive sense, what part of the brain does smell bypass?
Do we have a distinct receptor for each detectable odor?
Odors have a huge power to trigger memories! Describe an odor and a personal memory
for YOU!
24
Body Position and Movement
What does your kinesthetic sense enable?
Where are the kinesthetic sensors found in your body?
What does your vestibular sense enable?
Where are the vestibular sensors found in your body?
Sensory Interaction:
o Example:
Describe the sensory interaction of the McGurk Effect.
Embodied Cognition:
o Example:
Synesthesia:
o Example
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Unit 4 Objectives:
Mod 16: Basic Principles of Sensation and Perception
1. Contrast sensation and perception, and explain the difference between bottom-up
and top-down processing.
2. Discuss how much information we can consciously attend to at once.
3. Identify three steps basic to all our sensory systems.
4. Distinguish between absolute and difference thresholds, and discuss whether we
can sense and be affected by stimuli below the absolute threshold.
5. Explain the function of sensory adaptation.
Mod 17: Influences on Perception
1. Explain how our expectations, contexts, emotions, and motivation influence our
perceptions.
2. List the claims of ESP, and discuss the conclusions of most research psychologists
after putting these claims to the test.
Mod 18: Vision
1. Describe the characteristics of visible light, and explain the process by which the
eye transforms light energy into neural messages.
2. Describe how the eye and brain process visual information.
3. Discuss the theories that help us understand color vision.
Mod 19: Visual Organization and Interpretation
1. Describe Gestalt psychologists’ understanding of perceptual organization, and
explain how figure-ground and grouping principles contribute to our perceptions.
2. Explain how we use binocular and monocular cues to perceive the world in three
dimensions and perceive motion.
3. Explain how perceptual constancies help us organize our sensations into meaningful
perceptions.
4. Describe what research on restored vision, sensory restriction, and perceptual
adaptation reveals about the effects of experience on perception.
Mod 20: Hearing
1. Describe the characteristics of air pressure waves, and explain the process by which
the ear transforms sound energy into neural messages.
2. Discuss the theories that help us understand pitch perception.
3. Describe how we locate sounds.
Mod 21: The Other Senses
1. Describe the sense of touch.
2. Discuss how we best understand and control pain.
3. Describe the senses of taste and smell.
4. Explain how we sense our body’s position and movement.
5. Describe how our senses interact.
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Know these vocabulary!
1 Sensation
2 Perception
3 Bottom up processing
4 Top down processing
5 Selective attention
6 Inattentional Blindness
7 Cocktail Party Effect
8 Absolute threshold
9 Signal detection theory
10 Subliminal Stimulation
11 Difference threshold
12 Weber’s Law
13 Sensory Adaptation
14 Transduction
15 Hue & Intensity of light
16 Accommodation of the lens
17 Path of light through the eye
18 Retina
19 Rods
20 Cones
21 Blind spot
22 Fovea
23 Feature Detector Cells
24 Young-Helmholtz trichromatic
theory
25 Opponent process theory
26 Frequency and pitch
27 Path of sound through the ear
28 Ossicles
29 Cochlea & Hair cells
30 Place theory
31 Frequency Theory
32 Conduction Hearing Loss
33 Sensorineural Hearing Loss
34 Kinesthetic Sense
35 Vestibular Sense
36 Gate Control Theory of Pain
37 Sensory Interaction
38 McGurk Effect
39 Synesthesia
40 Gustation
41 Olfaction
42 Gestalt
43 Figure-Ground
44 Visual Cliff
45 Binocular cues
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
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Retinal Disparity
Monocular cues (know them all!)
Phi Phenomenon
Stroboscopic Effect
Perceptual Constancy
Perceptual Adaptation
Perceptual Set