Across
- 2. analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information
- 7. a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). Assumes there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person’s experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness
- 10. the distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next. Electromagnetic wavelengths vary from the short blips of gamma rays to the long pulses of radio transmission
- 11. the principle that, to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage
- 12. the study of paranormal phenomena, including ESP and psychokinesis
- 14. technique whereby exposure to one stimulus influences a response to a subsequent stimulus, without conscious guidance or intention
- 16. below one’s absolute threshold for conscious awareness
- 18. the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina
- 21. the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them
- 22. the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
- 23. a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another
- 24. 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 brain can interpret
- 26. sensory nerve endings that respond to stimuli
- 28. the eye’s clear, protective outer layer, covering the pupil and iris
- 29. diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
- 30. the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters
Down
- 1. information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations
- 3. the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events
- 4. the minimum stimulus energy needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time
- 5. retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray, and are sensitive to movement; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don’t respond
- 6. a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening
- 8. in sensation and perception, the process by which the eye’s lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina
- 9. failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere
- 13. retinal receptors that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. Cones detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations
- 15. the controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input; includes telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition
- 17. failing to notice changes in the environment; a form of inattentional blindness
- 19. the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus
- 20. the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time. We experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference
- 25. the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
- 27. the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information