CAS PS 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Absolute Threshold, Sensory Neuron, Decibel

• School: Boston University
• Department: Psychological & Brain Sciences
• Course: CAS PS 101
• Professor: Martha Tompson

Document Summary

Sensation the process of detecting a physical stimulus. Perception process of integrating, organizing, and interpreting sensations. Sensory receptors: special cells unique to each sensory organ. Transduction: physical energy is converted to a neural signal. Absolute threshold: smallest of a sense that can be detected half of the time (ex. you can taste 1 tsp of sugar in 2 gallons of water, you can seesee a candle 30 miles away) Difference threshold: smallest possible difference that can be detected half of the time. Weber"s law size of the jnd will vary depending on the strength of the original stimulus (ratio) Sensory adaptation decline in sensitivity to a constant stimulus. Rays bounce off objects and go through the cornea (clear membrane) Pupil is a muscle that changes its opening to let in different amounts of light. Retina is where the receptor cells are housed. Two receptors: rods and cones (mostly rods), not equi-positioned.