PSY B110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Gustav Fechner, Absolute Threshold, Hair Cell
Document Summary
Sensation: the detection of physical stimulus such as light, sound, heat, or pressure. Perception: process by which the brain organizes and interprets sensations to make them meaningful. Sensory receptors: specialized neurons that convert physical energy to neuron impulses. Transduction: conversion of one form of energy to another. Physical energy converted to coded neural signal that can be processed by the brain. Transduction: sensory receptors (rods and cones) in the retina. Transduction: sensory receptors (hair cells) in the cochlea. Sensory stimulus: pressure, vibration, heat/cold, tissue damage. Transduction: sensory receptors in the skin, muscles, joints. Sensory stimulus: odorant molecules floating in the air. Transduction: sensory receptors (olfactory receptors) in nose. Sensory stimulus: molecules dissolved in our food. Transduction: sensory receptors (taste buds) on the tongue, mouth. As early as 1800 s scientists study sensory thresholds. Absolute threshold: the smallest possible strength of a stimulus that can be detected half of the time.
