PSY100H1 : PSYCH CH. 4.doc
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PSY100H1 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
Perception = the selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory input. Sensation involves the absorption of energy, such as light or sound waves, by sensory organs such as ears and eyes. Perception involves organizing and translating sensory input into something meaningful. Psychophysics: the study of how physical stimuli are translated into psychological experience. Sensation begins with a stimulus: any detectable input from environment. Threshold: the dividing point between energy levels that do and do not have a detectable effect. Jnd: the smallest difference in the amount of stimulation that a specific sense can detect: very similar to absolute threshold, absolute threshold = jnd from nothing (no stimulus input) The smallest detectable difference is a fairly stable proportion of the size of the original stimulus. This means that perceptions can"t be measured on absolute scales. In terms of sensory experience, virtually everything is relative.
