PSYC 2000 Chapter : Ch 3 Notes
Document Summary
Transduction- process of converting outside stimuli into neural activity. Absolute threshold- minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time. Difference threshold- minimum difference between two stimuli that we detect 50% of the time (also called the just noticeable difference . Weber"s law- difference thresholds increase in proportion to the size of the stimuli. Two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount) to be perceived as different. Signal detection theory- no single absolute threshold, detection depends on our psychological state. Subliminal perception- stimuli acting on our unconscious mind and influencing our behavior. Priming- an earlier stimulus influences the response to a later stimulus. Subliminal stimuli- those stimuli just strong enough for our sensory receptors to pick them up, but not strong enough for us to be consciously aware of them. Cocktail party effect: your ability to attend to only one voice among many.
