PSY-1200 Chapter Notes - Chapter 18-33: Detection Theory, Absolute Threshold, Neural Adaptation
12 Dec 2018
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Document Summary
Module 18 - basic concepts of sensation and perception. Sensation - the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and representing stimulus energies from our environment. Perception - process of organization and interpreting sensory information enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events. Bottom up processes starts at the sensory receptors and works up higher levels of processing. Top down processing constructs perceptions from the sensory input by drawing on our experience and expectations. All of our senses receive sensory stimulation, transform it into neural impulses, and send these impulses to our brain - converting one form of energy into another in a process known as. Absolute threshold - minimum stimulation necessary to detect a particular sense 50% of the time. Signal detection theory - a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise).
