Psychology 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Parallel Computing, Basilar Membrane, Taste

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Dr.Mike

Document Summary

Receptors translate stimulus properties into nerve impulses (transduction) Neural representation is compared with previously stored info in brain. Matching process results in recognition and interpretation of stimuli. Sensation: the stimulus-detection process by which our sense organs respond to and translate environmental stimuli into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain. Perception: the active process of organizing the stimulus input and giving it meaning. We are all born synesthetic, neutal pathways of infants are undifferentiated leading to cross model perception. Two types of sensitivity: absolute limits of sensitivity, differences between stimuli. Absolute threshold: lowest intensity at which a stimulus can be correctly detected 50% of the time. Difference threshold: smallest difference between two stimuli that can be perceived 50% of the time (just noticeable difference jnd) Weber"s law: to perceive a difference between two stimuli, one must differ by a constant ratio.