Chapter 6
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
- Define and differentiate between sensation and perception and discuss the difference between top-down and bottom-up approaches to studying sensation and perception.
- Explain the relationship between psychophysics, absolute thresholds, and difference thresholds.
- Compare and contrast signal detection theory, the method of limits, and the method of constant stimuli as they relate to studying sensation and perception.
- Discuss the role of selective attention in our perception and identify the limits of human beings with regard to their ability to attend to multiple stimuli.
- Discuss the positive and negative effects of a restricted environment. Discuss what factors might influence the effects of such deprivation.
- Identify and describe the parts of the eye, explain how each is related to the processing of visual stimuli, and trace light through the visual system to the brain.
- Explain the role of receptive fields, what and where receptors are, and eye movement in visual perception.
- Characterize the relationship between the psychological and physical properties of color. Specifically, compare and contrast trichromatic and opponent-process theories as they relate to color blindness.
- Explain how our visual perception system and experience allow us to maintain a uniform view of the world by means of size and shape constancy.
- Explain how monocular and binocular cues are associated with depth perception.
- Characterize some of the common illusions we experience and examine how perception may be culturally dependent.
- Explain the phenomena of agnosia and prosopagnosia and discuss what factors might cause these difficulties.
- Discuss the Gestalt approach to conscious experience, describe five Gestalt laws of organization, and discuss some of the limitations of Gestalt theory.
- Identify two physical and two psychological properties of sound.
- List and describe the parts of the ear and explain how each part functions to process auditory stimuli.
- Compare and contrast the place and frequency theories of hearing and evaluate how modern researchers utilize these theories together.
- Discuss the two key concepts involved in sound localization, and define some of the common types of hearing impairments.
- Identify the four basic tastes and describe the phenomenon called sensory adaptation.
- Develop an understanding of olfaction in humans, and summarize the research comparing communication and smell in humans and animals.
- Summarize the structure and function of the skin and its relationships to touch and tickling.
- Examine the physical and psychological aspects related to pain, discuss factors involved in pain control and management, and explain the neuromatrix theory.
- Explain the systems involved in balance and body control.
