Sensation & Perception
Sensation:
stimulation of sensory receptors.
Transmission of sensory information to brain.
Perception:
Process by which sensations are organized and
interpreted, forming an inner representation of
the world.
Fechner’s Psychophysics (1860)
Sensation & Perception
Internet Listening & General Fun:
Radio Lab (www.wnyc.org)
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Season Two: “Musical Language”, “Where Am I?”
http://www.girlsgotech.org/mixed_messages.html
http://www2.b3ta.com/clickthecolour/
Learning Objectives:
Vision
Taction
Audition
Vestibular
Olfaction
Kinesthesis
Gustation
Psychophysics
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Gustav Fechner
“Elements of Psychophysics” 1860
Considered by many as the true birth of
Psychology as a science.
Psychophysics: gap between the physical
and psychological worlds.
Sensation & Perception
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Sensation:
 stimulation
of sensory receptors.
 transmission of sensory information to the
brain.
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Perception:
 Process
by which sensations are
organized and interpreted, forming an
inner representation of the world.
Overview of the Senses
Physical Energy Senses
Vision / Audition / Taction
Chemical Senses
Gustation / Olfaction
Motion-Gravity Senses
Vision
Sensing and perceiving light waves
Lightwaves vary in length and amplitude
Wave length = affects color perception
Wave amplitude = affects brightness
Light is the source of all color.
Additive (light) vs. Subtractive
(pigment)
Vision
(L)
ROY G BIV
(S)
So what colors are missing?
Structures of the Eye
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Cornea: allows light in
Iris: muscle
Pupil: controls amount of light
Lens: focuses light
Retina: receives information about light
Retina
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Inner membrane of eye, receives
information about light using rods &
cones.
Functions much like the spinal cord:
acts as an “information superhighway”.
Rods
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125 million, rod shaped receptors
sensitive only to intensity of light
important for night (very sensitive),
and peripheral vision (many are
located on periphery of retina).
Cones
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6.5 million, cone shaped receptors.
transmits sensation of colors.
mostly located around the center of
the eye (fovea).
Important in daylight and color vision.
Don’t work well in dim light.
Fovea
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Located near the center of the retina.
most dense with cones and some rods.
Vision is most acute,
where you bring images into focus.
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Fovea means “pit”
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Optic Nerve
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Transmits sensory information from
eye to brain (Occipital lobe of
cerebral cortex).
Converting physical energy into
meaningful information for the brain.
Critical Thinking Challenge
Theories of Color Vision
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Trichromatic Theory
 Afterimage
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(a problem)
Opponent-Process Theory
Trichromat (normal color vision)
Color Blindness
Dichromat, Monochromat
Visual Perception
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Gestalt Psychologists
Wertheimer,
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Kohler, Koffka
Gestalt rules
Top-Down Processing
Bottom-Up Processing
Perception of Movement
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Illusions (misperceptions)
Autokinetic Effect
Stroboscopic Motion
Phi-Phenomenon
Some Fun Phenomenon
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Attention: Cocktail Party Effect
Stroop Effect
GREEN / RED
3 PARTS OF THE EAR
PART
OUTER
FUNCTION
STRUCTURE(S)
FUNNELS
Pinnas or Auricles
sound waves
MIDDLE
AMPLIFIES
sound waves
TRANSLATES
INNER
information for brain
Eardrum, hammer, anvil,
& stirrup
Cochlea,
Basilar Membrane,
Organ of Corti,
AUDITORY NERVE
Hearing Problems
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Conductive Deafness
Loss of conduction
Middle ear
Sensorineural Deafness
Damage to hair cells
inner ear
Chemical Senses
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Olfaction
Sampling odor molecules
Crucial contribution to gustation
Gustation
4 Primary taste qualities
10,000 taste buds
Taction
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Touch and Pressure
Temperature
Pain
Prostaglandins, Bradykinnin, Substance P
Gate Theory
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Kinesthesis: motion
(kinesis= motion, aisthesis=perception)
Vestibular Sense: inner ear
 Position
relative to gravity.
 Sense of equilibrium.
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ESP:
Is it sensory info?
 File-Drawer
Problem
 Déjà vu & Jamias vu