PS101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Absolute Threshold, Occipital Lobe, Visual Cortex
Document Summary
Perception: selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory input. Psychophysics: the study of how physical stimuli are translated into psychological. Just noticeable difference (jnd): smallest difference detectable: absolute threshold: detected 50% of the time. Weber"s law: size of jnd proportional to size of initial stimulus. Signal-detection theory: sensory processes + decision processes. Light: electromagnetic radiation: amplitude: perception of brightness, wavelength: perception of colour, purity: mix of wavelengths (saturation) Perception of saturation or richness of colours. Components: cornea: where light enters eye, lens: focuses light rays on the retina, iris: coloured ring of muscle, constricts or dilates via amount of light, pupil: regulates amount of light, saccades. Retina: absorbs light, processes images, and sends information to the brain. Optic disk: where the optic nerve leaves the eye/blind spot. Receptor cells: rods: black and white/low light vision, cones: colour and daylight vision. Adaptation: becoming more or less sensitive to light as needed.
