PSYC 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Inner Ear, Semicircular Canals, Psychophysics
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PSYC 101 Full Course Notes
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Transforming sensory input (light, sound waves, etc) into neural impulses our brain can interpret. Sensory adaptation and selective attention help us manage the stimuli that come at us all the time. Failure to detect change when attention is focused elsewhere, or when our vision is interrupted by saccade or other obstruction. Neurons fire more often as sound gets louder. High pitch (place theory): vibrate parts of basilar membrane near oval window. Medium pitch (volley theory): fire in middle of basilar membrane, but out of sync. Low pitch (frequency theory): fire neurons in tip of basilar membrane. Differentiate different instruments playing same note because of different timbres, different waveforms. Ringing noise: sign of irreversible damage to cilia. Should be exposed to 100dba less than 15 minutes per day. Semicircular canals: influence our vestibular sense (balance) dependant on fluid in semicircular canals. Stacks up in inner ear gel, alcohol is lighter than gel.