PSY100Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Sensory Neuron, Absolute Threshold, Retina
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Document Summary
Introduction to psychology: sensation and perception: sensation is the stimulation of sense organs, perception is the selection, organization, and interpretation of. Thresholds: sensory receptors are tuned to a particular form of energy. Auditory receptors in the ear code for sound pressure: sensory systems require a minimum amount of energy for changes, not for light activation (absolute threshold) Just-noticeable difference (jnd): the minimum difference in stimulation that is just noticeable: weber noted that the jnd is a fraction of the original stimulus intensity: the fraction is different for different senses. The visual system: the eye detects electromagnetic radiation (light) Light detection is useful because: allows for detection of movement (predator or prey?, allows for detection of color (ripe or spoiled?) Light interacts with the surfaces of objects in the environment (is reflected or absorbed) Light travels through the retina to impinge on photoreceptors at the back of the eye. Light bleaches a pigment contained within the photoreceptors:
