PSYCH 1 Lecture 3: Sensation and Perception
Document Summary
In the first few classes, we looked at how neurons and the brain are arranged and connected. Sensation: the conversion of energy from the environment into a pattern of responses by that nervous system. In order to understand perception, we first need to understand sensation. Our ears have specialized cells that can convert tiny mechanical movement caused by changes in air pressure into a neurological signal. Our touch system contains receptors that are sensitive to physical pressure, and chemical stimulation. Our nose and tongue have cells that can convert molecules into signals. We have specialized cells in the back of our eyes that have the ability to convert electromagnetic energy into a neural signal so the brain can process it. Light is composed of pulses of electromagnetic energy that vary in both wavelength and amplitude. We process both amplitude and frequency of that light. The amplitude of the electromagnetic wave is what determines the intensity (brightness) of the light.
