PSYC 215 Chapter Notes -Postcentral Gyrus, Cerebral Cortex, Auditory Cortex
Document Summary
Page 3-26, 23 pages page 1 of 9. Introduction: although subjectively our perception seems direct, immediate, and effortless, it is very complex. The cerebral cortex is devoted entirely to perception, and deficits wrought by brain damage demonstrate the sophistication of brain processes (e. g. prosopagnosia, cannot recognize familiar faces, including one"s own): our perceptual decisions are variable. In marginal conditions when stimuli are very close together or indistinct, perceptual responses are probabilistic. Vibrations in air become vibrations in fluid of inner ear, then mechanical stimulation of cilia: transduction: energy signal is turned into electrical signals action potentials or membrane potential changes. This happens in the sensory periphery in order to transmit to the cns: e. g. It is important for generating, controlling, and guiding adequate behaviour: coding: e. g. Information about frequency, intensity, and timing of the sound are preserved: transmission & propagation: electrical signals are relayed by neurotransmitters across synapses.