PSYCO104 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Detection Theory, Stimulus Modality, Absolute Threshold

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCO104
• Professor: Matthew Russell

Document Summary

People with this rare condition may experience sounds as colours or tastes as touch sensations that have different shapes. Specific parts of the brain are specialized for different sensory functions. In people with synesthesia there is some kind of cross wiring. Another theory is that there is a deficit in neural inhibitory processes in the brain that keep input from one sensory modality from overflowing into another sensory area and stimulating it. Transduction: translation of any kind of stimulus into nerve impulses. Feature detectors: specialized neurons that break down and analyze the specific features of the stimuli. Sensation: stimulus-detection process by which our sense organs respond to and translate environmental stimuli into nerve impulses that are sent to the brain. Perception: making sense of what our senses tell us. The active process of organizing stimulus input and giving it meaning. Psychophysics: studies relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli and sensory capabilities.