Psychology 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Visual Cortex, Auditory Cortex, Color Vision

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Terry Biggs

Document Summary

Contact between brain and outer world is made possible by specialized sensory receptors. Convert light waves, sound waves and other forms of energy into nerve impulses. Some species have additional senses (carrier pigeons and magnetic fields, sharks and electric currents, rattle snakes and infrared) Transduction- process which converts stimulus into nerve impulses. Sensory systems are designed to extract information from the environment needed for survival and function. Psychophysics- studies the relations between physical characteristics of stimuli and sensory capabilities. What"s the smallest difference in brightness that we can detect. How intense must a stimulus be before we can detect its presence- Absolute threshold- lowest intensity at which a stimulus can be detected correctly 50% of the time. Estimated ie for vision, its seeing a candle flame ~50km away. Subliminal stimulus so weak or brief that all though received by senses cannot be perceived consciously. Can affect attitudes and behaviour to a limited extent without our knowing.