PSYC 2000 Chapter : Chapter 3
Document Summary
Sensation is the activation of receptors in the various sense organs eyes, ears, nose, skin, and taste buds. Transduction is the conversion of outside stimuli into a neural signal in the brain. Sensory receptors are specialized forms of neurons; the cells that make up the nervous system. Just noticeable difference (jnd or the difference threshold) is the smallest difference between 2 stimuli that is detectable 50% of the time. Absolute threshold is the smallest amount of energy needed for a person to consciously detect a stimulus 50% of the time it is present. Supraliminal stimuli being above the threshold of consciousness or of sensation. Habituation is the tendency of the brain to stop attending to constant, unchanging information. Sensory adaptation is the tendency of sensory receptor cells to become less responsive to a stimulus that is unchanging. The energy these receptors respond to is light. Light: contains the properties of both waves and particles.
