Sensation and Sensation and PerceptionPerception
ThEcOwgAvecOlaThEcOwgAvecOla ““The Cow Gave Cola”The Cow Gave Cola”
.rat eht saw tac ehT.rat eht saw tac ehT ““The cat saw the rat” or “the cat was The cat saw the rat” or “the cat was
the rat”the rat”
I cdnuolt bleveiee taht I cloud aulacity I cdnuolt bleveiee taht I cloud aulacity uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervy lteter by huamn mnid deos not raed ervy lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh, and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling huh? yaeh, and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! was ipmorantt!
Spps y wrt n ntrstng stry. Spps t Spps y wrt n ntrstng stry. Spps t ws th bst stry y hd vr wrttn. Nw tk ws th bst stry y hd vr wrttn. Nw tk tht splndd stry nd rs ll th vwls. rs tht splndd stry nd rs ll th vwls. rs thm ll ntl th stry mks n sns bcs, thm ll ntl th stry mks n sns bcs, wll, wht s wrd wtht vwl? spps wll, wht s wrd wtht vwl? spps thr r sm wrds wth n vwl. Th wrd thr r sm wrds wth n vwl. Th wrd “my” fr nstnc hs n vwl, bt sn’t “my” fr nstnc hs n vwl, bt sn’t thr syng, “nd smtms y?” stry thr syng, “nd smtms y?” stry wtht vwls wld b cnfsng, prplxng, wtht vwls wld b cnfsng, prplxng, cmpltly bfflng. Wld y b bl t rd cmpltly bfflng. Wld y b bl t rd t? Wld y b bl t cmprhnd wht th t? Wld y b bl t cmprhnd wht th stry ws syng?stry ws syng?
Sensation and Sensation and PerceptionPerception
Sensation- the process of receiving Sensation- the process of receiving information from the environmentinformation from the environment
Perception- the process of organizing Perception- the process of organizing sensory information and making it sensory information and making it meaningfulmeaningful
Absolute Threshold- the level of sensory Absolute Threshold- the level of sensory stimulation needed for sensation (and stimulation needed for sensation (and thus perception) to occurthus perception) to occur Ex. A dim light in a well light room is barely Ex. A dim light in a well light room is barely
visible, yet highly visible in a dark roomvisible, yet highly visible in a dark room Ex. Slight ding is barely audible in a noisy Ex. Slight ding is barely audible in a noisy
room, yet highly audible in a quiet roomroom, yet highly audible in a quiet room
Sensation and Sensation and PerceptionPerception
Subliminal Perception (Subliminal Subliminal Perception (Subliminal Messages)- stimulation that is below our Messages)- stimulation that is below our threshold and takes place below our level threshold and takes place below our level of consciousnessof consciousness
Watch clips Watch clips
of moviesof movies
Does subliminal Does subliminal
advertising work?advertising work?0
25
50
75
100
Low Absolutethreshold
Medium
Intensity of stimulus
Percentageof correctdetections
Subliminal stimuli
Sensation and Sensation and PerceptionPerception
Weber’s Law- to perceive a Weber’s Law- to perceive a difference between 2 stimuli, they difference between 2 stimuli, they must differ by constant proportionmust differ by constant proportion
Sensory Adaptation- diminished Sensory Adaptation- diminished sensitivity with constant stimulationsensitivity with constant stimulation Ex. Smell when you walk in a restaurantEx. Smell when you walk in a restaurant Ex. Light in a movie theaterEx. Light in a movie theater
Whorff HypothesisWhorff Hypothesis Show list of colors and label the colorsShow list of colors and label the colors
List as many words for “love” as you canList as many words for “love” as you can List as many words for “snow” as you canList as many words for “snow” as you can
Whorff Hypothesis- the more words a culture Whorff Hypothesis- the more words a culture has for something, the more they perceive ithas for something, the more they perceive it
Ex. Teenagers can think of many words for loveEx. Teenagers can think of many words for love
Ex. Eskimos have many words– we have only a Ex. Eskimos have many words– we have only a fewfew
Sensation- VisionSensation- Vision
Vision- sense of seeing
White Light- light as it originates (off the sun or off a bulb) before it is broken into different frequencies
Vision contVision cont
Cornea- clear outer covering of the eyeCornea- clear outer covering of the eye Pupil- adjustable opening in the eyePupil- adjustable opening in the eye
black circleblack circle Gets larger in darkness to allow more light Gets larger in darkness to allow more light
in, and smaller in brightness to keep light in, and smaller in brightness to keep light outout
Iris- colored circular muscle that opens Iris- colored circular muscle that opens and closes the pupiland closes the pupil
Lens- behind pupil to change shape and Lens- behind pupil to change shape and focus the image in the retinafocus the image in the retina
Vision contVision cont
Retina- inner surface in the back of the Retina- inner surface in the back of the eye which contain million of receptorseye which contain million of receptors
Rods- visual receptor for black and white Rods- visual receptor for black and white Cones- visual receptors for colorCones- visual receptors for color Page 95 in the book Fire TruckPage 95 in the book Fire Truck Fovea- central part of the retina where Fovea- central part of the retina where
cones exist and images are projectedcones exist and images are projected Optic Nerve- carries visual information Optic Nerve- carries visual information
to the brain for interpretationto the brain for interpretation
Vision contVision cont
Blind Spot- portion of the retina Blind Spot- portion of the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye, where the optic nerve exits the eye, and there are no rods and conesand there are no rods and cones
Put hand over one eye, place other Put hand over one eye, place other hand straight out at arms length and hand straight out at arms length and one finger up, move hand SLOWLY one finger up, move hand SLOWLY outward, finger will “disappear”outward, finger will “disappear”
Page 94 in the bookPage 94 in the book
Vision contVision cont NearsightedneNearsightedne
ss- see nearby ss- see nearby objects more objects more clearlyclearly
FarsightednesFarsightedness- see faraway s- see faraway objects more objects more clearlyclearly
Color Color Blindness- Blindness- inability to inability to perceive perceive certain colors certain colors such as red such as red and greenand green
Color blind Color blind test page 96test page 96
Vision contVision cont Afterimage- image that remains after Afterimage- image that remains after
stimulation of the retina has endedstimulation of the retina has ended Cones not used fire to bring the visual Cones not used fire to bring the visual
system back in balancesystem back in balance
Another afterimage activity on page 97
VisionVision
Opponent Processing Theory- Opponent Processing Theory- opposing retinal processes enable opposing retinal processes enable color visioncolor vision
Red – GreenRed – Green Blue – YellowBlue – Yellow Black – WhiteBlack – White
Sensation- HearingSensation- Hearing
Audition- sense of hearingAudition- sense of hearing Pitch- how high or low a sound isPitch- how high or low a sound is
Depends on the frequency- how many Depends on the frequency- how many times the wave passes through a pointtimes the wave passes through a point
Timbre- the complexity of a soundTimbre- the complexity of a sound Intensity- how loud a sound isIntensity- how loud a sound is Decibels- measure of sounds Decibels- measure of sounds
intensity (loudness)intensity (loudness)
Hearing contHearing cont Eardrum- piece of skin stretched tightly over Eardrum- piece of skin stretched tightly over
the entrance to the earthe entrance to the ear Like a real drumLike a real drum Sound waves hit the ear drum and vibrate, causing Sound waves hit the ear drum and vibrate, causing
connected bones to vibrateconnected bones to vibrate Cochlea- snail shaped part of the ear filled with Cochlea- snail shaped part of the ear filled with
liquid and small hairsliquid and small hairs Cilia- hair cells in the cochlea that receive Cilia- hair cells in the cochlea that receive
different frequenciesdifferent frequencies Like strings on a musical instrumentLike strings on a musical instrument
Auditory Nerve- bundle of nerves that carry Auditory Nerve- bundle of nerves that carry sound from the ear to the brainsound from the ear to the brain
Sensation- TouchSensation- Touch
Cutaneous Receptors- nerve receptors in Cutaneous Receptors- nerve receptors in the skin which respond to pressure, the skin which respond to pressure, temperature, and paintemperature, and pain
3 Sensations of touch:3 Sensations of touch: PressurePressure TemperatureTemperature PainPain
Sensation- SmellSensation- Smell
Olfaction- the sense of smellOlfaction- the sense of smell Olfactory bulbs- units that receive Olfactory bulbs- units that receive
odor molecules and communicate odor molecules and communicate their nature to the braintheir nature to the brain
Pheromones- odor chemicals that Pheromones- odor chemicals that communicate a messagecommunicate a message
Smell contSmell cont
Women
Men
10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89 90-99Age Group
4
3
2
0
Numberof correct
answers
Women and young adults have best sense of smell
Sensation- TasteSensation- Taste Taste Receptors- chemical receptors on Taste Receptors- chemical receptors on
the tongue that decode molecules of food the tongue that decode molecules of food or drink to identify themor drink to identify them
4 Sensations of Taste:4 Sensations of Taste: SaltSalt SweetSweet SourSour BitterBitter