UNLV PSY 305 Exam 1
Questions & Answers
sensation - ANSWERSdetect or process environmental info
perception - ANSWERSinvolves higher-order mechanisms of awareness (interpreting what you
detect)
the perceptual process - step 1 - ANSWERSenvironmental stimulus
anything in the environment we observe or sense
distal stimulus - ANSWERSsomething processed in the distance; out in the environment
proximal stimulus - ANSWERSsomething processed in the body
the perceptual process - step 2 - ANSWERSprinciples of transformation and representation
transformation - ANSWERSstimulus changes from environmental to perception (distal to
proximal)
representation - ANSWERSstimulus is formed (represented) based on receptors and the nervous
system
the perceptual process - step 3 - ANSWERSreceptors/transduction
,sensory receptors - ANSWERSnerve cells that respond to environmental energy
tranduction - ANSWERSchange from environmental energy to electrical energy in the brain
the perceptual process - step 4 - ANSWERSneural processing
sensory receptors send electrical signals to the brain
cerebral cortex - ANSWERSgray matter; skin of brain; contains the lobes
occipital lobe - ANSWERSvisual
temporal lobe - ANSWERSauditory
parietal lobe - ANSWERSsomatosensory (touch)
frontal lobe - ANSWERSmotor area; receives signals from other senses
the perceptual process - step 5 - ANSWERSperception
conscious awareness; what we observe
the perceptual process - step 6 - ANSWERSrecognition
provides meaning to what we observe
, perception vs recognition - ANSWERSseeing something vs knowing what something is
the perceptual process - step 7 - ANSWERSaction
to do something about your sensory experiences
knowledge - ANSWERSinfo we bring to a situation to perceive a stimulus; influences our
recognition; categorize
bottom-up processing (data-based) - ANSWERSperceive something based on incoming data
without prior knowledge (from scratch)
top-down processing (knowledge based) - ANSWERSperceive based on prior knowledge,
experience, and expectation
7 steps of the perceptual process - ANSWERS1. environmental stimulus
2. principles of transformation and representation
3. receptors/transduction
4. neural processing
5. perception
6. recognition
7. action
3 types of relationships used to study the perceptual process - ANSWERS1. stimulus-behavior
2. stimulus-physiology
3. physiology-behavior
Questions & Answers
sensation - ANSWERSdetect or process environmental info
perception - ANSWERSinvolves higher-order mechanisms of awareness (interpreting what you
detect)
the perceptual process - step 1 - ANSWERSenvironmental stimulus
anything in the environment we observe or sense
distal stimulus - ANSWERSsomething processed in the distance; out in the environment
proximal stimulus - ANSWERSsomething processed in the body
the perceptual process - step 2 - ANSWERSprinciples of transformation and representation
transformation - ANSWERSstimulus changes from environmental to perception (distal to
proximal)
representation - ANSWERSstimulus is formed (represented) based on receptors and the nervous
system
the perceptual process - step 3 - ANSWERSreceptors/transduction
,sensory receptors - ANSWERSnerve cells that respond to environmental energy
tranduction - ANSWERSchange from environmental energy to electrical energy in the brain
the perceptual process - step 4 - ANSWERSneural processing
sensory receptors send electrical signals to the brain
cerebral cortex - ANSWERSgray matter; skin of brain; contains the lobes
occipital lobe - ANSWERSvisual
temporal lobe - ANSWERSauditory
parietal lobe - ANSWERSsomatosensory (touch)
frontal lobe - ANSWERSmotor area; receives signals from other senses
the perceptual process - step 5 - ANSWERSperception
conscious awareness; what we observe
the perceptual process - step 6 - ANSWERSrecognition
provides meaning to what we observe
, perception vs recognition - ANSWERSseeing something vs knowing what something is
the perceptual process - step 7 - ANSWERSaction
to do something about your sensory experiences
knowledge - ANSWERSinfo we bring to a situation to perceive a stimulus; influences our
recognition; categorize
bottom-up processing (data-based) - ANSWERSperceive something based on incoming data
without prior knowledge (from scratch)
top-down processing (knowledge based) - ANSWERSperceive based on prior knowledge,
experience, and expectation
7 steps of the perceptual process - ANSWERS1. environmental stimulus
2. principles of transformation and representation
3. receptors/transduction
4. neural processing
5. perception
6. recognition
7. action
3 types of relationships used to study the perceptual process - ANSWERS1. stimulus-behavior
2. stimulus-physiology
3. physiology-behavior
