Ariana Hancock
Section: B4
Clicker ID: 855DDC
1. Contrast sensation and perception, and b) explain the differences between bottom up and
top down processing.
Sensation is how the body uses our senses to experience the things around us. Perception is how
the body then interprets that experience or basic sensory data in order to make sense of it.
Without sensation allowing us to feel what is around us, there would be no perception to make
sense of the sensations and allow us to figure out patterns in sensory stimulation. For example,
our ears are stimulated by hearing sound waves, but perception allows the sound waves to be
categorized as a familiar sound of talking, singing, or crying etc. Bottom up processing is how
we look at a visual stimulus, for example bottom up processing is responsible for seeing lines,
angles, shapes, etc. that make up an image and it allows us to see the full image. Bottom up
processing deals with the sensory receptors and sensations. Top down processing deals with
perception, top down processing allows us to make sense of the visual stimulus and interpret its’
meaning.
2. Describe the major structures of the eye. Explain how they guide an incoming ray of light
toward the eye’s receptor cells. Contrast the two types of receptor cells in the retina.
There are seven major structures of the eye: the cornea, lens, iris, pupil, retina, optic nerve and
the blind spot The cornea allows light to enter the eye. The iris controls how much light enters
the eye. The pupil is the opening in the eye that light passes through. The retina contains
photoreceptors that allow the conversion of light. The lens allows the eye to focus on the light.
The place where the optic nerve leaves the eye is known as the blind spot/optic disc. The optic
nerve serves as the connection of the eye to the brain and its’ purpose is to transfer what the eye
sees to the brain. An incoming ray of light would first go in through the cornea, then it will pass
through the pupil which is the opening in the eye, and depending on how strong the ray of light
is, the iris will either expand or contract in order to adjust to the intensity. Next, after the ray of
light goes through the pupil it will interact with the lens which allows an image to be developed
on the retina. There are two types of receptor cells in the retina: rods and cones. Rods are what
help us see during the night as they work in low light levels, it is also used in peripheral vision.
Cones are what allows our eyes to focus on the small details of visual stimulation and it works
with showing distinctions of colors and it functions under bright light.
Section: B4
Clicker ID: 855DDC
1. Contrast sensation and perception, and b) explain the differences between bottom up and
top down processing.
Sensation is how the body uses our senses to experience the things around us. Perception is how
the body then interprets that experience or basic sensory data in order to make sense of it.
Without sensation allowing us to feel what is around us, there would be no perception to make
sense of the sensations and allow us to figure out patterns in sensory stimulation. For example,
our ears are stimulated by hearing sound waves, but perception allows the sound waves to be
categorized as a familiar sound of talking, singing, or crying etc. Bottom up processing is how
we look at a visual stimulus, for example bottom up processing is responsible for seeing lines,
angles, shapes, etc. that make up an image and it allows us to see the full image. Bottom up
processing deals with the sensory receptors and sensations. Top down processing deals with
perception, top down processing allows us to make sense of the visual stimulus and interpret its’
meaning.
2. Describe the major structures of the eye. Explain how they guide an incoming ray of light
toward the eye’s receptor cells. Contrast the two types of receptor cells in the retina.
There are seven major structures of the eye: the cornea, lens, iris, pupil, retina, optic nerve and
the blind spot The cornea allows light to enter the eye. The iris controls how much light enters
the eye. The pupil is the opening in the eye that light passes through. The retina contains
photoreceptors that allow the conversion of light. The lens allows the eye to focus on the light.
The place where the optic nerve leaves the eye is known as the blind spot/optic disc. The optic
nerve serves as the connection of the eye to the brain and its’ purpose is to transfer what the eye
sees to the brain. An incoming ray of light would first go in through the cornea, then it will pass
through the pupil which is the opening in the eye, and depending on how strong the ray of light
is, the iris will either expand or contract in order to adjust to the intensity. Next, after the ray of
light goes through the pupil it will interact with the lens which allows an image to be developed
on the retina. There are two types of receptor cells in the retina: rods and cones. Rods are what
help us see during the night as they work in low light levels, it is also used in peripheral vision.
Cones are what allows our eyes to focus on the small details of visual stimulation and it works
with showing distinctions of colors and it functions under bright light.
