Are You Highly Sensitive? A Self- test. Read and answer survey questions Add your total range between = sensitive

Unit 5: Sensation and Perception

Objective 1: What are sensation & perception? Sensation –the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment Perception –process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events One continuous process

Prosopagnosia

Objective 2: What three steps are basic to all our sensory systems? 1.receive sensory information 2.transform that stimulation into neural impulses 3.deliver the neural information to your brain TRANSDUCTION – the process of converting one form of energy into another form that your brain can use

Objective 3: What are absolute & difference thresholds? What is Weber’s Law? Absolute threshold the minimum stimulation necessary to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time.

Thresholds Difference Thresholds Difference threshold Just noticeable difference (jnd) Smallest difference between 2 stimuli which a subject can detect at least 50% of the time The detectable difference increases w/ the size of the stimulus

Weber’s Law Two stimuli must differ by a constant proportion not a constant amount for a difference to be detected The louder the sound is, the brighter a light is, the more you would have to change it, proportionally, to notice a difference

If the just-noticeable difference (jnd) for a 10 ounce weight is 1 ounce, the jnd for an 80 ounce weight would be _____ ounces a. 1 b. 2 c. 4 d. 8 e. 10

Joey’s bag of marbles is twice as heavy as Luke’s. If it takes 5 extra marbles to make Luke’s bag feel heavier, it will take 10 extra marbles to make Joey’s bag feel heavier. This best illustrates a. absolute threshold b. sensory adaptation c. Weber’s Law 2 stimuli must differ by a constant proportion for their difference to be perceived

Just noticeable difference

If an adult develops cataracts, his or her A. absolute threshold for light is likely to increase. B. difference threshold for light is likely to decrease. C. absolute threshold for light is likely to decrease. D. difference threshold for light is likely to remain unchanged. E. Absolute threshold for light is likely to remain the same.

Some people are better than others at detecting slight variations in the tastes of various blends of coffee. This best illustrates the importance of A. Absolute threshold B. Difference threshold C. Subliminal stimulation

You are going to briefly look at a picture then answer some questions. DO NOT DWELL ON THE PICTURE. Look at it long enough to “take it all in” once. After this, you will answer a series of yes/no questions. Circus act - training a sealCostume Ball - Dancing HEADS DOWN – CLOSE EYES

Raise Your Hand for a “Yes” Answer In the picture, was there: an automobile? a man? a woman? a child? an animal? a whip? a sword? a man’s hat? a ball? a fish? (masking stimulus)

…Objective 3… Subliminal Under awareness Prime To be made aware of a stimulus to “get ready” for a stimulus activates unconscious awareness

Objective 4: Subliminal Persuasion Messages under our awareness that get you to alter your behavior

Another One Bites The Dust

Objective 5 What function does sensory adaptation serve? Sensory adaptation Reduced sensitivity to a repeated stimulus Helps us notice new stimuli in our environment Keeps our senses from getting fatigued

Perceptual Set A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not the other Brain Games: Seeing Isn’t Believing

Objective 6 Perceptual Set can effect what we see Perceptual set can effect what we hear Context Effects Culture perspective