AP Psychology Sensation & Perception Vocab

Sensation

• the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment

• the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events

Perception

• the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment

• the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events

Bottom-up processing

• analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information

• information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

• the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time

• the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time (also called just noticeable difference)

Top-down processing

• analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information

• information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

• the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time

• the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time (also called just noticeable difference)

Absolute Threshold

• analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information

• information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

• the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time

• the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time (also called just noticeable difference)

Difference Threshold

• analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information

• information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations

• the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time

• the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time (also called just noticeable difference)

Subliminal

• below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness

• the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response

• conversion of one form of energy into another (transforming of stimulus energies such as sights, sounds, and smells into neural impulses our brains can interpret.

• diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

Priming

• below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness

• the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response

• conversion of one form of energy into another (transforming of stimulus energies such as sights, sounds, and smells into neural impulses our brains can interpret.

• diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

Transduction

• below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness

• the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response

• conversion of one form of energy into another (transforming of stimulus energies such as sights, sounds, and smells into neural impulses our brains can interpret.

• diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation

Sensory adaptation

• below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness

• the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response

• conversion of one form of energy into another (transforming of stimulus energies such as sights, sounds, and smells into neural impulses our brains can interpret.

• diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation