AP Psych. Vocab. 84-104

The process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life.

• imprinting

• critical period

• object permanence

• maturation

Our understanding and evaluation of who we are. (~8-10 years of age)

• self concept

• imprinting

• object permanence

• maturation

The process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment.

• perception

• sensation

• processing

• self concept

The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events.

• absolute threshold

• perception

• sensation

• processing

Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information.

• bottom up processing

• top down processing

Information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experiences and expectations.

• bottom up processing

• top down process

The minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time.

• sensation and perception

• parallel processing

• absolute threshold

• sensory adaptation

Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation.

• sensation and perception

• sensory adaptation

• parallel processing

• absolute threshold

A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another.

• absolute threshold

• sensory adaptation

• sensation and perception

• parallel processing

The processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain’s natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision. Contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving.

• absolute threshold

• sensation and perception

• parallel processing

• sensory adaptation