AP Psych Vocab #16

Who are supertasters?

• People with a heightened sense of taste for certain foods and flavors, comprising 25% of the population.

• Individuals who cannot taste any flavors at all.

• People who have a normal sense of taste like the majority of the population.

• Those who can only taste sweet and salty flavors.

What is bottom-up processing?

• A method of understanding sensory input by starting with the details and building up to a whole perception. Example: Recognizing a melody by identifying each note.

• A cognitive process that begins with a preconceived idea and looks for evidence to support it. Example: Assuming a creature is dangerous based on its appearance.

• Starting with sensory input, the brain attempts to understand or make sense of it. Example: Seeing a long, slim, slithering creature and recognizing it as a snake.

• A technique used in problem-solving that involves breaking down a problem into smaller parts and solving each part individually.

Where are taste receptors located?

• In the taste buds located on the top and side of the tongue.

• In the olfactory bulbs of the brain.

• On the surface of the skin.

• In the inner ear.

What is phantom limb pain?

• Pain felt in a limb that has been amputated, originating from the brain itself and often treated with mirrors.

• A type of pain that occurs in the remaining part of the limb after amputation.

• Pain that occurs in the opposite limb of an amputated leg.

• A psychological condition where the individual believes they still have their limb.

What are semicircular canals?

• Part of the inner ear containing receptors that help with the vestibular sense.

• Structures in the outer ear that amplify sound waves.

• Fluid-filled tubes in the brain responsible for balance.

• Nerves that transmit auditory signals to the brain.

What is perceptual set?

• A mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another, influenced by prior assumptions, tendencies, and expectations.

• A technique used to enhance memory retention through repetition.

• A psychological condition where one loses the ability to perceive reality accurately.

• A method of analyzing data to identify patterns and trends.

What is the vestibular sense?

• Sense that monitors head position and movement, also known as the sense of balance.

• Sense responsible for detecting taste and flavor.

• Sense that allows us to perceive light and color.

• Sense that helps us hear and interpret sounds.

What is inattentional blindness?

• Failing to see visible objects when attention or focus is directed elsewhere.

• Seeing all objects clearly regardless of focus.

• Being unable to focus on any object at all.

• A condition where one can only see objects in their peripheral vision.

Who are nontasters?

• People with a minimum number of taste receptors, comprising 25% of the population.

• Individuals who can taste all flavors intensely.

• People who have an average number of taste receptors, comprising 50% of the population.

• Individuals who cannot taste any flavors at all.

What is top-down processing?

• A method of perception that relies solely on sensory input.

• Guided by experience and higher-level processes, we see what we expect to see.

• A technique used to enhance sensory perception through training.

• A cognitive process that involves analyzing data from the environment without prior knowledge.