Module 8Sensing the World Around Us

Chapter 3, Pages 90-96Essentials of Understanding Psychology- Sixth Edition

PSY110 Psychology

© Richard Goldman

October 9, 2006

Sensation

Sight Day Night Color

Sound Frequency (pitch) Intensity (loudness) Attitude (balance)

Taste Sweet Sour Salty Bitter

Touch Feel (Tactile) Pain Temperature

The receiving of a stimulus by a sense organs

Perception

Interpretation of a stimulus Screening of a stimulus Analysis of a stimulus Integration of a stimulus

Stimulus

Energy that produces a response in a sense organ Intensity Sensitivity Range

Importance to Psychologist

Much of human behavior it linked to perception

Psychophysics

The study of the relationship between stimuli and psychological experience

Absolute Threshold

The minimum level of intensity required for something to be sensed

Noise

Background stimuli that interfere with perception of a target stimuli

(moviemakers use auditory background sound to convey ambiance)

Difference Threshold

Minimum difference in level of intensity to notice a change

Called: Just Noticeable Difference

Weber’s Law (vay-ber)

Expressed as a ratio – it takes the same relative level difference to perceive a difference at a low intensity as it would at high intensity

Adaptation

Decrease in the perceived intensity of stimuli over time