Sensation and Perception Study Guide

Unit Objectives (CCPO 6, MPO): upon completion of this lesson, students will
Assess the basic concepts and applications of the following core areas: sensation & perception.
Distinguish between sensation and perception.
Compare and contrast the process of transduction in each of the five senses.

Term

Transduction
Receptors

Sensation

Perception

Afferent Pathway

Sensory Adaptation

Absolute Threshold

Difference
Threshold (JND)

Webers Law

Signal Detection
Theory
Subliminal

Example/Memory
Peg

Definition

Sensation and Perception Study Guide

Unit Objectives (CCPO 6, MPO): upon completion of this lesson, students will
Assess the basic concepts and applications of the following core areas: sensation & perception.
Distinguish between sensation and perception.
Compare and contrast the process of transduction in each of the five senses.

Priming
1. Define:
2. Complete the chart.
Term

Definition
Draw an example:

Percept

Major unsolved mystery in cognitive

psychology concerning how the brain is able
to combine separate elements of sensation
into one percept.
Bottom-up processing
Top-Down Processing

Perceptual Constancy
How do the above shapes illustrate the
concept?

Illusions
Ambiguous Figures

3. The ambiguous figure shown in class illustrated ______________ processing. Why?

4. Complete the chart.

Sensation and Perception Study Guide

Unit Objectives (CCPO 6, MPO): upon completion of this lesson, students will
Assess the basic concepts and applications of the following core areas: sensation & perception.
Distinguish between sensation and perception.
Compare and contrast the process of transduction in each of the five senses.

Learning Theories of Perception:

Gestalt Theories

_________________
Term

Definition

Term

Definition

Learning based
inference
Perceptual Set

Ground
Closure

Write a sentence
which illustrates the
concept of
Perceptual Set

Draw an example:

5. Complete the chart.

Gestalt Laws of
Perceptual Grouping

Illustrate

Similarity

XO XO XO XO

Define

Sensation and Perception Study Guide

Unit Objectives (CCPO 6, MPO): upon completion of this lesson, students will
Assess the basic concepts and applications of the following core areas: sensation & perception.
Distinguish between sensation and perception.
Compare and contrast the process of transduction in each of the five senses.

Continuity

Pragnanz

6. Briefly describe the fundamental difference between the learning and Gestalt theories
of perception.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
7. Define Transduction and explain how it is related to sensation and perception.

8. Label the structures of the eye and identify their functions.

9. Complete the sentence:

Sensation and Perception Study Guide

Unit Objectives (CCPO 6, MPO): upon completion of this lesson, students will
Assess the basic concepts and applications of the following core areas: sensation & perception.
Distinguish between sensation and perception.
Compare and contrast the process of transduction in each of the five senses.

The _________________ houses the photoreceptors known as _______ and

_________. The ___________ are used most at ____________, and the
____________ are sensitive to wavelength.
10. Transduction of Light: Using the diagram below as a guide, describe the process of
transduction of light, starting with the lens of the eye, and ending at the appropriate
structure of the brain.

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

11. Complete the chart.

Intensity
(Amplitude/ Strength)

Sensation and Perception Study Guide

Unit Objectives (CCPO 6, MPO): upon completion of this lesson, students will
Assess the basic concepts and applications of the following core areas: sensation & perception.
Distinguish between sensation and perception.
Compare and contrast the process of transduction in each of the five senses.

Physical Element

Psychological Experience

Color

13. Complete the chart.

Physical Element
Frequency

Psychological
Volume
Experience

14. Use the diagrams below to describe the transduction of sound, starting with the external
canal, and ending with the appropriate structure of the brain. In your answer, include all relevant
structures and their functions.

Sensation and Perception Study Guide

Unit Objectives (CCPO 6, MPO): upon completion of this lesson, students will
Assess the basic concepts and applications of the following core areas: sensation & perception.
Distinguish between sensation and perception.
Compare and contrast the process of transduction in each of the five senses.

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
15. Complete the chart.
Sense

Area of Transduction

Sight
Hearing
Skin Senses
Olfaction (Smell)
Gustation (Taste)
Vestibular
Kinesthetic

16. Describe the Gateway Theory of pain perception.

17. What is the placebo effect?

Brain Structure for Perception