- sensation
o
detect, encode info
- perception
o
select, organize, interpret info
o
gestalt
§ organized whole
- bottom-up processing
o
analysis begins at sense receptor
- top-down processing
o
interpretation based on experience, expectation
- thresholds
o
absolute threshold (AT)
§ minimum amount needed to
detect
o
subliminal stimulation (SS)
§ below AT
§ 1956 study
§ can we sense SS?
§ can SS persuade?
· fleeting effect
· Canadian TV experiment
· must be desire/motivation
o
difference thresholds
§ JND = just noticeable
difference
§ minimum amount needed to detect
difference between stimuli
o
sensory adaptation
§ diminished sensitivity to
unchanging stimulus
§ positives
§ negatives
- touch
o
essential to development
o
4 skin senses
§ pressure, pain, cold, warm
§ specialized nerve endings
- pain
o
what is it?
§ occurs in brain
· phantom limb phenomenon
o
7 in 10 amputees
o
brain misinterprets stimulation
§ how does it occur?
· gate control theory
o
small fiber = pain
o
large fibers = stop pain
§ rub, ice, acupuncture
§ distraction
o
acute vs. chronic pain
o
4 sensations
§ salty, sweet, sour, bitter
o
chemical sense
§ 200 taste buds per bump
§ 50 taste receptors per bud
o
influences
§ 5 million smell receptors
· detect 10,000 odors
o
functions
§ memory, emotion, motivation
§ possible illness
o
gender-related odors
§ discriminate M vs. F?
o
pheromones
§ influences sexual behavior
§ menstrual synchrony
· similar cycles
Extrasensory
Perception (ESP)
- parapsychologists
- types
o
telepathy
§ mind to mind communication
o
clairvoyance
§ perceive remote events
o
precognition
§ perceive future events
o
psychokinesis
§ control objects with mind
o
premonitions
§ predict the future
- testing ESP
o
not found
§ reproducible ESP phenomenon
§ person with psychic
abilities
o
ganzfeld procedure
§ sensory deprivation
§ Bem and Honorton research
- believing in ESP
o
why?