1. The Ear
Dr. Fred Hossler/ Visuals Unlimited
Preview Question 9: How does the ear transform sound energy into neural messages?

2. The Ear Outer Ear: Collects and sends sounds to the eardrum.
Middle Ear: Chamber between eardrum and cochlea containing three tiny bones (hammer, anvil, stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea’s oval window.
Inner Ear: Innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs.

3. Cochlea
Cochlea: Coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear that transforms sound vibrations to auditory signals.

4. Hearing clip

5. Theories of Hearing
Place Theory= pitch is determined by the location of greatest vibration on the basilar membrane; high pitch
Frequency Theory= pitch is determined by the frequency with which hair cells in the cochlea fire; low pitch
With age, hearing acuity declines (but deafness is not)
Surgery & digital technology

6. Smell
Most primitive sense

7. Smell and Memories
The brain region for smell (in red) is closely connected with the brain regions involved with memory (limbic system). That is why strong memories are made through the sense of smell.

8. Smell
Like taste, smell is a chemical sense. Odorants enter the nasal cavity to stimulate 5 million receptors to sense smell. Unlike taste, there are many different forms of smell.
Preview Question 15: How do we experience smell?

9. Smell
Our sense of smell is activated by complex protein called Odorant binding protein (OBP), produced in the nasal gland.
Olfactory bulb= the smell center of the brain
Women generally have a better sense of smell than men
Sharpest during the early adult years (20 yr. – 40 yr).
Pheromones= communicating molecules

10. Taste
Varies culture to culture because we are omnivores (eat everything)
Flavor is a combination of taste and smell

11. Taste (cont).
Taste buds= structures on the tongue that contain receptor cells for taste
Papillae= small bumps on the tongue that contain taste buds.

12. Taste
Traditionally, taste sensations consisted of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter tastes. Recently, receptors for a fifth taste have been discovered called “Umami”.
Identify taste within 1/10 of second
Preview Question 14: How do we experience taste?
Sweet
Sour
Salty
Bitter
Umami
(MSG)

13. Body Position and Movement
The sense of our body parts’ position and movement is called kinesthesis. The vestibular sense monitors the head (and body’s) position.
Bob Daemmrich/ The Image Works
Whirling Dervishes
Wire Walk

14. Skin is our largest sense organ!
Touch
The sense of touch is a mix of four distinct skin senses—pressure, warmth, cold, and pain.
Skin is our largest sense organ!
Preview Question 13: How do we sense touch and sense our body’s position and movement? How do we experience pain?
Bruce Ayers/ Stone/ Getty Images

15. Skin Senses
Only pressure has identifiable receptors. All other skin sensations are variations of pressure, warmth, cold and pain.
Pressure
Vibration
Vibration
Burning hot
Cold, warmth and pain

17. Ashley Blocker (right) feels neither pain
Pain tells the body that something has gone wrong. Usually pain results from damage to the skin and other tissues. A rare disease exists in which the afflicted person feels no pain.
AP Photo/ Stephen Morton
Ashley Blocker (right) feels neither pain
nor extreme hot or cold.

18. Biopsychosocial Influences

19. Gate-Control Theory
Melzack and Wall (1965, 1983) proposed that our spinal cord contains neurological “gates” that either block pain or allow it to be sensed.
Gary Comer/ PhototakeUSA.com

20. Pain Control
Pain can be controlled by a number of therapies including, drugs, surgery, acupuncture, exercise, hypnosis, and even thought distraction.
Placebo effect
Positive thinking
Todd Richards and Aric Vills, U.W.
©Hunter Hoffman,

21. Perception It takes place in the brain
Using sensory information as raw material, the brain creates perceptual experiences that go beyond what we sense directly.

22. Form Perception
Organization of the visual field into objects (figures) that stand out from their surroundings (ground).
Preview Question 17: How do figure-ground and grouping principles contribute to our perceptions?
Time Savings Suggestion, © 2003 Roger Sheperd.

23. Grouping
After distinguishing the figure from the ground, our perception needs to organize the figure into a meaningful form using grouping rules.

24. Perceptual Constancy
Perceiving objects as unchanging even as illumination and retinal images change.
Preview Question 20: How do perceptual constancies help us to organize our sensations into meaningful perceptions?

25. Color Constancy
Perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color even when changing illumination filters the light reflected by the object.
Color Constancy

26. Size-Distance Relationship
The distant monster (below, left) and the top red bar (below, right) appear bigger because of distance cues.
Alan Choisnet/ The Image Bank
From Shepard, 1990

27. Size-Distance Relationship
Both girls in the room are of similar height. However, we perceive them to be of different heights as they stand in the two corners of the room.
Both photos from S. Schwartzenberg/ The Exploratorium

28. Ames room clip

29. Distance and Depth Perception
The ability to judge distance and depth is critically important if an organism is to move freely in its environment.
Monocular cue = visual cues requiring the use of one eye
Binocular cue= visual cues requiring the use of both eyes

30. Monocular Cues
Linear perspective= two parallel lines that extend into the distance appear to come together at a point in the horizon

31. Monocular Cues
Texture gradient = an object that is close also seems to have a rough or detailed texture

32. Binocular Cues
Retinal disparity: Images from the two eyes differ. Try looking at your two index fingers when pointing them towards each other half an inch apart and about 5 inches directly in front of your eyes. You will see a “finger sausage” as shown in the inset.

33. Locating Sounds
Monaural cue= require one ear
Binaural cue= both ears

34. Perceiving movement
Both visual information from the retina and messages from the muscles around the eyes as they follow the object.
Real Movement= physical displacement of an object
In relation to the background which is perceived as stationary
Apparent Movement= perceive movement when object is standing still (autokinetic illusion)

35. Perceiving movement
Stroboscopic movement= rapid series of still images

36. Perceiving movement
Phi Phenomenon = apparent movement caused by flashing lights in sequences (theater marquee)

37. Visual Illusions
Illusions are misleading cues in stimuli that give rise to inaccurate or impossible perceptions

38. Perceptual Interpretation (cont).
Motivation
Values
Expectations
Cognitive Style
Experience and Culture
Personality

39. Review Game