Ch. 5 Topics

1. The process of transduction.
Transduction is the result of special neurons, that are in the sense organs, that pick up physical and chemical stimulation. The neurons then code the information into a signal that can be translated by other neurons as it is sent back to the brain.
2. The concept of difference threshold.
A difference threshold is the smallest difference that a person can detect. All of the senses of the body are not "supersonic" for instance, and the difference threshold changes with each person because of damage, environment, etc.
3. The receptors for sound and how they are activated.
Auditory neurons in the thalamus extend to the primary auditory cortex (A1) in the temporal lobe. Neurons in the rear of A1 hear lower frequencies, while neurons in the front of A1 hear higher pitches.
4. The three psychological dimensions of color.
The hue of a color is its identity or name, e.g., red. The brightness or lightness of a color is its shade or tint. The saturation of a color is its closeness to the actual color or its concentration, such as a glob of gray with just a drop or two of red.
5. The concept of opposite colors.
Opposite colors come from the ganglia cells of the optic nerve. These cells receive excitatory input from one type of cone but are then inhibited by another type of cone.