Sensation Perception FRQ free essay sample

Signal Detection Theory- Predicts how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus amid background â€Å"noise† and that detection depends on a person’s experiences, expectations, motivations, and fatigue level. A more experienced soldier understands the situation better and knows better what to watch and listen for than a less-experienced soldier. Soldiers in battle may detect a faint stimulus more accurately than a civilian because they have more motivation to hear an enemy if it means saving their own life or the life of their fellow soldiers. Expecting trouble may increase the soldier’s chances of falsely detecting a threat. The fatigue level of the soldier may limit his ability to detect a possible threat Occipital Lobe- The occipital lobes are the portions of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head which interpret visual information. The occipital lobe will process/interpret/perceive the sense information from the soldier’s eyes to recognize possible threats. We will write a custom essay sample on Sensation Perception FRQ or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Basilar Membrane- The basilar membrane within the cochlea of the inner ear is a stiff structural element that separates two liquid-filled tubes that run along the coil of the cochlea. As a base for the sensory cells of hearing, the basilar membrane allows the soldier to hear gunshots or other potential threats to his camp. Olfaction- Olfaction is the sense of smell. When molecules of chemicals are inhaled through the nose, they dissolve in the mucus, and olfactory receptors send information to the olfactory bulb in the brain. Because the olfactory bulb is part of the limbic system, which controls emotions, smell is strongly linked to emotions. The soldier may smell gasoline, and then immediately warn his camp to evacuate because of a memory of a gas leak scent followed by an explosion. Absolute Threshold- Absolute threshold is the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus fifty percent of the time. If the stimuli