Transcript Module 10
Module 10
Hearing and Other Senses
Chapter 3, Pages 108-120
Essentials of Understanding Psychology- Sixth Edition
PSY110 Psychology
© Richard Goldman
October 9, 2006
Ear
Converts sound waves into nerve pulses
Senses motion
Helps maintain balance
Ear Structure
Outer Ear
Pinna
Auditory canal
Eardrum (Tympanic
membrane)
Middle Ear
Ossicles (bones)
Hammer
Anvil
Stirrup
Eustachian tube
Inner Ear
Oval window
Cochlea
Basilar membrane
Hair cells
Auditory nerve
Semicircular canals (3) – motion
sensors
Otoliths- orientation & acceleration
sensors
Orientation &
Acceleration
Otoliths
Sound
Compression wave (not transverse) that travels through a
medium
Human can hear sound in the range of 20-20,000 Hz
(cycles per second) – pitch
Amplitude – Intensity of sound – measured in decibels (a
10X logarithmic scale) – sounds greater than 120db is
painful
Sensitivity –
Sound Waves
Sound Localization
Differences in intensity and time differences
between sound reaching each ear help the
brain determine what direction the sound
came from
Theories of Hearing
Place Theory – Excitation of specific
locations on the basilar is responsible for
frequency discrimination
Frequency Theory – Excitation across the
basilar membrane in sync with the sound is
responsible for frequency discrimination
Hearing Loss
Damage due to:
Physical damage – cotton swab (Q-tip)
Illness – Mumps
Prolonged exposure to loud sound
Brief exposure to very loud sound
My be corrected with:
Hearing aid – auditory discrimination is often a
problem
Cochlear implant
Deaf Culture
Some people believe that belonging to a deaf
culture is just a good as belonging to a
hearing culture.
Olfaction - Sense of Smell
Humans can detect > 10,000 separate smells
1,000 different specialized types of olfactory
cells
Pheromones – secreted odors use to
communicate
Gustation - Sense of Taste
Taste results from combinations of stimulating
4 different types of taste buds located on
tongue, in mouth, and throat.
Sweet
Sour
Salty
Bitter
Humans have about 10,000 different taste
buds
Each taste bud is replaced every 10 days
Interrelation of Taste and Smell
The perception of taste often relies on the
perception of smell to identify a food
substance
Skin Senses:
Touch
Pressure
Temperature
Pain
Pain
Gate-control theory - Pain is a perception
under control of the brain
Treatments:
Medication
Electro stimulation of the nerve
Light Therapy
Hypnosis
Surgery
Cognitive Restructuring - Rewrite of the pain
“script”