St.

Joseph College of Bulacan

San Jose Patag, Sta. Maria Bulacan
Psychology Department

PHYSIOLOGICAL/ BIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY

FINAL PERIOD
NOVEMBER 5, 2020

OTHER SENSORY SYSTEMS

Audition - transduction of sound waves into a neural signal that is made possible by the structures of the ear
AMPLITUDE – intensity of sound waves
FREQUENCY – number of compressions per second

Divisions of the Ear:

A. Outer Ear
Pinna - large, fleshy structure on the lateral aspect of the
head
Ear Canal - carries sound waves to the eardrum.
Tympanic Membrane (Eardrum) - vibrates from sound
waves, setting the middle ear bones in motion
B. Middle Ear
Ossicles (3 tiny bones that are attached)
● malleus (or hammer) - long handle attached to the
eardrum
● incus (or anvil) - the bridge bone between the
malleus and the stapes
● stapes (or stirrup) - the footplate; the smallest bone
in the body
C. Inner Ear
Oval window - connects the middle ear with the inner ear
Semicircular ducts/canals - filled with fluid; attached to cochlea and nerves; send information on balance and head
position to the brain
Cochlea - spiral-shaped organ of hearing; transforms sound into signals that get sent to the brain
Eustachian tube - drains fluid from the middle ear into the throat behind the nose, helps regulate air pressure in
middle ear
Vestibular nerve - carries balance signals to the brain
Auditory nerve - carries sound signals to the brain

Pitch Perception
• PLACE THEORY - each frequency activates the hair cells at only one place and the nervous system distinguishes
among frequencies based on which neurons respond
• FREQUENCY THEORY - the basilar membrane vibrates in synchrony with a sound, causing auditory nerve
axons to produce action potentials at the same frequency

Hearing Loss - the loss of hearing in one or both ears, ranging from mild to profound. There are many causes, and it can
affect anyone at any age, but it's most common among people older than 60.

Types of Hearing Loss

1. Conductive Hearing Loss - caused by a mechanical problem in the outer or middle ear or an obstruction in the ear
canal, such as earwax that blocks sound from getting to the eardrum. It can be permanent, but more often it is
temporary and can be medically treated.
 2. Sensorineural Hearing Loss - the most common type of hearing loss. It is permanent and caused by many different
conditions that damage tiny hair-like cells in the inner ear or the auditory nerve. It can often result in difficulty
understanding sound or speech even though it is loud enough to hear.
3. Mixed Hearing Loss - when a person has both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

Touch, Pain and Pain Receptors

Pain - the experience evoked by a harmful stimulus
The pain-sensitive cells in the spinal cord relay information to several sites in the brain.

Ways of Relieving Pain

• Opioids and Endorphins
Opioids – drugs/medications that relieves or reduces pain
Endorphins – hormone releases in the body in response to pain or stress
• Placebos - substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value
• Cannabinoids and Capsaicin
Cannabinoids - compounds that make up the plants hemp and Marijuana
Capsaicin - an ingredient in many over-the-counter topical pain-relief preparations that causes a sensation
of heat that activates certain nerve cells. With regular use of capsaicin, this heating effect reduces the
amount of substance P, a chemical that acts as a pain messenger in the body
• Electrical Stimulation of the Nervous System - therapy involves the use of low-voltage electric currents to treat
pain (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)

Gustation/ Taste - a sense that develops through the interaction of dissolved molecules with taste buds

Currently five sub-modalities (tastes) are recognized, including sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami (savory taste
or the taste of protein).
When stimuli enter the oral cavity, they may bind to the taste cell membrane receptors, pass through specific
channels, or activate ion channels. These processes then trigger the taste cell to release neurotransmitters, sending a
signal to the brain.

Olfaction/ Smell - among the most preserved senses across species based on its fundamental role for survival.

Olfaction uses chemoreceptors that create signals processed in the brain that form the sense of smell. It occurs
when an odor binds to a receptor within the nose, transmitting a signal through the olfactory system. In humans, it mediates
safety, nutrition, sensation of pleasure, and general well-being.