Deck 3: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Signal detection theory suggests that deciding whether a stimulus is present depends partly on the ________ and partly on the potential gain or loss associated with deciding that it is present or absent.

A) the strength of the stimulus
B) the focus of your attention
C) probability that the stimulus will occur
D) level of your anxiety

Answer 1

probability that the stimulus will occur

Question 2

The discrimination of a stimulus from background noise and the decision that the stimulus is present combine in the view known as

A) top-down processing.
B) just noticeable difference.
C) Weber's Law.
D) signal detection theory.

Answer 2

signal detection theory.

Question 3

The process by which sensory receptors convert sensory stimulation into neural impulses is called

A) refraction.
B) convergence.
C) sublimation.
D) transduction.

Answer 3

transduction.

Question 4

Transduction refers to

A) the conversion of sensory stimulation into neural impulses by the sensory receptors.
B) illusions that result from overgeneralizing from experiences.
C) the process of subliminal perception.
D) hallucinations that occur due to sensory deprivation situations.

Question 5

Weber's law best fits sensory stimuli that are

A) fairly weak.
B) neither very strong nor very weak.
C) fairly weak through very strong.
D) very strong.

Question 6

Which of the following is listed in your textbook as a "secondary sense?"

A) smell
B) vision
C) balance
D) touch

Question 7

According to its definition, the absolute threshold is the minimum amount of sensory stimulation that a person can

A) detect at least once in ten trials.
B) never detect.
C) detect 50 percent of the time.
D) always detect.

Question 8

________ furnishes the raw material of sensory experience; ________ provides the finished product.

A) Perception; sensation
B) Perception; transduction
C) Sensation; perception
D) Sensation; transduction

Question 9

The minimum amount of physical stimulation necessary for us to experience a sensation 50 percent of the time is called the

A) blind spot.
B) difference threshold.
C) figure to ground ratio.
D) absolute threshold.

Question 10

"The information brought to us by our various senses" is a description of

A) sensation.
B) reception.
C) perception.
D) transduction.

Question 11

The process by which sensory receptors convert sensory stimulation-light, sound, odours, etc.-into neural impulses is called

A) transduction.
B) stimulus generalization.
C) perception.
D) signal detection.

Question 12

The process through which the senses detect sensory stimuli and transmit them to the brain is called

A) perception.
B) reception.
C) consciousness.
D) sensation.

Question 13

In psychophysics, JND stands for

A) Jung's noticeable difference.
B) just neural distance.
C) Jung's neural distance.
D) just noticeable difference.

Question 14

Detecting a candle 48 kilometres away on a clear, dark night, and tasting a teaspoon of sugar dissolved in 9 litres of water are examples of

A) absolute thresholds.
B) difference thresholds.
C) perceptual constancies.
D) transduction.

Question 15

Psychologists define the absolute threshold as the minimum amount of sensory stimulation that can be detected

A) 25 percent of the time.
B) 50 percent of the time.
C) 75 percent of the time.
D) 100 percent of the time

Question 16

The process through which we interpret and organize information brought to us by our various senses is called

A) sensation.
B) somnambulism.
C) convergence.
D) perception.

Question 17

Which of the following statements correctly describes our ability to detect differences in stimulus intensity?

A) The amount of change needed to detect differences in stimulation is identical for each sense.
B) Larger changes in strong stimuli are needed to detect changes than are needed for weak stimuli.
C) The same amount of change is needed to detect changes in weak stimuli and in strong stimuli.
D) Larger changes in weak stimuli are needed to detect changes than are needed for strong stimuli.

Question 18

Tina was walking through the woods, and she saw something moving. When she came closer to it, she realized the movement was a deer. Being able to identify the animal was a product of

A) convergence.
B) perception.
C) reception.
D) aphasia.

Question 19

Weber's law best fits people with

A) specialized training.
B) both good abilities and specialized training.
C) average sensitivities.
D) exceptionally good abilities.

Question 20

Sensory information is organized and interpreted by the brain through the process of

A) transduction.
B) consciousness.
C) perception.
D) sensation.

Question 21

In the eye, the information contained in light makes contact with the _________ first; and with the __________ last

A) fovea; lens
B) lens; fovea
C) optic nerve; cornea
D) cornea; optic nerve

Question 22

Which of the following is the correct order for light as it moves toward the retina?

A) lens, cornea, pupil
B) pupil, lens, cornea
C) cornea, pupil, lens
D) pupil, cornea, lens

Question 23

The tough, transparent, protective layer covering the front of the eye is called the

A) iris.
B) pupil.
C) lens.
D) cornea.

Question 24

The two muscles in the ________ dilate and contract the ________, thus regulating the amount of light entering the eye.

A) fovea; retina
B) iris; pupil
C) pupil; lens
D) cornea; lens

Question 25

Which sensory organ provides our most valued sensory experience?

A) ear
B) nose
C) tongue
D) eye

Question 26

The amount of light that enters into the eye is controlled by the

A) lens.
B) retina.
C) cornea.
D) iris.

Question 27

We experience a sensation when

A) a stimulus is sent towards us.
B) the sensory receptor is stimulated.
C) we understand what it is.
D) the appropriate part of the brain is stimulated.

Question 28

As light enters the outer surface of the eye, what structure bends the rays of light so that they travel through the pupils?

A) cornea
B) lens
C) iris
D) retina

Question 29

Which of the following is not true of sensory receptors?

A) They provide the sensory link between the physical sensory world and the brain.
B) They are specialized to detect and respond to one type of sensory stimuli.
C) They transduce sensory stimuli into neural impulses.
D) They are located in the brain.

Question 30

Visible light is ________ the total electromagnetic spectrum.

A) greater than
B) a small part of
C) equal to
D) a large part of

Question 31

Each morning when Jackie goes to work at the dry cleaners, she smells the strong odour of cleaning fluid. After she is there for a few minutes, she is no longer aware of it. What accounts for this?

A) sensory adaptation
B) the just noticeable difference
C) signal detection theory
D) transduction

Question 32

If your pupil is quite large, you are probably looking at an object

A) that is very close.
B) that is very far away.
C) in bright lighting.
D) in dim lighting.

Question 33

After working for several hours at a computer terminal and using the word processor to prepare a term paper, the fact that you no longer hear the hum of the computer's electrical system is a result of

A) signal detection.
B) minimum absolute thresholds.
C) difference thresholds.
D) sensory adaptation.

Question 34

Sensory stimulation from the external world is converted into neural impulses by the

A) brain.
B) sensory receptors.
C) thalamus.
D) sensory glia.

Question 35

The process of becoming less sensitive to a stimulus that remains constant over time is known as

A) sensory detection.
B) signal detection.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) signal adaptation.

Question 36

As we grow older, our lens loses some elasticity-that is, it loses the ability to change its shape to accommodate for near vision, a condition called

A) accommodation failure.
B) myopia.
C) presbyopia.
D) anhedonia.

Question 37

If your pupil is quite constricted, you are probably looking at an object

A) in dim lighting.
B) in bright lighting.
C) that is very close.
D) that is far away.

Question 38

Which of the following is not true with regard to the functioning of the pupils in the eye?

A) Two muscles in the iris control pupil size.
B) Pupils help regulate the amount of light admitted to the eye.
C) Pupils can contract to the size of the head of a pin.
D) We can voluntary control pupil contraction.

Question 39

The flattening and bulging action of the lens is known as

A) accommodation.
B) adjustment.
C) dilation.
D) assimilation.

Question 40

The ________ performs the first step in vision by bending the light rays inward

A) lens cover
B) iris
C) cornea
D) retina

Question 41

Which of the following is true of the cones?

A) They allow us to see colour.
B) They are not very good in detecting fine details.
C) They function best in dim light.
D) They adapt more readily than rods to the dark.

Question 42

What is the transparent structure behind the iris that changes shape as it focuses images on the retina?

A) the blind spot
B) the cornea
C) the lens
D) the pupil

Question 43

Which of the following is not true of the image on the retina?

A) It is reversed left to right.
B) It is strongest where the optic nerve exits the eye.
C) It is strongest at the fovea.
D) It is upside down.

Question 44

Which of the following is not true of cones?

A) They play a key role in colour vision.
B) They are more numerous than rods.
C) They are critical in our ability to notice fine detail.
D) They function best in bright light.

Question 45

The reason that the blind spot is not perceived as a black hole in our visual field is

A) that the optic nerve connects at the blind spot, and it is where we have the highest concentration of cones and rods.
B) that the blind spot doesn't really exist.
C) because we usually have both eyes open, and each eye provides a slightly different view.
D) that the optic nerve connects at the blind spot and it contains cones to allow us to see colour.

Question 46

The retina is about the size of

A) a small postage stamp.
B) this typed O.
C) a mustard jar lid.
D) a quarter.

Question 47

Which of the following is true?

A) You have more rods in the fovea and more cones in the rest of the retina.
B) You have many more rods than cones.
C) You have many more cones than rods.
D) You have about equal numbers of cones than rods.

Question 48

If your lens is flattened, you are probably looking at an object

A) in dim lighting.
B) that is far away.
C) in bright lighting.
D) that is very close.

Question 49

If your lens is bulging in the centre, you are probably looking at an object

A) that is very far away.
B) in bright lighting.
C) in dim lighting.
D) that is very close.

Question 50

The fovea is

A) the periphery of the retina that contains only rods.
B) the area of the retina that contains both rods and cones.
C) the spot where the optic nerve connects to the eye.
D) an area of the retina that contains only cones.

Question 51

The image on the retina is

A) strongest at the point where the optic nerve exits the eye.
B) upside down and reversed left to right.
C) clear, even for people who are nearsighted or farsighted.
D) weakest at the fovea.

Question 52

The condition that occurs when the lens focuses images of distant objects in front of, rather than on the retina is called

A) shortsightedness.
B) nearsightedness.
C) farsightedness.
D) presbyopia.

Question 53

Changes in a chemical called _____, found in the rods, enable us to adapt to the darkness of a movie theatre or to the brightness of a beach on a sunny day.

A) serotonin
B) rhodopsin
C) vitreal
D) GABA

Question 54

The need for reading glasses or bifocals in middle age is due to the

A) reduced ability of the iris to dilate.
B) reduced ability of the lens to accommodate for far vision.
C) reduced ability of the lens to accommodate for near vision.
D) reduced ability of the iris to contract.

Question 55

The name of the condition that occurs in middle age and involves lessened ability of the lens to accommodate is called

A) presbyopia.
B) astigmatism.
C) myopia.
D) hyperopia.

Question 56

The fovea is located

A) behind the retina.
B) in front of the retina.
C) at the periphery of the retina.
D) in the centre of the retina.

Question 57

Which of the following statements is not true?

A) Rods allow us to see in very dim light.
B) Cones are the receptors that allow us to see colour.
C) Rods respond to only black and white.
D) Cones are the receptors that allow us to see fine detail.

Question 58

The flattening and bulging action of the lens is known as

A) transduction.
B) accommodation.
C) assimilation.
D) opponent-processing.

Question 59

The clearest point of your vision in the daytime is

A) at the fovea.
B) not located on any particular spot of the retina.
C) at the point where the optic nerve connects with the eye.
D) at the periphery of the retina.

Question 60

The condition that occurs when the lens focuses images of distant objects behind, rather than on the retina is called

A) shortsightedness.
B) farsightedness.
C) nearsightedness.
D) presbyopia.

Question 61

Which of the following colours has the longest wavelength (i.e., is highest in nanometres)?

A) yellow
B) green
C) blue
D) red

Question 62

Brightness is determined by ________ and hue is determined by ________.

A) wavelength; intensity
B) wavelength; saturation
C) intensity; saturation
D) intensity; wavelength

Question 63

As a wavelength of light is mixed with other wavelengths, we can say the colour becomes

A) purer.
B) more intense.
C) a hue.
D) less saturated.

Question 64

Where the optic nerve exits the eye, there are

A) equal numbers of rods and cones.
B) more cones than rods.
C) neither rods nor cones.
D) more rods than cones.

Question 65

The point at which the optic nerve exits the eye is called the

A) sclera.
B) retina.
C) fovea.
D) blind spot.

Question 66

Hue is to ________ of light as brightness is to ________ of light.

A) wavelength; purity
B) wavelength; intensity
C) intensity; purity
D) wave complexity; intensity

Question 67

Hue refers to the

A) actual colour we view.
B) purity of the colour we view.
C) brightness of the colour we view.
D) saturation of the colour we view.

Question 68

Before light can reach visual receptors in the retina, rods, and cones, it must actually pass through all of the following, except

A) ganglion cells
B) amacrine cells
C) vertical cells
D) bipolar cells

Question 69

Visual information is carried to the brain by the

A) optic nerve.
B) auditory nerve.
C) papillae.
D) hair cells.

Question 70

Which of the following statements is not true of the work of Hubel and Weisel?

A) They were able to insert electrodes into single cells in the visual cortexes of cats.
B) They demonstrated that adjacent neurons can alter the type of information to which their neighbours are sensitive.
C) They discovered that each neuron responds to only one specific type of visual pattern.
D) They discovered feature detectors.

Question 71

The cones perform better than the rods in each of the following conditions, except

A) helping you pick out puzzle pieces with similar detail when you are working on a jigsaw puzzle.
B) helping you see well on a bright, sunny day.
C) helping you find a seat in a darkened movie theatre.
D) helping you detect subtle colour differences in fabric samples.

Question 72

The ophthalmologist is examining a part of your eye in which you have mostly rods. She is looking at which portion of the retina?

A) the periphery
B) the blind spot
C) the fovea
D) the centre

Question 73

Which of these statements accurately describes the visual pathway?

A) Information from the right half of each eye goes to the right hemisphere and from the left half to the left hemisphere.
B) Information from the right eye goes to the right hemisphere and from the left eye to the left hemisphere.
C) Information from the right eye goes to the left hemisphere and from the left eye to the right hemisphere.
D) Information from the right half of each eye goes to the left hemisphere and from the left half to the right hemisphere.

Question 74

The dimensions of colour that we experience are

A) hue, brightness, and saturation.
B) brightness, intensity, and hue.
C) purity, intensity, and wavelength.
D) hue, wavelength, and intensity.

Question 75

Neural impulses are carried from the retina to the thalamus by the ________ and then relayed to their final destination, the ________.

A) rods and cones; optic nerve
B) optic nerve; optic chiasm
C) optic nerve; primary visual cortex
D) optic chiasm; primary visual cortex

Question 76

About ________ percent of the primary visual cortex is dedicated exclusively to analyzing input from the fovea, which is a very small but extremely important part of the retina.

A) 10
B) 25
C) 50
D) 100

Question 77

Bright light is to ________ as dim light is to ________.

A) bipolar cell; ganglion cell
B) ganglion cell; bipolar cell
C) rod; cone
D) cone; rod

Question 78

You can find the highest concentration of rods in the

A) centre of the retina.
B) blind spot.
C) periphery of the retina.
D) fovea.

Question 79

Which of the following physical properties of light contribute to your experiences of hue or colour?

A) wavelength
B) wave complexity
C) amplitude
D) intensity

Question 80

Brightness refers to the

A) purity of the colour we view.
B) intensity of the colour we view.
C) saturation of the colour we view.
D) wavelength of the colour we view.