Deck 3: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Your brain and your body's __________ are crucial for adapting to and functioning in the world around you.

A) sensory adaptations
B) sensory stimuli
C) perceptual adaptations
D) sensations

Answer 1

sensations

Question 2

Human senses have evolved to help us __________ and _________ in the environment around us.

A) sense; adapt
B) adapt; survive
C) survive; thrive
D) sense; thrive

Answer 2

survive; thrive

Question 3

You go to a beach in Hawaii, and you see the black lava sand, smell the saltwater, hear the waves crashing on the beach, notice the warm sun on your skin, and feel the sand between your toes. The steps involved in coding these sensory stimuli occur in what order?

A) Sensory receptors transform the environmental stimulus into nerve impulses; neural messages are passed through specific nerve pathways; and neural information is interpreted in specialized sensory areas in the brain.
B) Neural messages are passed through specific nerve pathways; neural information is interpreted in specialized sensory areas in the brain; and sensory receptors transform the environmental stimulus into nerve impulses.
C) Sensory receptors transform the environmental stimulus into nerve impulses; neural information is interpreted in specialized sensory areas in the brain; and neural messages are passed through specific nerve pathways.
D) Neural information is interpreted in specialized sensory areas in the brain; sensory receptors transform the environmental stimulus into nerve impulses; and neural messages are passed through specific nerve pathways.

Answer 3

Sensory receptors transform the environmental stimulus into nerve impulses; neural messages are passed through specific nerve pathways; and neural information is interpreted in specialized sensory areas in the brain.

Question 4

If Miguel reports that his response time to the starter's pistol at a swim meet was faster than 100 milliseconds, you would argue that it was a false start, because __________.

A) research has shown that swimmers have higher absolute thresholds in response to the starting gun than runners' 150 millisecond threshold
B) research indicates that elite athletes have response time absolute thresholds around 250 milliseconds
C) research indicates that it is not possible for humans to have absolute thresholds of less than 100 milliseconds
D) research indicates that it is not possible for humans to have absolute thresholds of less than 125 milliseconds

Question 5

Suppose an air traffic controller is watching his screen on a heavy holiday travel day at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. There is a near miss between two planes because the controller misses both the icons representing the planes, due to numerous distractors present on the screen, and the warning signal, due to the many surrounding sounds in the air traffic control tower. The controller claims he never saw the problem. This was most likely due to __________.

A) inattentional blindness
B) the principle of continuity
C) amplitude modification
D) retinal disparity

Question 6

Bottom-up processing is initiated by __________.

A) knowledge stored in higher brain centers
B) expectations based on past experiences
C) an environmental stimulus
D) beliefs about the environmental conditions

Question 7

People's sensations can be influenced by their previous experiences or expectations due to __________.

A) top-down processing
B) complex processing
C) bottom-up processing
D) perceptual constancy

Question 8

__________ is a phenomenon that occurs when the stimulation of one sensory system (e.g., hearing music) triggers a sensation in a completely different sensory system (e.g., seeing colors).

A) Sensory compensation
B) Cross-modal compensation
C) Confused sensory processing
D) Synesthesia

Question 9

When Katie looks at a display made up of black numbers on a white background, she sees the numbers in color. She does not realize that she perceives things differently than most of the population. Katie can be described as a __________.

A) synesthete
B) perceptually sensitive person
C) sensory compensator
D) cross-modal perceiver

Question 10

The visible spectrum refers to the __________.

A) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye
B) intensity of light needed for people to see a stimulus
C) saturation range of a visual stimulus visible to humans
D) description of colors less visible to some men

Question 11

The shorter wavelengths in the visible spectrum are perceived as __________ colors.

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

Question 12

Kevin is creating a pale blue light, which means that the stimulus will be made up of a __________.

A) combination of multiple wavelengths associated with blue light
B) combination of blue and yellow light
C) combination of blue and white light
D) single wavelength of blue light

Question 13

Gustav presents you with two graphs representing the same wavelength of yellow light. The wavelength on the first graph is significantly taller than the wavelength on the second, indicating that the first has a higher amplitude. He asks you which yellow light you think will appear brighter, based on the height of the wavelengths. Based on your knowledge of light waves, you reply, __________.

A) "The lower amplitude light will appear brighter than the higher amplitude light"
B) "The higher amplitude light will appear brighter than the lower amplitude light"
C) "The lights will appear equally bright, since they are the same wavelength-the amplitude of the light wave does not affect brightness perception"
D) "The higher amplitude light will appear brighter because it is more saturated than the lower amplitude light"

Question 14

The height of a wavelength provides information about the __________ of a light stimulus.

A) frequency
B) amplitude
C) saturation
D) purity

Question 15

Many people wear glasses to correct for problems with focusing light on the retina of the eye. In many cases, this focusing problem can be attributed to __________.

A) the diameter of the pupil
B) the length of the eye
C) the color of the pupil
D) the shape of the iris

Question 16

Nearsighted is to farsighted as __________ is to __________.

A) cornea; lens
B) hyperopia; myopia
C) lens; cornea
D) myopia; hyperopia

Question 17

Which layer of the eye contains the photoreceptors?

A) Optic nerve
B) Retina
C) Cornea
D) Lens

Question 18

Where in the eye does a physical light stimulus become a neural message?

A) Optic nerve
B) Photoreceptors
C) Blind spot
D) Visual cortex

Question 19

Which of the following is true of rods?

A) They respond to color information.
B) They are found mainly in the fovea.
C) They operate mainly in the daytime-in bright levels of illumination.
D) They make up the majority of photoreceptors found in the retina.

Question 20

The optic nerve functions most similarly to which of the following?

A) The starter in a car
B) A toilet plunger
C) A telephone wire
D) A ping-pong table

Question 21

The "blind spot" in each eye is due to the __________.

A) corneal surface being inconsistent
B) concentration of cones in the foveal area of the retina
C) optic nerve passing through the retina as it leaves the eye
D) concentration of rods outside of the foveal region of the retina

Question 22

As the two optic nerves project to the back of the brain, they cross over at a junction called the __________.

A) optic junction
B) optic chiasm
C) optic cross-projection
D) optic lobe

Question 23

The idea that the eye contains three cone types-red, green, and blue-that allow us to see color based on their combined response is called the __________.

A) opponent-process theory
B) cone response theory
C) trichromatic theory
D) combined receptor color theory

Question 24

Which of the following is true about color blindness?

A) Only men have color blindness.
B) People may be unable to see hues at all.
C) It is more common in men than women.
D) All people with color blindness have rods only.

Question 25

Researchers have found that __________ allows color blind monkeys to distinguish between red and green hues-a task they could not perform previously.

A) light therapy
B) opponent-process therapy
C) trichromatic therapy
D) gene therapy

Question 26

Pitch is to frequency as __________ is to __________.

A) frequency; amplitude
B) volume; timbre
C) volume; amplitude
D) timbre; wave

Question 27

The basic function of the pinna is to __________.

A) protect the hair cells
B) funnel sound waves into the ear canal
C) amplify low-intensity sounds to detectable levels
D) transfer sound wave vibrations to the ossicles

Question 28

The eardrum (auditory canal) is responsible for __________.

A) protecting the hair cells
B) transferring sound wave vibrations to the ossicles
C) funneling sound waves into the ear canal
D) amplifying low intensity sounds to detectable levels

Question 29

What is the order in which the ear processes a sound wave, starting with the outer ear?

A) Pinna, auditory canal, eardrum, ossicles, cochlea, and auditory nerve
B) Pinna, eardrum, auditory canal, ossicles, auditory nerve, and cochlea
C) Auditory canal, pinna, eardrum, auditory nerve, ossicles, and cochlea
D) Auditory canal, eardrum, pinna, ossicles, cochlea, and auditory nerve

Question 30

The primary function of the ossicles is to __________.

A) transduce sound wave information into a neural stimulus
B) transfer sound wave vibrations to the eardrum
C) funnel sound waves into the ear canal
D) transfer sound wave vibrations to the inner ear

Question 31

The __________ located in the cochlea, on the __________.

A) hair cells are; basilar membrane
B) basilar membrane is; hair cells
C) auditory nerve is; hair cells
D) hair cells are; auditory nerve

Question 32

When sound wave vibrations reach the hair cells, the hair cells __________, which transduces the sound wave stimulus into a neural impulse.

A) bend and break
B) stretch and break
C) stretch and bend
D) break and reattach

Question 33

Axons from the hair cells form the __________.

A) hearing nerve
B) basilar nerve
C) auditory nerve
D) cochlear nerve

Question 34

Mia suffered chronic ear infections during childhood. On a recent visit to her doctor, she mentioned that she had been having problems hearing what others are saying. Her doctor explained that she is most likely suffering from __________.

A) sensorineural hearing loss
B) tinnitus
C) conductive hearing loss
D) transient hearing loss

Question 35

Sara loves listening to music on her individual audio device, but she has heard that permanent hearing loss can result if she listens to her music at risky sound levels. Based on research indicating that __________, Sara minimizes the chance of this happening by listening to her music with background-noise-cancelling ear buds.

A) people are more likely to raise the volume to risky levels in noisy surroundings
B) people who block background noise are not exposed to risky noise levels
C) background noise is the main reason of hearing loss
D) ear buds minimize the effects of risky sound levels by reducing the volume of music

Question 36

The majority of mild to moderate hearing problems are treated with __________.

A) cochlear implants
B) ear surgery
C) hearing aids
D) blockage removals

Question 37

The chemical senses are __________.

A) pheromones and taste
B) touch and smell
C) smell and taste
D) smell and pheromones

Question 38

Grace has been working out at a weight-lifting gym with mostly male members, resulting in exposure to androstadienone. She notices that after being at the gym, she experiences changes in mood. When she tells you about this experience, you explain that __________.

A) pheromones produce menstrual synchrony
B) steroid use in males causes a deterrent to sex
C) she is unable to have a menstrual cycle because she is not exposed to enough female sweat
D) this is most likely a result of pheromones naturally occurring in male sweat

Question 39

Holly is 96 years old and has difficulty perceiving smells that her grandchildren easily notice. She most likely has a smell-related condition known as __________.

A) presbyosmia
B) hyperosmia
C) phantosmia
D) anosmia

Question 40

An interesting feature of olfactory cells is that, unlike most neurological cells, they __________.

A) respond to both visual and olfactory stimuli
B) regenerate every few weeks
C) respond to any chemical stimulus
D) are resistant to damage from dangerous chemical stimuli

Question 41

The basic taste sensation of savory was discovered most recently and is associated with the detection of __________.

A) quinine
B) phenylthiocarbamide
C) sodium
D) glutamate

Question 42

The placement and sensitivity of your receptor cells determines whether you perceive __________ sensation when you eat spicy foods.

A) a sour or a burning
B) a burning or a stinging
C) a stinging or a pain
D) a pain or a pleasant

Question 43

Vince has a sinus infection, resulting in nasal congestion. He notices that his favorite pizza, from his favorite restaurant, tastes different. In fact, the pizza does not have much flavor at all. The cause is most likely that __________.

A) nasal congestion blocks the olfactory receptor sites
B) flavor relies on your ability to smell
C) flavor requires the ability of saliva to penetrate the mucous in the nasal cavity
D) nasal congestion thickens the saliva, resulting in an inability to transport chemical stimuli

Question 44

Driving home on the Fourth of July, Andrei must stop at a sobriety checkpoint. The officer asks Andrei to take a test in which he closes his eyes, reaches his hands out to the side, and touches his nose with one finger. He is asked to take this test because the officers know that alcohol impairs the __________ sense.

A) touch
B) coordination
C) vestibular
D) location

Question 45

The skin senses can best be described as including the sensations of __________.

A) pressure, temperature, balance, and pain
B) the locations of body parts in relation to the ground and to each other
C) movements and body positions
D) pressure, pain, heat, and cold

Question 46

Proprioceptors detect __________.

A) pain in your limbs and extremities
B) touch and balance of body parts
C) external temperature relative to your body's temperature
D) the orientation of our body parts in space

Question 47

Standing on one foot with your eyes closed may be more difficult than with your eyes open. This most accurately illustrates which of the following senses?

A) Vestibular
B) Kinesthetic
C) Somasthetic
D) Anomalous

Question 48

Dizziness, nausea, and disorientation may result if the information from the eyes conflicts with that from the semicircular canals. This sensory conflict results in __________.

A) body imbalance
B) kinesthetic disconnect
C) motion sickness
D) vestibular confusion

Question 49

A person feels pain when excessive or extreme __________ are applied to the surface of the skin.

A) points or temperatures
B) temperatures or pressure
C) motion or resistance
D) resistance or pressure

Question 50

Denair suffers from a genetic mutation that has left him without the ability to detect pain and temperature. Although his friends think it would be nice not to feel pain, they have no idea what sort of inconvenience and danger this kind of illness can cause. From what disorder does Denair suffer?

A) Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis
B) Congenital insensitivity to pain with pain hindrosis
C) Congenital insensitivity to pain with hyperhydrosis
D) Congenital insensitivity to pain with keratoconus

Question 51

Research indicates that people who deal with chronic pain, pain lasting longer than six months, report higher rates of __________.

A) depression and inactivity
B) pain-induced psychotic episodes
C) homicidal and suicidal ideations
D) depression and suicide

Question 52

Pain is described as a multidimensional experience because it involves not only physical receptors in the body but also __________.

A) social and environmental expectations
B) social and cultural experiences
C) social and cultural expectations and experiences
D) social and environmental expectations and experiences

Question 53

Your best friend is going to have a medical procedure that might cause some pain during recovery. He is very concerned about how he will deal with this. Knowing what you do about how pain works, you would advise him that __________ are psychological aspects that can influence how pain is perceived?

A) anxiety, avoidance, and acupuncture
B) acupuncture, interpretation, and attention
C) anxiety, attention, and interpretation
D) attention, interpretation, and acupuncture

Question 54

Marley has been experiencing chronic back pain and has decided to try acupuncture to relieve it. One reason that acupuncture may work is because the needles __________.

A) stimulate the body to increase the release of endorphins
B) cause smaller nerve fibers to open sensory gates in the spinal cord
C) cause smaller nerve fibers to decrease the release of endorphins
D) stimulate the body to open sensory gates in the spinal cord

Question 55

Gestalt psychologists assert that the brain organizes sensory experiences according to basic __________.

A) perceptions and principles
B) laws and principles
C) perceptions and laws
D) laws and features

Question 56

Terri is headed to the student center to get lunch during the lunch-hour rush. There is a sea of sensory information in the form of students, buildings, trees, and other environmental stimuli. Terri is able to spot her friend Josh due to her ability to make distinctions between sensory information and focus her attention on what is important in the visual scene. This is because Terri organizes the visual scene into __________.

A) figure and ground
B) image and background
C) primary stimulus and secondary stimuli
D) images and ground

Question 57

An example of a group or organization that tries to make the figure and ground similar, or difficult to distinguish, would be __________.

A) Walmart
B) a legal office
C) St. Jude Hospital
D) the Army

Question 58

When viewing a 3D movie, the red-and-green glasses are used to create the 3D effect. The glasses are needed so __________.

A) each eye combines both images
B) each eye only sees half the image
C) the left eye only sees the image on the right screen and the right eye only sees the image on the left screen
D) each eye only gets one image

Question 59

Through measuring infant perception, Robert Frantz was able to study the __________.

A) auditory brain mechanisms in infants
B) infant gaze reflex
C) smell preferences of infants
D) workings of the infant brain

Question 60

Robert Fantz's creation of a(n) __________ allowed for the study of the infant brain and provided a mechanism for researchers to study human development.

A) neural output measuring device
B) looking chamber
C) sensory response box
D) auditory funnel

Question 61

Select one of the five major senses and use it as an example to explain the perceptual process. Describe the physical stimulus, how it reaches the sensory receptors, the process of transduction, and the pathway up to the brain.

Question 62

Compare and contrast bottom-up processing and top-down processing, and provide an example of each.

Question 63

Describe how we process color information using both the trichromatic and opponent-process theories of color vision. Explain why each of these theories explains color vision and why they are not in competition.

Question 64

Compare and contrast conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss in terms of the mechanism underlying the hearing loss, the treatments used for each, and the possibility of reversing the hearing loss.

Question 65

Identify and describe the different types of smell-related conditions associated with a loss of smell. Based on the description of each condition, identify how the symptoms are similar and how the conditions differ. Lastly, describe the probability for improvement over time.

Question 66

Define pheromones and describe an industry that has incorporated the role of pheromones in their marketing campaigns. Explain why the majority of these claims are actually scams.

Question 67

Identify and describe differences in taste perception due to taste receptors differences, inherited characteristics, changes as we age, and taste disorders. Make sure you explain the mechanism underlying these differences and how it affects the ability to taste.

Question 68

Identify the specialized receptor types associated with touch and explain how they are related to our perception of pain. Give an example of each pain stimulus identified.

Question 69

List the psychological factors associated with our experience of pain. Describe how knowledge of these factors can be used to reduce the experience of pain.

Question 70

Define a perceptual constancy, and describe and give examples of the perceptual constancies identified in your text.

Question 71

Describe two monocular pictorial depth cues and two binocular cues for depth perception. Explain why we have two different types of cues for depth.

Question 72

Define perceptual learning and explain how the concepts of perceptual expertise and perceptual set are related to perceptual learning.