Deck 4: Section 2: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

A mother tells her teenage son to turn down his music. The son tells his mom that he will do so and turns the volume down slightly. A minute later, the mother cannot tell that her son complied with her request, so she yells at him. Apparently, the decrease in volume did not meet the mother's:

A)absolute threshold.
B)correct rejection criteria.
C)difference threshold.
D)sensory adaptation.

Answer 1

difference threshold.

Question 2

The just noticeable difference (JND) is the:

A)decreasing sensitivity to a stimulus over time.
B)minimal change in a stimulus that can just barely be detected.
C)minimal intensity needed to just barely detect a stimulus.
D)ability to detect a stimulus in the presence of noise.

Answer 2

minimal change in a stimulus that can just barely be detected.

Question 3

All the senses rely on the process of:

A)synesthesia.
B)transduction.
C)accommodation.
D)motion parallax.

Answer 3

transduction.

Question 4

Sensation occurs:

A)when the brain interprets a perception.
B)at the level of the cortex.
C)as the body interacts with the physical world.
D)at the same time as perception.

Question 5

People are most sensitive to the range of tones corresponding to:

A)the lowest notes on a pipe organ.
B)high-frequency dog whistles.
C)human conversation.
D)the sound made by striking a tuning fork.

Question 6

Stimuli that are presented at the absolute threshold will be detected _____ percent of the time.

A)1
B)10
C)50
D)100

Question 7

The process of converting physical signals from the environment into neural signals sent to the central nervous system is called:

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

Question 8

Methods that measure the strength of a stimulus and the observer's sensitivity to the stimulus are called:

A)psychophysics.
B)psychometrics.
C)perceptual constancies.
D)signal detections.

Question 9

The minimal intensity needed to just barely detect a stimulus is called the:

A)just noticeable difference.
B)receptive field.
C)absolute threshold.
D)difference threshold.

Question 10

Tammy and Chad sent their toddler to timeout ten minutes ago and ever since the boy has been crying. Tammy notes that the crying just decreased in volume ever so slightly and comments that perhaps he is beginning to settle down. From Chad's perspective, however, the boy is crying just as loudly as before. Tammy and Chad may differ in the _____ threshold for detecting a sound.

A)absolute
B)minimal
C)difference
D)auditory

Question 11

Which sense involves transducing changes in air pressure?

A)vision
B)hearing
C)smell
D)taste

Question 12

The absolute threshold is the:

A)minimal change in a stimulus that can just barely be detected.
B)minimal intensity needed to just barely detect a stimulus.
C)intensity of a stimulus that can be detected in the presence of noise.
D)decreasing sensitivity to a stimulus over time.

Question 13

The field of psychophysics was first developed by:

A)Wilhelm Wundt.
B)Edward Titchener.
C)Ernst Weber.
D)Gustav Fechner.

Question 14

Simple awareness due to the stimulation of a sense organ is called:

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

Question 15

Damage to the occipital lobe can interfere with the processing of information coming in through the eyes, indicating that:

A)sensation occurs in the brain.
B)sensation occurs at the same time as perception.
C)sensation and perception are different but related processes.
D)the eyes will not sense if cortical areas in the occipital lobe are damaged.

Question 16

Which of these would constitute a psychophysical study?

A)studying the mechanisms by which auditory receptors transduce sound
B)studying the differences in the physical properties of the sound waves produced by a guitar and a violin
C)determining the smallest amount of sugar to add to a glass of water such that a person will report tasting something sweet
D)asking participants to report on their feelings as they stare at an abstract painting

Question 17

Sensation and perception:

A)are basically the same process.
B)are two completely different and unrelated processes.
C)are related but separate processes.
D)feel like two distinct processes.

Question 18

The approximate absolute threshold for hearing is a clock's tick from 20 feet away when all is quiet. Which of the following statements is true about this fact?

A)All people with normal hearing will be able to detect the clock tick.
B)Fifty percent of people will be able to detect the clock tick 100 percent of the time.
C)Weber's Law predicts that the tick will not be heard from 40 feet away.
D)A person will not hear the clock tick 50 percent of the time.

Question 19

The process of organization, identification, and interpretation of a sensation in order to form a mental representation is called:

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

Question 20

You want to measure your cat's auditory threshold. You quietly whisper your cat's name and slowly increase your volume until your cat turns to look at you. You whisper ten times at each volume. The volume at which the cat responds five times is called:

A)the absolute threshold.
B)the just noticeable difference.
C)Weber's Law.
D)the relative threshold.

Question 21

Janet's new neighbors play loud music late at night that wakes her up. According to sensory adaptation theory, over time, Janet would be most likely to sleep through the music if the neighbors:

A)play the same type of music every night.
B)play the same time of music but only on weekends.
C)play different types of music on unpredictable days.
D)constantly change the volume of the music from song to song.

Question 22

Signal detection studies allow for the determination of perceptual sensitivity separately from the observer's:

A)decision-making strategy.
B)absolute threshold.
C)difference threshold.
D)background noise.

Question 23

If you forget to take out the trash for two weeks, it will probably stink. After thirty minutes of being around it, you don't notice the smell. This is an example of:

A)signal detection.
B)accommodation.
C)Weber's law.
D)sensory adaptation.

Question 24

In the wake of intelligence information, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) orders that almost all people flying receive a "pat down" as they go through security at the airport. In terms of detecting terrorist activity, the TSA is using a(n) _____ decision criterion.

A)extremely liberal
B)slightly liberal
C)slightly conservative
D)extremely conservative

Question 25

In signal detection research, correctly detecting a signal in noise is classified as a:

A)just noticeable difference.
B)hit.
C)correct rejection.
D)win.

Question 26

Which activity is least distracting when you are driving?

A)talking on a hand-held phone
B)talking on a hands-free phone
C)listening to the radio
D)texting

Question 27

If the law required that there must be overwhelming evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt in order to convict a person of a crime, in signal detection terminology jurors would be making many:

A)hits.
B)misses.
C)false alarms.
D)misses and false alarms.

Question 28

You probably can detect a weight difference between a 1-ounce and a 2-ounce envelope. But if you pick up a 20-pound package, you'd probably need another package that weighs at least 20.5 pounds before detecting a difference between them. This description illustrates:

A)Weber's law.
B)signal detection theory.
C)gate-control theory.
D)perceptual constancy.

Question 29

Which statement is NOT a reason why sensory adaptation is a useful process?

A)An unchanging stimulus is less likely to require immediate action.
B)Constantly sensing stimuli that are always in our environment would be highly distracting.
C)Stimuli that change frequently usually are of no consequence and therefore not important to sense.
D)Sensory adaptation better allows our senses to selectively respond to important changes in stimulation.

Question 30

In signal detection research, failing to detect a signal in noise is classified as a(n):

A)below threshold response.
B)loss.
C)incorrect rejection.
D)miss.

Question 31

_____ states that "the just noticeable difference of a stimulus is a constant proportion despite variations in intensity."

A)Signal detection theory
B)Fechner's postulate
C)Weber's law
D)Gate-control theory

Question 32

If the law required that there must be overwhelming evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt in order to convict a person of a crime, jurors would be required to adopt a(n) _____ decision criterion.

A)extremely liberal
B)slightly liberal
C)slightly conservative
D)extremely conservative

Question 33

Perceiving only what is relevant to you is called:

A)perceptual sensitivity.
B)sensory adaptation.
C)multitasking.
D)selective attention.

Question 34

According to _____, our response to a stimulus depends both on our sensitivity to the stimulus in the presence of noise and on our decision criterion.

A)the just noticeable difference theory
B)Weber's law
C)the absolute threshold theory
D)signal detection theory

Question 35

In a signal detection experiment, Shawna uses a very conservative decision criterion, saying "Yes" only when the stimulus is clear, strong, and unambiguous. She will produce:

A)many false alarms and many misses.
B)few false alarms and few misses.
C)many false alarms and few misses.
D)few false alarms and many misses.

Question 36

The perceptual system is:

A)more sensitive to constant levels of stimulation than to changes in stimulation.
B)more sensitive to changes in stimulation than to constant levels of stimulation.
C)highly sensitive to both constant and changing stimulation.
D)quite insensitive to both constant and changing stimulation.

Question 37

Juggling two independent sources of sensory input at the same time is an example of:

A)selective attention.
B)multitasking.
C)sensory adaptation.
D)the just noticeable difference.

Question 38

When you wake up at night for a drink of water, the light from the bathroom momentarily blinds you. After a minute, however, you no longer squint. This is an example of:

A)retinal disparity.
B)accommodation.
C)sensory adaptation.
D)sensitization.

Question 39

In signal detection research, signals of various intensities are presented in the presence of constant noise, and the participant must determine if the signal was presented or not. Each decision can be classified into one of _____ categories.

A)2
B)4
C)50
D)100

Question 40

Dr. Gonzalez, a radiologist, uses a very liberal criterion when she reads mammograms. She recommends a biopsy for every possible case of cancer. This decision strategy _____ the chances of missing a true cancer and _____ false alarms.

A)maximizes; leads to many
B)minimizes; minimizes
C)minimizes; leads to many
D)maximizes; minimizes

Question 41

A person who has 20/20 vision can read:

A)letters that are 1/20 of an inch high from a distance of 20 inches away.
B)20 letters in 20 seconds.
C)letters that are 0.20 inches high from a distance of 20 yards.
D)the smallest line of letters on the Snellen chart from a distance of 20 feet.

Question 42

The length of a light wave determines its:

A)brightness.
B)saturation, or richness of color.
C)hue, or color.
D)acuity.

Question 43

When your heart flutters at the sight of big blue eyes, you are reacting to the:

A)pupils.
B)retinas.
C)irises.
D)corneas.

Question 44

Which is the correct sequence of eye parts that light passes through on its way to the brain?

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

Question 45

Someone wearing night-vision goggles can detect:

A)gamma rays
B)radio waves
C)ultraviolet waves
D)infrared waves

Question 46

The light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eyeball is called the:

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

Question 47

Wave length is to purity as:

A)color is to saturation.
B)color is to brightness.
C)brightness is to color.
D)brightness is to saturation.

Question 48

Of these, which has the longest wavelength?

A)gamma rays
B)radio waves
C)ultraviolet waves
D)infrared waves

Question 49

Will rubbed his eye and accidentally scratched his:

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

Question 50

The number of wavelengths that make up light determines its:

A)hue, or color.
B)brightness.
C)saturation, or richness of color.
D)spectrum.

Question 51

Light waves corresponding to colors in the visual spectrum are typically measured in terms of:

A)millimeters.
B)micrometers.
C)nanometers.
D)picometers.

Question 52

Which of these is a muscle controlling the size of the pupil?

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

Question 53

The brightness of light is determined by the _____ of light waves.

A)amplitude
B)length
C)purity
D)width

Question 54

The ability to see fine detail is known as:

A)visual form agnosia.
B)accommodation.
C)visual acuity.
D)parts-based object recognition.

Question 55

The shortest wavelengths in the visible spectrum will be perceived as:

A)red.
B)green.
C)blue.
D)violet.

Question 56

Compared to that of hawks and other raptors, the visual acuity of humans is:

A)about the same.
B)much greater.
C)much less.
D)slightly less

Question 57

Wave length is to wave amplitude as:

A)color is to saturation.
B)color is to brightness.
C)brightness is to color.
D)brightness is to saturation.

Question 58

The longest wavelengths in the visible spectrum will be perceived as:

A)red.
B)green.
C)blue.
D)violet.

Question 59

Of these, which has the shortest wavelength?

A)gamma rays
B)radio waves
C)ultraviolet waves
D)infrared waves

Question 60

LASIK surgery works by physically reshaping the:

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

Question 61

The process by which the lens changes shape to produce a clear image on the retina is called:

A)visual acuity.
B)accommodation.
C)light adaptation.
D)phototransduction.

Question 62

Although it is the area of the retina where vision is clearest, the fovea contains no _____.

A)cones
B)rods
C)retinal ganglia
D)bipolar cells

Question 63

In very low light, an image projected _____ would be most easily seen.

A)on the optic nerve
B)on the fovea
C)to the right or left of the fovea
D)on the blindspot

Question 64

When a person with normal vision views an object close up, the lens _____ to focus the image _____the retina.

A)flattens; behind
B)flattens; on
C)bulges; in front of
D)bulges; on

Question 65

Miguel's eyeballs are too short. He has trouble seeing _____ objects because the image is focused _____ the retina.

A)nearby; in front of
B)nearby; behind
C)distant; in front of
D)distant; behind

Question 66

In a person who is myopic (nearsighted), images are focused:

A)behind the retina.
B)in front of the retina.
C)on the retina.
D)on the optic chiasm.

Question 67

The colors of the visible spectrum in order from shortest to longest wavelength are:

A)deep purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red.
B)red, orange, yellow, green, blue, deep purple.
C)red, yellow, orange, deep purple, green, blue.
D)blue, green, deep purple, orange, yellow, red.

Question 68

The "blind spot" is so called because it:

A)has cones but no rods.
B)has rods but no cones.
C)has neither rods nor cones.
D)is found in the periphery of the eye.

Question 69

The primary colors of light are:

A)red, green, and blue.
B)red, blue, and yellow.
C)white, black, and red.
D)infrared and ultraviolet.

Question 70

The outermost layer of the retina consists of:

A)rods and cones.
B)bipolar cells.
C)the cornea.
D)retinal ganglion cells.

Question 71

Vision is clearest when an object is projected onto the:

A)fovea.
B)optic nerve.
C)cornea.
D)retina.

Question 72

Given adequate light, vision is clearest when an image is focused on which part of the retina?

A)fovea
B)rods
C)retinal ganglion cell layer
D)receptive field

Question 73

The axon of a retinal ganglion cell (RGC) joins all other RGC axons to form the:

A)basal ganglion.
B)occipital lobe.
C)bipolar cells.
D)optic nerve.

Question 74

The reason that peripheral vision is not clear is due to:

A)the absence of rods in the fovea.
B)the absence of cones in the fovea.
C)sparsely distributed rods outside of the fovea.
D)sparsely distributed cones outside of the fovea.

Question 75

When a person with normal vision sees an object in the distance, the lens _____ to focus the image _____the retina.

A)flattens; behind
B)flattens; on
C)bulges; in front of
D)bulges; on

Question 76

When the three primary colors of light are projected onto the same surface, that surface will reflect the color:

A)black.
B)white.
C)yellow.
D)blue.

Question 77

_____ are photoreceptors that allow us to see in very low light.

A)Bipolar cells
B)Retinal ganglion cells
C)Rods
D)Cones

Question 78

The middle layer of the retina consists of:

A)rods and cones.
B)bipolar cells.
C)the optic nerve.
D)retinal ganglion cells.

Question 79

The human eye has approximately _____ million rods and _____ million cones.

A)60; 12
B)12; 60
C)120; 6
D)6; 120

Question 80

One type of photoreceptors that detect color, operate in daylight, and permit us to focus on fine detail is called:

A)cones.
B)rods.
C)retinal ganglion cells.
D)area V1 neurons.