Deck 3: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Which sensory receptors are constantly being replaced?

A) taste buds, proprioceptors, and nociceptors
B) rods, cones, and olfactory receptors
C) olfactory receptors and taste buds
D) taste buds and hair cells in the basilar membrane

Answer 1

olfactory receptors and taste buds

Question 2

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) There is no evidence to support the existence of pheromones or chemosignals in humans.
B) Psychologists have recently discovered a pheromone that is emitted by breastfeeding women that makes them irresistible to the opposite sex.
C) There is evidence that human pheromones function as social signals, affecting moods and social interactions.
D) A chemical in the perspiration of young males acts as a powerful sexual stimulus, increasing sexual motivation in women.

Answer 2

There is evidence that human pheromones function as social signals, affecting moods and social interactions.

Question 3

According to Weber's law, the size of _____ is a constant proportion of the size of the initial stimulus.

A) the absolute threshold
B) a just noticeable difference or difference threshold
C) a subliminal threshold
D) a binocular disparity

Answer 3

a just noticeable difference or difference threshold

Question 4

Cones are concentrated in the _____ and specialized for _____.

A) center of the retina; distance vision and feature detection
B) fovea; color vision and visual acuity
C) fovea; peripheral vision and vision in low-light conditions
D) periphery of the retina; color vision and visual acuity

Question 5

There are two theories of color vision. The _____ theory correctly describes color vision in the retina, while the _____ theory correctly explains color vision in the ganglion cells and visual cortex.

A) frequency; place
B) place; frequency
C) opponent-process; trichromatic
D) trichromatic; opponent-process

Question 6

Walking into a bakery, you immediately notice the smell of freshly baked bread. What is the name of the process through which physical stimuli, such as odors, are converted into neural signals that are sent to the brain?

A) sensory adaptation
B) the mere exposure effect
C) accommodation
D) transduction

Question 7

Because of the law of _____, you tend to perceive the following as three groups of letters:
BBBBBBcccccTTTTTT.

A) proximity
B) closure
C) good continuation
D) similarity

Question 8

_____ provide more specific information and function best in bright light, while _____ provide less specific information and function best in dim light.

A) Cones; rods
B) Rods; cones
C) Bipolar cells; ganglion cells
D) Ganglion cells; bipolar cells

Question 9

To reduce the intense pain of her migraine headaches, Lisette's doctor taught her a procedure that involved learning to control the blood flow and muscle tension in her head and neck. What is the technique called?

A) acupuncture
B) counterirritation
C) positive self-talk
D) biofeedback

Question 10

You and your friends are trying to put together a 5,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. Because you are doing this one piece at a time without knowing what the final picture will be, you are relying on:

A) bottom-up processing.
B) top-down processing.
C) conceptually driven processing.
D) kinesthetic processing.

Question 11

Which of the following would NOT be considered to be an example of a paranormal phenomenon?

A) psychokinesis
B) subliminal perception
C) precognition
D) telepathy

Question 12

When Matt went duck-hunting with his father, they wore camouflage clothing that would allow them to blend in with their surroundings. The effectiveness of camouflage is based upon which Gestalt principle?

A) proximity
B) similarity
C) the law of Prägnanz
D) figure-ground

Question 13

The sensory receptor cells for hearing are:

A) located in the primary auditory cortex of the brain.
B) embedded in the tiny bones (anvil, hammer, stirrup) in the middle ear.
C) embedded in the basilar membrane in the cochlea of the inner ear.
D) located along the length of the auditory nerve.

Question 14

Which theory best explains the phenomenon of afterimages?

A) frequency theory
B) place theory
C) trichromatic theory
D) opponent-process theory

Question 15

While helping his friends move, Ben dropped a box of books on his big toe. _____ carried the immediate, sharp sensation of pain, while _____ transmitted the throbbing pain that lasted for the next few days.

A) Nociceptors; substance P
B) A-delta fibers; C fibers
C) Pacinian corpuscles; nociceptors
D) C fibers; A-delta fibers

Question 16

Janna had always been fascinated by stories of the Loch Ness monster, so when she went to Scotland, she made sure to visit the famous lake, Loch Ness. One rainy morning when she was scanning the lake with high-powered binoculars, she was certain that she saw a huge, long-necked sea monster surface for a few moments. Her companion, however, insisted that she had just seen an uprooted tree being swept by the high waves. Of the following options, which is the most likely explanation for Janna's sighting of the famous Loch Ness monster?

A) telepathy
B) subliminal perception
C) perceptual set
D) clairvoyance

Question 17

As you enter the locker room at the gym, you notice the distinctive smell of chlorine from the adjacent swimming pool. After a few minutes you're no longer aware of the odor. This is an example of:

A) the mere exposure effect.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) accommodation.
D) transduction.

Question 18

As you enter the locker room at the college gym, you notice the sharp, distinctive smell of chlorine from the adjacent swimming pool. The stimulation of special receptors in your nose by airborne molecules of chlorine is an example of _____, and your interpretation of the stimulation is an example of _____.

A) gustation; transduction
B) sensation; perception
C) perception; sensation
D) olfaction; transduction

Question 19

Which of the following receptors trigger the experience of pain?

A) nociceptors
B) proprioceptors
C) Pacinian corpuscles
D) vestibular receptors

Question 20

John was shocked when his doctor informed him that his condition was caused by extensive damage to his hammer, anvil, and stirrup. What condition is John suffering from?

A) disequilibrium or vestibular disability
B) vertigo, dizziness, and poor balance
C) conduction deafness
D) nerve deafness

Question 21

Transduction is the perceptual process of organizing and interpreting coded neural messages.

A) True
B) False

Question 22

Which perceptual illusions involve size constancy?

A) the moon illusion and the Shepard Tables illusion
B) the Müller-Lyer illusion and the impossible figure illusion
C) the moon illusion and the Müller-Lyer illusion
D) the carpentered-world illusion and the Shepard Tables illusion

Question 23

Taste is to _____ as pressure is to _____ and as body position is to _____.

A) gustation; proprioceptor; sense of equilibrium
B) taste bud; Pacinian corpuscle; proprioceptor
C) olfaction; pain; vestibular
D) taste bud; nociceptor; kinesthetic sense

Question 24

Sensation and perception are two distinctly separate processes.

A) True
B) False

Question 25

Look at the following two examples:
(1) XXXXXXXXX OOOOOOOOO
(2) ZWX ZQX YZV QWX ZWQ
You tend to perceive the elements in the first example as two units because of the law of _____. You tend to perceive the elements in the second example as five units because of the law of _____.

A) proximity; closure
B) figure-ground; closure
C) closure; good continuation
D) similarity; proximity

Question 26

Which of the following is a monocular cue involved in depth perception?

A) convergence
B) binocular disparity
C) accommodation
D) motion parallax

Question 27

The process by which physical energy is converted into a coded neural signal that can be processed by the nervous system is called transduction.

A) True
B) False

Question 28

Absolute threshold refers to the reduced sensitivity that occurs in response to a constant stimulus, such as a constant smell.

A) True
B) False

Question 29

Amy, an accomplished gymnast, has just learned how to do a cartwheel on the balance beam. Which two senses are especially involved in this accomplishment?

A) sense of equilibrium and the vestibular sense
B) proprioception and the kinesthetic sense
C) kinesthetic sense and vestibular sense
D) audition and vision

Question 30

Sensory receptors respond only when stimulated by electromagnetic energy or sound waves.

A) True
B) False

Question 31

Jack is a fervent believer in the idea that ancient astronauts colonized the Earth. After seeing an exhibit of moon rocks, Jack becomes convinced that one rock has traces of ancient hieroglyphics carved on its side and that another shows a crude diagram of a spaceship. The most likely explanation for Jack's conclusion is his:

A) use of positive self-talk.
B) perceptual set.
C) use of perceptual abilities such as aerial perspective and motion parallax.
D) extrasensory abilities.

Question 32

You can easily distinguish between a tuna salad sandwich and a chicken salad sandwich by their smell, because airborne molecules from tuna salad and chicken salad:

A) stimulate two different patterns of odor receptors in the nasal cavity.
B) stimulate different sensory thresholds.
C) each stimulate a different odor receptor in the nasal cavity.
D) generate neural impulses along two different sensory pathways.

Question 33

When Isabel visited the children's zoo, she heard squeals coming from the baby pigs and loud grunts from the adult pigs. The _____ theory of hearing explains her perception of the high-pitched squeals, and the _____ theory of hearing explains her perception of the low-pitched grunts.

A) place; frequency
B) frequency; place
C) opponent process; trichromatic
D) trichromatic; opponent process

Question 34

Sensation refers to the response of sense organs to environmental stimuli and the transmission of that information to the brain. Perception refers to the active process of organizing and interpreting sensory information.

A) True
B) False

Question 35

The absolute threshold is the smallest possible strength of a stimulus that can be detected half the time.

A) True
B) False

Question 36

The fallacy of positive instances refers to the:

A) ability to predict the future.
B) tendency to misjudge the probability of an event occurring simply by chance.
C) tendency to seek the simplest possible explanation for an unusual event.
D) tendency to remember events that seem to confirm our beliefs and forget the events that contradict our beliefs.

Question 37

There are two kinds of sensory thresholds for each sense: the absolute threshold and the difference threshold.

A) True
B) False

Question 38

Sensation is the result of the stimulation of specialized cells called sensory receptors.

A) True
B) False

Question 39

Weber's law refers to the equation that is used to calculate the absolute threshold for visual and auditory stimuli.

A) True
B) False

Question 40

What are nociceptors?

A) sensory receptors that are found in the cochlea and involved in hearing
B) microfine, hair-like receptor cells that are found in the muscles and joints that provide information about movement and position
C) sensory nerve fibers which are found throughout the body and that are involved in producing the sensation of pain
D) people with a high degree of ESP ability

Question 41

Recent research using subliminal perception demonstrated conclusively that faces paired with a pleasant subliminal odor receive the lowest likeability ratings, while faces paired with an unpleasant subliminal odor receive the highest likeability ratings.

A) True
B) False

Question 42

In 1957, James Vicary falsely claimed to have increased the sale of popcorn and Coca-Cola at a New Jersey movie theater when the owner flashed subliminal messages to "Eat popcorn!" and "Drink Coke!" on the movie screen during the movie.

A) True
B) False

Question 43

Weber's law holds that the size of the just noticeable difference is a constant proportion of the size of the original stimulus.

A) True
B) False

Question 44

The cornea is a clear membrane that covers the front of the eye.

A) True
B) False

Question 45

The mere exposure effect refers to the fact that when people are repeatedly exposed to a particular stimulus, their liking for that stimulus will increase.

A) True
B) False

Question 46

Recent research using subliminal perception has shown that faces paired with a pleasant subliminal odor receive the highest likeability ratings, while faces paired with an unpleasant subliminal odor receive the lowest likeability ratings.

A) True
B) False

Question 47

The mere exposure effect refers to the fact that the basilar membrane vibrates at the same frequency as the sound stimulus to which it is briefly exposed.

A) True
B) False

Question 48

The iris is the black opening in the middle of the eye.

A) True
B) False

Question 49

Within a few minutes of putting on your wristwatch in the morning, you no longer feel the watch on your wrist. This is an example of sensory adaptation.

A) True
B) False

Question 50

Scientific research has demonstrated that stimuli that are presented subliminally (that is, below the threshold of conscious perception) have no effect on attitudes, thoughts, preferences, and emotions.

A) True
B) False

Question 51

Research indicates that subliminal messages exert very powerful influences on our subconscious minds.

A) True
B) False

Question 52

Another term for difference threshold is just noticeable difference.

A) True
B) False

Question 53

The finding that repeated exposure to a particular stimulus leads to increased liking for that stimulus is called sensory adaptation.

A) True
B) False

Question 54

The human eye is specialized to detect only a very narrow range of wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum.

A) True
B) False

Question 55

Subliminal images in advertising have been shown to influence consumer decisions.

A) True
B) False

Question 56

Some animals, such as snakes and insects, can "see" wavelengths of electromagnetic energy that are invisible to humans.

A) True
B) False

Question 57

Studies of self-help tapes that use subliminal messages, such as stop smoking or weight loss tapes, show that most of these tapes are not effective.

A) True
B) False

Question 58

Although the mere exposure effect works with overtly presented messages, the research indicates that it does not work with subliminal exposure to stimuli.

A) True
B) False

Question 59

The mere exposure effect holds true for exposure to subliminal stimuli as well as exposure to nonsubliminal stimuli.

A) True
B) False

Question 60

Psychologists have found that the effects of subliminal stimuli tend to be strong and long-lasting.

A) True
B) False

Question 61

Axons from the left eye project to the optic chiasm and are sent to the left side of the brain. Axons from the right eye project to the optic chiasm and are sent to the right side of the brain.

A) True
B) False

Question 62

Feature detectors are specialized neurons in the visual cortex that respond to very specific types of visual stimuli.

A) True
B) False

Question 63

Before visual information is sent to the brain, it undergoes some preliminary processing in the retina by specialized neurons called ganglion cells.

A) True
B) False

Question 64

Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism are all caused by an abnormally shaped retina.

A) True
B) False

Question 65

Nearsightedness is caused by a lack of cones in the retina, while farsightedness results from the deterioration of rods in the fovea.

A) True
B) False

Question 66

Cones are most common in the fovea and become progressively less common toward the periphery of the retina.

A) True
B) False

Question 67

The "blind spot" in our visual field is due to the lack of rods or cones in the tiny area where the optic nerve exits the eye.

A) True
B) False

Question 68

Since there are no photoreceptors in the optic disk, this area is referred to as the blind spot.

A) True
B) False

Question 69

Some of the axons that make up the optic nerve project to the midbrain, and this secondary pathway is responsible for processing information about the location of an object in a person's field of vision.

A) True
B) False

Question 70

In a process called accommodation, the lens thins or thickens to focus the incoming light so that the light falls on the retina.

A) True
B) False

Question 71

Myopia is another name for the farsightedness that often occurs in people after the age of 40.

A) True
B) False

Question 72

Most of the axons that make up the optic nerve project to the thalamus, and this primary pathway is responsible for processing information about the form and color of an object in a person's field of vision.

A) True
B) False

Question 73

Cones adapt much more slowly than do rods to changes in the amount of available light.

A) True
B) False

Question 74

Cones operate best under dim light conditions.

A) True
B) False

Question 75

In astigmatism, an abnormally curved eyeball results in blurry vision for lines in a particular direction.

A) True
B) False

Question 76

The preliminary processing of visual data in the cells of the retina is possible because the retina develops from a bit of brain tissue that migrates to the eye during fetal development.

A) True
B) False

Question 77

The 1 million axons of the ganglion cells are bundled together to form the optic nerve, a thick nerve that exits from the back of the eye at the optic disc and extends to the brain.

A) True
B) False

Question 78

The bipolar cells funnel raw data from the photoreceptors to the ganglion cells.

A) True
B) False

Question 79

The optic disk is rich in rods but lacks cones.

A) True
B) False

Question 80

Most of the neurons in the visual cortex are highly specialized, responding to particular types of visual information.

A) True
B) False