Question 1

Although she is normally not aware of its existence, Ingrid discovers that she has a blind spot in her vision by closing one eye and focusing on a fixed point. What explains why Ingrid has this blind spot in her vision?

Accepted Answer

The blind spot in Ingrid's vision is caused by the fact that there are no photoreceptors located where the optic nerve leaves the eye. This is a normal and natural occurrence in all human eyes.

Question 2

When focusing on a close object that is directly in front of you, eye muscles contract to turn your eyes inward towards the nose. This is called _______________.

Accepted Answer

Convergence is the term used for the inward movement of both eyes towards each other when viewing an object up close. Retinal disparity refers to the slight difference in the images seen by the left and right eye. Monocular depth and binocular depth are related to perception of depth using one eye or both eyes, respectively.

Question 3

Why are we normally unaware of the blind spot in our vision?

Accepted Answer

Our brains "fill in" the missing visual information from the blind spot, so we do not notice it.

Question 4

The visual information from each eye is split at the __________________, with half of the nerve fibers from each eye projecting to each half of the brain.

Accepted Answer

The optic chiasm is the point at which the visual information from each eye is split, with half of the nerve fibers from each eye projecting to each half of the brain.

Question 5

Our ability to see objects as relatively stable and unchanging despite changing sensory information is called perceptual ___________.

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy refers to the ability of our brain to perceive objects as stable and unchanging even though sensory information from them may change.

Question 6

Which of the following is true regarding the normal perception of faces?

Accepted Answer

Viewing a face upside down significantly impairs our ability to recognize facial expressions and identify individual features, indicating that our perception of faces relies on a specific orientation. This phenomenon is part of the reason why facial recognition becomes much more challenging when the face is presented in an inverted position.

Question 7

The ventral stream is a pathway extending from the visual cortex to the temporal lobe and is where ______________occurs. In contrast, the dorsal stream extends from the visual cortex to the parietal lobe of the cortex and is where ________________ occurs.

Accepted Answer

The ventral stream is involved in object recognition, processing what objects are, while the dorsal stream is involved in processing where objects are, including depth and movement perception.

Question 8

People with normal vision will perceive a pyramid whether they see the object from the side, top, or any other angle as long as the object is, in fact, a pyramid. This is an example of ________________.

Accepted Answer

Shape constancy refers to the ability of the visual system to perceive an object as being the same shape regardless of the viewing angle. It allows us to recognize objects even when they are viewed from different orientations.

Question 9

Feature detection cells in the visual cortex respond primarily to features such as:

Accepted Answer

Feature detection cells in the visual cortex respond primarily to angles and edges, which are important in detecting shapes and patterns in visual stimuli. While color and brightness may be detected by other cells in the visual system, and size and distance may be important for perception, they are not the primary features detected by these specialized neurons. Eyes, noses, and mouths are also not the primary focus of feature detection cells, which instead detect more basic elements of visual stimuli.

Question 10

Which is the correct order of structures as visual information travels from the eye to the visual cortex?

Accepted Answer

Visual information travels from the eye to the optic chiasm, where some fibers cross over and some stay on the same side. The fibers then project to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) in the thalamus, which then projects to the primary visual cortex in the occipital lobe. Therefore, the correct order is optic chiasm, LGN, occipital lobe. Choice D is the only option with this order.

Question 11

A blind spot is a part of the visual field we can't see, where the _____________ connects to the_____________.

Accepted Answer

The optic nerve connects the eye to the brain, and this connection is located at the retina. Therefore, option C is the correct choice.

Question 12

Kevin watches as his wife Denise walks toward the house. Even though Denise fills more and more of Kevin's visual field as she approaches, she does not appear to be growing larger as she moves closer to Kevin. This illustrates ______________.

Accepted Answer

Size constancy is the perceptual phenomenon in which an object's perceived size remains constant despite changes in the size of its visual image on the retina as it moves closer or farther away. This is what is being illustrated in the scenario described, as Denise appears to remain the same size despite approaching Kevin.

Question 13

Stewart is sitting in his office, which is lighted with a bluish neon light, eating a red apple. Even though the apple is bathed in bluish light, he continues to perceive it as red. This illustrates:

Accepted Answer

This illustrates color constancy, which is the ability to perceive the true color of an object regardless of the lighting conditions. Even though the bluish light would normally make the apple appear blueish, our visual system adjusts for the lighting and we perceive the apple as its true color, which is red. This is an example of color constancy.

Question 14

Which set of cells helps in the detection of angles and edges?

Accepted Answer

Feature detection cells are responsible for detecting specific features of an object, such as angles and edges. The ventral stream is responsible for object recognition and the dorsal stream is responsible for processing spatial information and motion. Cataracts are a clouding of the eye's lens and can interfere with vision, but they do not relate to the detection of angles and edges.

Question 15

When we look at a white house, we can recognize it as a white house by day or night and from any angle. This is due to perceptual _____________.

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy refers to the ability to recognize an object as the same despite changes in its size, shape, or color, and regardless of the viewing angle or lighting conditions. This is what allows us to recognize a white house as a white house no matter the circumstances. Perceptual closure refers to the ability to perceive a complete image even when only fragments of it are present, reversibility refers to the ability to interpret an object as facing one direction or another depending on context, and coherency refers to the ability to recognize patterns and discern meaningful information from stimuli. None of these concepts directly relate to the ability to recognize an object like a white house with consistency.

Question 16

When Bill looks at his lamp alternately with his left eye and right eye, the image seems to jump from one position to another. This phenomenon illustrates ______________.

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described is due to the fact that each eye is receiving a slightly different image, resulting in retinal disparity.

Question 17

The ______________ carries sensory information from the retina to the brain areas where visual perception will occur.

Accepted Answer

The optic nerve carries sensory information from the retina to the brain areas where visual perception will occur. The fovea is a small area in the center of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision. The lens helps to focus light onto the retina. The retina is a layer of tissue at the back of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells which convert light into neural signals.

Question 18

Visual information is sent to a part of the thalamus called the ______.

Accepted Answer

The LGN (lateral geniculate nucleus) is a part of the thalamus that receives visual information from the retina and sends it to the visual cortex for further processing. The other choices (MLN, MGN, LMN) do not play a role in visual processing.

Question 19

Prosopagnosia is the inability to:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Prosopagnosia is the inability to:
...

Question 20

Visual distance and depth cues that require the use of both eyes are called _______________.

Accepted Answer

Binocular cues require the use of both eyes to perceive depth and distance, such as stereopsis (perceiving depth through slight differences in the images received by each eye) and convergence (the degree to which the eyes turn inward to focus on an object). Monocular cues, on the other hand, can be perceived with just one eye and include things such as relative size and texture gradient. Dichromatic cues relate to color vision, not depth perception.

Quiz 4: Sensation and Perception