Question 1

Grass seen through sunglasses appears equally as green as it does without glasses. This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Color constancy refers to the perceptual phenomenon in which an object maintains its perceived color despite changes in illumination. In this case, the grass appears equally as green through sunglasses as it does without glasses because our brain adjusts for the dark tint of the lenses and still perceives the grass as green. Color constancy is the ability of the brain to perceive the consistent color of objects regardless of lighting conditions, angles of observation, or changes in the color of the light source. In this case, the sunglasses may have altered the wavelength distribution of light reaching the eyes, but the brain still perceives the grass as green because of its color constancy mechanisms.

Question 2

Holding a heavy rather than a light clipboard leads people to perceive job candidates as more important. This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Embodied cognition refers to the idea that our physical experiences and sensations can shape our thinking and perception. In this case, the weight of the clipboard is influencing how people perceive the job candidates, demonstrating the concept of embodied cognition. Weber's law refers to the minimum difference in intensity required to perceive a difference between two stimuli. Telekinesis refers to the supposed ability to move objects with one's mind. The McGurk effect refers to the way in which visual and auditory information can interact to influence perception of speech sounds. None of these concepts are relevant to the scenario described in the question.

Question 3

The distance between our right and left eyes functions to provide us with a cue for depth perception known as

Accepted Answer

Retinal disparity refers to the slight difference in the images projected onto the retina of each eye, which allows us to perceive depth and distance. The larger the retinal disparity, the closer an object appears to be. This cue relies on the distance between our right and left eyes. Retinal disparity refers to the difference between the images projected onto the left and right eye, which provides a cue for depth perception.

Question 4

Rules for organizing stimuli into coherent groups were first identified by

Accepted Answer

The rules for organizing stimuli into coherent groups were first identified by Gestalt psychologists. They believed that people perceive whole objects or figures rather than isolated bits and pieces of sensory information. The rules for organizing stimuli into coherent groups were first identified by Gestalt psychologists. They believed that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and that sensory information is organized into meaningful patterns rather than perceived as individual elements.

Question 5

Which of the following types of cells are located in the brain's visual cortex?

Accepted Answer

Feature detectors are types of cells that are located in the brain's visual cortex. They respond to specific features of visual stimuli, such as lines or edges with specific orientations or movements. Rods and cones are types of photoreceptor cells found in the retina, not in the visual cortex. Bipolar cells are also found in the retina and are responsible for processing visual information before it is sent to the ganglion cells. Hair cells are sensory cells found in the inner ear, not in the visual cortex. Feature detectors are specialized neurons located in the brain's visual cortex that respond to specific types of visual stimuli, such as lines, edges, and angles. They play a critical role in the perception of visual information. Rods and cones are located in the retina of the eye, bipolar cells are located between the photoreceptors and ganglion cells in the retina, and hair cells are located in the inner ear and are responsible for auditory perception.

Question 6

Psychics are unable to make millions of dollars betting on horse races. This undermines their claims to possess the power of

Accepted Answer

Precognition is the psychic ability to perceive future events or outcomes. If psychics truly had this power, they would be able to consistently predict the winning horse in a race and make millions of dollars betting on it. The fact that they cannot do this undermines their claim to possess precognition. Precognition refers to the ability to perceive or predict future events, including the outcome of horse races. If psychics truly possessed this power, they would be able to make millions of dollars betting on horse races. The fact that they cannot do so undermines their claims to possess this ability. Option A (clairvoyance) refers to the ability to perceive events beyond normal sensory contact, and option D (telepathy) refers to the ability to communicate thoughts without external stimuli, neither of which are directly relevant to horse race betting. Option B (interposition) is not a recognized psychic ability.

Question 7

After some practice, Carol was able to read books while holding them upside down. This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Perceptual adaptation refers to the ability of the brain to adjust to changes in sensory input, such as holding a book upside down. It allows individuals to adapt to unusual or unfamiliar circumstances and still be able to perceive and interpret stimuli accurately. Perceptual adaptation refers to the ability of the brain to adjust to changes in sensory input, such as reading a book upside down. This allows us to perceive familiar objects and environments despite changes in their orientation or appearance.

Question 8

Damage to the basilar membrane is most likely to affect one's

Accepted Answer

The basilar membrane is part of the auditory system in the inner ear and is responsible for converting sound waves into neural signals that the brain can interpret as sound. Damage to the basilar membrane would therefore most likely affect one's ability to hear, making B the correct answer.

Question 9

Railroad tracks appear to converge in the distance. This provides a cue for depth perception known as

Accepted Answer

Linear perspective is the visual cue that suggests that parallel lines converge at a point in the distance, giving the impression of depth perception. This is exactly what is happening in the case of the railroad tracks, where the two parallel tracks appear to converge at a point in the distance. Interposition refers to one object partially blocking another, proximity refers to objects that are close together, and continuity refers to continuous lines or patterns that suggest a smooth continuation. These cues are not directly relevant to the railroad tracks converging in the distance. Linear perspective is the cue for depth perception that makes parallel lines appear to converge in the distance, such as railroad tracks. Interposition involves objects blocking other objects and is not relevant to this scenario. Proximity and continuity refer to grouping principles and are not related to depth perception.

Question 10

Interpreting new sensory information within the framework of a past memory illustrates

Accepted Answer

Interpreting new sensory information within the framework of a past memory is an example of top-down processing, where our prior knowledge and past experiences shape and influence our perception of new information. Accommodation refers to the process of adjusting our existing schemas to fit new information, Weber's law refers to the principle that the just noticeable difference between two stimuli is proportionate to the intensity of the stimuli, and sensory adaptation refers to the phenomenon of our senses becoming less responsive to a constant stimulus.

Question 11

A door casts an increasingly trapezoidal image on our retinas as it opens, yet we still perceive it as rectangular. This illustrates

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described is an example of shape constancy, where our brain perceives the shape of an object (in this case, a rectangular door) as constant even if the image on the retina changes. This illustrates shape constancy, which is our ability to perceive objects as unchanged in shape despite changes in the angle, size, or position from which we view them.

Question 12

The sensory experience of bending one's knees or raising one's arms exemplifies

Accepted Answer

Kinesthesis refers to the sense of movement and body position. Bending one's knees or raising one's arms involves kinesthesis, as it requires awareness of the position and movement of one's own body. The vestibular sense involves balance and spatial orientation. Top-down processing refers to how our prior knowledge and expectations influence perception. Sensory interaction refers to how different senses can influence each other (e.g. taste and smell). The sensory experience of bending one's knees or raising one's arms involves kinesthesis, which is the sense of the position and movement of our body parts. The vestibular sense refers to our sense of balance and spatial orientation, while top-down processing and sensory interaction are not directly related to this particular sensory experience.

Question 13

The central focal point in the retina where cones are heavily concentrated is known as the

Accepted Answer

The fovea is the central focal point in the retina where cones are heavily concentrated, providing sharp visual acuity. The fovea is the central focal point in the retina where cones are heavily concentrated, allowing for acute and detailed vision. The lens, optic nerve, and cornea all play important roles in vision, but they are not specifically associated with the concentration of cones in the retina.

Question 14

Multiple ________ send combined messages to a bipolar cell, whereas a single ________ may link directly to a single bipolar cell.

Accepted Answer

In the retina, multiple rods converge to send messages to a single bipolar cell, whereas a single cone may link directly to a single bipolar cell. This is why cones are more useful for fine detail and color vision, while rods are more sensitive to low light levels. Option B, C, and D are not applicable to this scenario. Multiple rods (which are more sensitive to low light) send combined messages to a bipolar cell in the retina, whereas a single cone (which detects color and fine detail) may link directly to a single bipolar cell.

Question 15

A subliminal message is one that is presented

Accepted Answer

A subliminal message is one that is presented below one's absolute threshold for awareness, meaning it is too weak to be detected consciously. A subliminal message is one that is presented below one's absolute threshold for awareness. This means that the message is presented in such a way that it is not consciously perceived by the individual, as it is below their level of conscious awareness.

Question 16

The cochlea is a

Accepted Answer

The cochlea is a fluid-filled tube in the inner ear that contains specialized hair cells which are triggered by sound waves and send nerve impulses to the brain for processing.

Question 17

If you move your watchband up your wrist an inch or so, you will feel it for only a few moments. This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Sensory adaptation is the decrease in sensitivity to a constant stimulus over time. In this case, when the watchband is moved up the wrist, the pressure on the skin is a constant stimulus, and the sensory receptors in the skin will adapt and decrease their sensitivity to it. This is why the feeling of the watchband will only be noticeable for a few moments before fading away. Sensory adaptation refers to the diminished sensitivity to a constant or unchanging stimulation. In the given scenario, moving the watchband up the wrist is a constant or unchanging stimulation, and thus, the feeling of it fades away after a few moments, illustrating sensory adaptation. Choice A, parallel processing, refers to the ability of the brain to process multiple stimuli simultaneously. Choice B, accommodation, refers to the ability of the eye to adjust focus from near to far objects. Choice D, Weber's law, refers to the principle that the just noticeable difference between two stimuli is proportional to the magnitude of the stimuli.

Question 18

Nociceptors initiate the sensation of

Accepted Answer

Nociceptors are sensory receptors that respond to potentially damaging stimuli by sending signals to the spinal cord and brain, which are interpreted as pain. Therefore, the correct choice is D. Nociceptors are specialized nerve fibers responsible for detecting and transmitting the sensation of pain to the brain.

Question 19

Immanuel Kant and John Locke would have been most likely to disagree about the extent to which perception is influenced by

Accepted Answer

Immanuel Kant believed in innate categories of perception that are independent of cultural experience, while John Locke argued that all knowledge comes from sensory experience, including cultural experience. Therefore, they would likely disagree about the extent to which perception is influenced by cultural experience. Immanuel Kant believed that perception is heavily influenced by cultural experience and pre-existing mental structures, which he referred to as "a priori" knowledge. John Locke, on the other hand, believed that perception is primarily shaped by sensory experience and that the mind at birth is a "blank slate" or "tabula rasa". Therefore, they would have disagreed on the extent to which cultural experience affects perception.

Question 20

The size of the difference threshold is greater for heavier objects than for lighter ones. This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

Weber's law states that the size of the difference threshold is proportional to the intensity of the stimulus. This means that the greater the intensity of the stimulus, the greater the difference must be in order for it to be noticeable. The law also states that the size of the difference threshold is greater for heavier objects than for lighter ones. This is because heavier objects require a greater difference in weight to be noticeable, while lighter objects require a smaller difference in weight to be noticeable. Therefore, the best choice is C, Weber's law.

Quiz 6: Perception