Question 1

The two major cues that are used to localize sounds are:

Accepted Answer

Intensity and timing differences between the two ears are the two major cues used to localize sounds. The intensity difference between the two ears is higher for sounds coming from one side than the other, while the timing difference is due to the time required for the sound to travel from the source to each ear. These cues are processed in the auditory cortex to determine the location of the sound source. Frequency and pitch differences can contribute to localization, but they are not the primary cues used. Differences in loudness and timbre may also affect localization, but they are secondary cues.

Question 2

During a battle for his life, the soldier did not notice the cuts he received from the rocks, but when you fell while rollerblading and received similar injuries, you felt significant pain.This is best explained by:

Accepted Answer

The experience of pain is best explained by gate control theory, as it takes into account both the biological and psychological factors that can influence how we perceive pain. According to this theory, pain signals can be inhibited or enhanced by signals from other sensory modalities, such as touch or temperature, as well as by cognitive and emotional factors. The soldier in the battle may have had decreased pain sensitivity due to the release of stress hormones or a heightened focus on survival, while the rollerblader may have experienced more pain due to the attention and emotion focused on the injury.

Question 3

The gating action proposed in the gate-control theory of pain apparently relies on:

Accepted Answer

The gate-control theory of pain suggests that pain signals are modulated by the relative activity of large and small nerve fibers. Large fibers, when activated, can inhibit the transmission of pain signals, effectively "closing" the gates to pain perception. This is why activities that stimulate large fibers, such as rubbing a sore area, can temporarily reduce the sensation of pain.

Question 4

Eleanor placed her left hand in a pan of cold water and her right hand in a pan of hot water for several minutes.She then moved both hands into a pan of lukewarm water.Based on what is known about the perception of temperature, you should predict that the lukewarm water will initially feel:

Accepted Answer

After placing her left hand in cold water and right hand in hot water, the temperature receptors in both hands will adapt to their respective temperatures. When both hands are placed in lukewarm water, the receptors in the left hand will signal that the water is warmer than the cold water it was just in, while the receptors in the right hand will signal that the water is cooler than the hot water it was just in. Therefore, the left hand will perceive the water as warm and the right hand will perceive the water as cool, resulting in choice C being the best answer.

Question 5

When the temperature of something we touch is colder than our skin:

Accepted Answer

When the temperature of something we touch is colder than our skin, the cool fibers in our skin begin to fire and we register the sensation of cool.

Question 6

Thor is a computer technician who finds he can tell if a computer's hard drive is moving out of alignment just by listening to the sound the computer makes.Thor's ability to identify problems in this way illustrates:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Thor is a computer technician who finds...

Question 7

One of the key ideas behind the gate-control theory of pain is that:

Accepted Answer

The gate-control theory of pain suggests that pain signals can be modulated or blocked by gates in the spinal cord, which can be influenced by signals from the brain. This theory emphasizes the role of the central nervous system in the perception of pain, suggesting that psychological factors can influence pain perception.

Question 8

Which theory states that impulses generated by pain receptors can be blocked in the spinal cord by signals originating in the brain?

Accepted Answer

The theory described is the gate-control theory, which states that signals from the brain can close the "gate" in the spinal cord, preventing pain signals from reaching the brain.

Question 9

Stimulating sensory receptors in the skin causes neural signals to be sent to the:

Accepted Answer

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe is responsible for processing sensory information from the skin, such as touch, pressure, temperature, and pain. When sensory receptors in the skin are stimulated, neural signals are sent to this area of the brain for processing. The motor cortex in the frontal lobe is responsible for planning and executing voluntary movements, and is not directly involved in processing sensory information from the skin.

Question 10

Imagine that researchers discovered a new animal that has larger areas of the somatosensory cortex dedicated to the fingers than to the toes.Based on what is known about the arrangement of neurons within the somatosensory cortex, you should conclude that for this animal, the toes are:

Accepted Answer

The somatosensory cortex is responsible for processing sensory information from various parts of the body, including touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception. The areas with larger representation in the cortex have more neurons dedicated to processing sensory information from those body parts. Therefore, if the animal has larger areas of the somatosensory cortex dedicated to the fingers than to the toes, we can infer that the fingers have more sensory sensitivity than the toes. Hence, the correct answer is C, less sensitive than the fingers.

Question 11

Varying a sound's arrival time at each ear will change:

Accepted Answer

By varying the arrival time at each ear, the brain is able to calculate the location of the sound source based on the small difference in time it takes for the sound to reach each ear. This is also known as binaural hearing and helps to create the perception of spatial location and distance of sound sources. Varying arrival time does not affect the pitch, intensity or meaning of the sound.

Question 12

Jamal was in an accident and lost all the hearing in his left ear.The deafness in his left ear will most likely affect Jamal's ability to:

Accepted Answer

Jamal's ability to localize sounds accurately will most likely be affected by the loss of hearing in his left ear. The brain uses differences in the timing and loudness of sounds arriving at each ear to determine where a sound is coming from. With only one working ear, it becomes more difficult for the brain to accurately determine the source of a sound. While the loss of hearing in one ear may affect other aspects of hearing, such as detecting certain frequencies or speech in noise, the most significant impact is likely to be on localization abilities.

Question 13

When the temperature of something we touch is warmer than our skin:

Accepted Answer

Warm fibers in our skin begin to fire when we touch something warmer than our skin. This sends a signal to our brain, which registers the sensation of warmth. Cool fibers only begin to fire when we touch something colder than our skin.

Question 14

The somatosensory cortex is located in the:

Accepted Answer

The somatosensory cortex is primarily located in the parietal lobe of the brain. It is responsible for processing sensory information related to touch, pressure, temperature, and pain from different parts of the body.

Question 15

The somatosensory cortex primarily receives information about:

Accepted Answer

The somatosensory cortex is responsible for processing tactile information such as touch, temperature, and proprioception (awareness of body position and movement).

Question 16

Trevor and Julia were walking one night when they heard a loud crash.Trevor was convinced the sound came from directly in front of them and Julia was convinced the sound came from directly behind them.The reason they might have difficulty localizing the sound is:

Accepted Answer

The reason Trevor and Julia might have difficulty localizing the sound is that the sound waves would have arrived at both ears at the same instant. This can make it challenging to discern the direction of the sound, as our ability to localize sounds often relies on detecting slight differences in the time it takes for sound to reach each ear.

Question 17

If plastic conducts heat less efficiently than wood does, when we touch something made from plastic we would typically perceive:

Accepted Answer

The answer of If plastic conducts heat less efficiently than...

Question 18

The physical stimulus for the perception of touch is:

Accepted Answer

The physical stimulus for the perception of touch is mechanical energy, as it involves pressure or vibration on the skin. Electromagnetic energy is the stimulus for vision, while chemical energy may be involved in the perception of taste and smell. Hyperkinetic energy is not a recognized type of energy.

Question 19

Thaddeus took a lukewarm shower after he got out of the sauna.Based on what is known about temperature perception, you should predict that Thaddeus will initially perceive the shower as:

Accepted Answer

This is because Thaddeus just came out of a hot sauna, which will increase his skin temperature and desensitize his thermoreceptors to warm temperatures. As a result, the lukewarm shower will feel colder than it actually is, and Thaddeus may initially perceive it as uncomfortably cold.

Question 20

Trish has an ear infection and has to wear an earplug in her right ear for the next week.The doctor has told her that there will be very little impact on her ability to listen in her classes, since her left ear is fine.For the next week Trish will probably have the most problems:

Accepted Answer

Trish will likely have difficulty localizing sounds accurately because sound localization relies on the ability to hear with both ears to detect differences in the timing and intensity of sounds.

Quiz 5: Sensation and Perception