Question 1

Which perception is associated with the amplitude of a sound wave?

Accepted Answer

Amplitude is directly related to the perceived loudness of a sound. As the amplitude increases, the sound is perceived as louder, and as it decreases, the sound is perceived as softer.

Question 2

Images that occupy more space on your retina are seen as nearer, relative to images that occupy less space. What is this depth cue called?

Accepted Answer

The depth cue in question is called relative size, which involves the perception that objects that appear larger on the retina are closer than those that appear smaller. Answers A, B, and D are not related to this particular cue.

Question 3

What is the moon illusion?

Accepted Answer

The moon illusion refers to our perception that the moon looks larger on the horizon than it does when it is higher in the sky. This is an illusion, as the moon's actual size does not change based on its position in the sky.

Question 4

You see a delicious-looking doughnut sitting on the counter in front of you, and you guide your hand toward the doughnut and pop it into your mouth. What do we call the second visual process for guiding your hand?

Accepted Answer

The second visual process for guiding your hand is known as vision for action, which involves the use of visual information to guide motor actions like reaching for and grasping objects. This type of vision is processed quickly and unconsciously, and it relies on different brain regions than conscious visual perception (B, Hubel vision) or the processing of visual information for detecting salient features like color and movement (C, subcortical vision).

Question 5

Which of the following is true of optical illusions?

Accepted Answer

Optical illusions are influenced by our past experiences, expectations, and individual perception. For example, the well-known Müller-Lyer illusion where two lines of the same length appear different due to the arrows on the ends is based on the visual experiences we have had with shapes in our environment.

Question 6

Which visual illusion accounts for the fact that the corner of a building thrust toward the viewer looks shorter than an inside corner thrust away from the viewer?

Accepted Answer

The Müller-Lyer illusion is characterized by the perception that two lines of equal length appear to be different lengths due to the context in which they are presented. In the case of the corners of a building, the corner thrust towards the viewer appears shorter due to the presence of angled lines that suggest a different depth perception than the inside corner thrust away from the viewer. This illusion may be further accentuated by the presence of other lines or objects in the visual field.

Question 7

In the case study of "DF," a woman experienced brain damage as a result of carbon-monoxide poisoning and lost the ability to recognize the forms of objects. What type of deficit did "DF" have?

Accepted Answer

"DF" had agnosia, which is the inability to recognize objects despite having intact sensory function. Specifically, she had visual agnosia, as she could not recognize forms of objects visually.

Question 8

Which of the following activities would be difficult for you to do if you sustained damage to your dorsal stream?

Accepted Answer

The dorsal stream is responsible for processing visual information related to spatial awareness and movement. Therefore, reaching out to pick up a cup would be difficult if this stream was damaged. The other activities listed are primarily processed by the ventral stream, which is responsible for object recognition and identifying visual details.

Question 9

What is perceptual constancy?

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy is the ability to perceive an object as having the same size, shape, color, and other characteristics despite changes in the sensory information we receive. This allows us to recognize and identify objects even under different viewing conditions.

Question 10

Tran was painting a picture of a jet on a runway; however, in his painting the sides of the runway are parallel to each other. His picture seems to lack depth. Which monocular depth cue has Tran failed to make use of?

Accepted Answer

Linear perspective is the monocular cue that allows an artist to create an illusion of depth by using converging diagonal lines that appear to recede into the distance. In Tran's painting, the sides of the runway are parallel, so there are no converging lines to create a sense of distance or depth.

Question 11

Which of the following is implied by the phenomenon of perceptual constancy?

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy refers to the ability of our brain to perceive objects as being the same despite changes in sensory input. This means that even if an object produces a different retinal image (for example, due to changes in lighting, distance, or angle), our brain is able to compensate for these changes and perceive the object as being the same. This is a form of perceptual stability and helps us navigate the world around us more effectively. Option B is the only one that correctly reflects this concept. The other options are either unrelated or incorrect.

Question 12

Ashley is trying to create a small model village on the mantle of her fireplace. She bought 3-inch high figures to put at the front of the mantle and smaller figures to put near the back. What depth cue is Ashley using?

Accepted Answer

Ashley is using the depth cue of relative size by putting the larger 3-inch high figures at the front of the mantle and smaller figures at the back. This gives the viewer the impression that the figures at the front are closer, while the smaller figures at the back are farther away.

Question 13

Three-year-old Keeghan was flying in a plane for the first time. As the plane descended for its landing, Keeghan became very excited at all the toy houses and cars he saw, and he couldn't wait for the plane to land so he could play with the toys. Which perceptual cue is Keeghan NOT using?

Accepted Answer

Keeghan's excitement at the toys he saw indicates that he is not using size constancy, which allows us to understand that objects do not change size even when viewed from different distances. This suggests that Keeghan is not yet able to perceive this visual cue.

Question 14

Gabriella was looking for shelter from the sudden cloudburst, and at first she had difficulty judging whether the old barn or the farmhouse was closer. However, when she noticed that the barn partially obscured the corner of the house she headed for the barn. Which depth cue did Gabriella use?

Accepted Answer

Gabriella used the depth cue of interposition when she noticed that the barn partially obscured the corner of the house, indicating that the barn was closer than the house.

Question 15

The sand at Zane's feet appeared coarse, and he could see the individual grains of sand. However, the sand down the beach appeared to be much finer and less granular. From which depth cue might this apparent difference in the sand have partially resulted?

Accepted Answer

The apparent difference in the sand's texture may have partially resulted from the texture gradient depth cue. Texture gradient refers to the perception that objects closer to us have a coarser and more distinct texture, while objects farther from us have a smoother and less distinct texture. In this case, the sand at Zane's feet appears coarser because it is closer, while the sand farther down the beach appears smoother and less granular because it is farther away. The other depth cues (relative size, interposition, and light and shadow) do not specifically account for differences in texture.

Question 16

When a clarinet plays a high C followed by a low C, these two notes are perceived differently because they differ in what aspect?

Accepted Answer

The high C and the low C differ in frequency. The high C has a higher frequency than the low C.

Question 17

What is interposition?

Accepted Answer

Interposition is an environmental depth cue in which closer objects overlap objects farther away, blocking or obscuring the view of the farther object.

Question 18

What aspect of the sound wave influences the perception of timbre?

Accepted Answer

Timbre is influenced by the purity of the sound wave or the presence of overtones. Different instruments, even playing the same note, may produce different timbres due to variations in the frequencies and intensities of the overtones present in their sound waves.

Question 19

In the Ames room, people are seen to get smaller or larger as they move about. What does this demonstrate about our perception?

Accepted Answer

The Ames room illusion demonstrates that perception depends on the assumptions we make about stimuli. Despite the fact that the people in the room are of different sizes, our brain assumes that they are all the same size, leading us to perceive them as changing in size as they move about the room. This illusion shows that our perception is not just determined by the actual stimuli we receive, but also by the context in which they are presented and our expectations about what should be there.

Question 20

As Briana drove down the highway, the pickets of the fences moved past her in a blur, but the mountains in the distance didn't appear to move at all. What was Briana experiencing?

Accepted Answer

Briana is experiencing motion parallax, which is a monocular cue for depth perception. As she drives, objects closer to her (such as the pickets of the fences) move by quickly, but objects farther away (such as the mountains) appear to move much more slowly or not at all. This difference in perceived motion helps her brain determine relative distances between objects.

Quiz 4: A: Sensation and Perception