Deck 7: Sensation and Perception Part 1

Question 1

If a subject is presented with a series of pairs of light bulbs of different wattages and is asked whether the members of each pair differ in brightness, which of the following is being measured?

A) the physical intensity difference between the two lights
B) the subject's just noticeable difference for brightness
C) the subject's absolute threshold for brightness
D) the subject's visual acuity

Answer 1

the subject's just noticeable difference for brightness

Question 2

According to psychologists, the minimum stimulus intensity of any sensory input that an organism can detect is

A) its sensory memory.
B) subject to sensory adaptation.
C) the absolute threshold.
D) the just noticeable difference (JND).

Answer 2

the absolute threshold.

Question 3

When Celeste was playing her stereo at 40 decibels and she turned it up to 44 decibels, she could notice that it was louder. Based on this information you could predict that if Celeste has her stereo playing at 80 decibels, her just noticeable difference for loudness would be

A) 4 decibels, the same as it was at 40 decibels.
B) 2 decibels, half as much as it was at 40 decibels.
C) impossible to determine without more information.
D) 8 decibels, twice as much as it was at 40 decibels.

Answer 3

8 decibels, twice as much as it was at 40 decibels.

Question 4

Evelyn turned the thermostat up from 68 degrees to 70 degrees; however, she doesn't think it feels any warmer and she wants to turn it up even higher. Her roommate thinks that it is now too hot, and she wants to turn the thermostat back down. Apparently Evelyn has

A) a smaller just noticeable difference for temperature than her roommate does.
B) a lower absolute threshold for temperature than her roommate does.
C) a larger just noticeable difference for temperature than her roommate does.
D) a higher absolute threshold for temperature, compared to her roommate.

Question 5

In the signal-detection method, if a subject detects a stimulus when no stimulus is actually present, this would be a

A) hit.
B) miss.
C) false alarm.
D) correct rejection.

Question 6

The smallest difference in stimulus intensity that a specific sense can detect is

A) an absolute difference.
B) a detection difference.
C) a perceptual illusion.
D) a just noticeable difference.

Question 7

Giovanni was watching the night sky on a clear evening in November. He noticed that sometimes when he looked directly overhead he could detect a very faint star. A few minutes later it seemed that the star had disappeared, and then it "appeared" again. In this case, it is very likely that the light from the star was

A) just below Giovanni's level for perceptual invariance.
B) producing action potentials that were too weak to reach the terminal buttons.
C) just at Giovanni's absolute threshold for light.
D) producing inhibitory synapses rather than excitatory synapses.

Question 8

The minimum stimulus intensity that an organism can detect is the

A) just noticeable threshold.
B) detection threshold.
C) absolute threshold.
D) signal-detect threshold.

Question 9

In the signal-detection method, if a subject fails to detects a stimulus when a stimulus is actually present, this would be a

A) hit.
B) miss.
C) false alarm.
D) correct rejection.

Question 10

The absolute threshold is defined as the stimulus intensity that an organism can detect

A) 1% of the time.
B) 25% of the time.
C) 50% of the time.
D) 100% of the time.

Question 11

Technically, your absolute threshold is the point which you can detect

A) a stimulus 50 percent of the time.
B) a stimulus 75 percent of the time.
C) any stimulus set point.
D) any stimulus that registers on sensory memory.

Question 12

Ron is making potato soup. His roommate tastes it and tells Ron it is great, but Ron thinks it needs more salt. He adds just a little salt, and thinks the soup now tastes perfect. However, his roommate tastes it again and tells Ron that the soup is ruined because it is too salty. Apparently, for the taste of salt

A) Ron can detect a smaller just noticeable difference than his roommate.
B) Ron's roommate can detect a smaller just noticeable difference than Ron can.
C) Ron has a higher absolute threshold than his roommate does.
D) Ron has a lower absolute threshold than his roommate does.

Question 13

According to ____, the ability to detect a stimulus depends not only on the intensity of the stimulus but also on other variables such as the level of noise in the system and your expectations.

A) Weber's Law
B) Gustav Fechner
C) signal detection theory
D) subliminal perception

Question 14

According to psychologists, the smallest difference in stimulus intensity that a specific sense can detect is

A) its sensory memory.
B) subject to sensory adaptation.
C) the absolute threshold.
D) the just noticeable difference (JND).

Question 15

Research into absolute thresholds has found that

A) there is a fixed point where the probability of detecting a stimulus jumps from 0% to 100%.
B) absolute thresholds vary between 25% detection rates and 75% detection rates, depending on the individual.
C) there are significant cross-cultural differences in absolute thresholds for light and sound.
D) the chances of detecting a stimulus increase as the stimulus intensity increases.

Question 16

Juanita was drinking some warm punch and she thought she could just detect a faint taste of nutmeg in the punch. However when she took another sip the taste wasn't there. On the third sip she could just make out the taste of nutmeg again. It is very likely that the amount of nutmeg in the punch was

A) just below her taste constancy level.
B) producing inhibitory synapses rather than excitatory synapses.
C) producing action potentials that were too weak to reach the terminal buttons.
D) just at her absolute threshold for taste.

Question 17

Which type of signal-detection error becomes more likely when the expectation of a stimulus is weak?

A) a miss
B) a false alarm
C) a correct rejection
D) an accurate hit

Question 18

While ____ involves the stimulation of sense organs, ____ involves the selection, organization, and interpretation of sensory input.

A) perception; sensation
B) sensation; perception
C) activation; sensation
D) activation; perception

Question 19

If a 100-Hz tone had to be increased to 110 Hz for a subject to just notice the difference, you would predict that a 1000-Hz tone would have to be increased to

A) 1010 to be noticed.
B) 1050 to be noticed.
C) 1100 to be noticed.
D) 1200 to be noticed.

Question 20

If your roommate slowly and carefully turns up the volume on the stereo until you can determine "now it's louder than it was before," it would be MOST accurate to say the volume increased by a

A) perceivable difference.
B) just noticeable difference.
C) fractional difference.
D) proportional difference.

Question 21

In psychophysics the approach that examines the influence of probability and decision-making processes as well as sensory processes in explaining the detection of stimuli is

A) signal-detection theory.
B) just noticeable difference law.
C) Gestalt theory.
D) Fechner's theory.

Question 22

The question regarding whether sensory stimuli that fall beneath the threshold of awareness still influence behavior is associated with the concept of

A) sensory adaptation.
B) subliminal adaptation.
C) sensory perception.
D) subliminal perception.

Question 23

Jerry, a nuclear operator, must monitor 50 different gauges that keep track of various aspects of the nuclear reactor. According to ____, Jerry's detection of any problems will be influenced by the probability of any problem occurring in conjunction with the payoff associated with detecting the problem.

A) signal-detection theory
B) Frazier Kannard
C) sensory conversion theory
D) the Gestaltists

Question 24

Subliminal means

A) below threshold.
B) barely perceptible.
C) deceptive.
D) superimposed.

Question 25

Sensory adaptation can explain all of the following EXCEPT

A) getting used to the smell of the perfume you are wearing.
B) hearing your name spoken in a noisy room.
C) feeling comfortable in a cold swimming pool after being in for a few minutes.
D) getting used to the touch of your clothes on your skin.

Question 26

Joan was sitting talking with some friends when she suddenly left the room to check on her baby. She was sure she heard little Emily cry out, but when she checked, Emily was sleeping peacefully. Based on signal detection theory, the fact that Joan thought she detected a baby's cry would be considered

A) a false alarm.
B) a correct rejection.
C) a hit.
D) a miss.

Question 27

Which of the following statements is MOST accurate?

A) Although subliminal perception was once dismissed by scientists as preposterous, recent data have made the notion less implausible.
B) Scientists have conclusively demonstrated that perception simply cannot take place without conscious awareness.
C) Recent research suggests that subliminal messages can be quite persuasive in convincing us to buy products we don't want and promoting satanic rituals.
D) Subliminal perception is only possible if sensory adaptation has taken place.

Question 28

Jacob has been working at his computer for the past 2 hours, and the hum that he found so annoying when he started no longer bothers him. The change in Jacob's sensitivity to the noise from the computer illustrates the process known as

A) perceptual invariance.
B) perceptual assimilation.
C) adjusting just noticeable differences.
D) sensory adaptation.

Question 29

Sensory adaptation refers to

A) a weakening of a neurotransmitter substance.
B) a perceptual inversion principle.
C) a decline in sensitivity after prolonged stimulation.
D) an increase in sensitivity after prolonged stimulation.

Question 30

Which of the following BEST summarizes researchers' views concerning subliminal perception?

A) subliminal perception has no demonstrated effect on behavior
B) subliminal perception does not influence behavior, but it appears likely to have practical importance
C) while subliminal perception may influence behavior, it appears unlikely to have much practical importance
D) subliminal perception may influence behavior and it appears likely to have practical importance

Question 31

You enter a room and notice a distinctive new smell. After a bit of time you no longer smell the odor. This illustrates the phenomenon of

A) progressive desensitization.
B) sensory contrast.
C) sensory novelty.
D) sensory adaptation.

Question 32

According to the signal-detection theory performance will also depend on all of the following EXCEPT

A) the criterion you set for how sure you must be before reacting.
B) the level of noise in the system.
C) whether the stimulus is a visual or auditory stimulus.
D) the stimulus intensity.

Question 33

The stronger your expectation that a signal is present, the greater the likelihood that you will

A) miss a signal.
B) report a false alarm.
C) correctly reject a signal when it appears.
D) be aware of background noise.

Question 34

Dalton was sitting in the hallway outside his chemistry class. Some students said they thought they could smell smoke, but Dalton didn't smell anything. When they all checked the lab to see if there were any problems, everything was fine and nothing was burning. Based on signal detection theory, the fact that Dalton didn't smell any smoke would be considered

A) a false alarm.
B) a correct rejection.
C) a hit.
D) a miss.

Question 35

If one is subjected to prolonged stimulation, eventually

A) sensory overload will occur.
B) sensory adaptation will occur.
C) perceptual agnosia will occur.
D) perceptual inversion will occur.

Question 36

Consistent with signal-detection theory detecting a signal when one is not present is referred to as a

A) correct rejection.
B) false alarm.
C) hit.
D) miss.

Question 37

The registration of sensory input without conscious awareness refers to

A) a false alarm.
B) subliminal perception.
C) a just noticeable difference.
D) a superimposed stimulus.

Question 38

That the detection of stimuli involves decision processes as well as sensory processes, which are both influenced by a variety of factors besides stimulus intensity describes

A) sensory adaptation.
B) signal-detection theory.
C) subliminal perception.
D) Weber's law.

Question 39

The fact that your criterion for "hearing" mysterious noises at night may change after a rash of burglaries in your neighborhood can best be explained by

A) Weber's law.
B) Fechner's law.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) signal-detection theory.

Question 40

Sonja put on a new watch this morning and found it uncomfortable because it was so much heavier than her old watch. However, at noon, when a friend asks her if she knows what time it is, Sonja finds she has forgotten she is even wearing the watch. The change in Sonja's sensitivity to the pressure of the watch illustrates the process known as

A) sensory adaptation.
B) perceptual invariance.
C) perceptual assimilation.
D) adjusting just noticeable differences.

Question 41

The wavelength of light mainly affects our perception of

A) color.
B) brightness.
C) saturation.
D) light purity.

Question 42

When you first put on a pair of tight-fitting pants in the morning you may be aware of pressure on your waist, however, after a few minutes the pants will not feel as tight as a result of

A) tactile stretching.
B) tactile continuity.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) sensory overload.

Question 43

If the human eye was not responsive to differences in the amplitude of light waves, we would not be able to perceive differences in

A) saturation.
B) purity.
C) color.
D) brightness.

Question 44

A person living near an industrial plant that produces a foul smelling smoke will not notice it after a while because of

A) perceptual assimilation.
B) adjusting just noticeable differences.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) perceptual invariance.

Question 45

The purity of light waves corresponds to the perception of richness or

A) complexity.
B) saturation.
C) brightness.
D) color.

Question 46

Our perception of the richness, or saturation of a color is affected mainly by

A) the wavelength of light waves.
B) the amplitude of light waves.
C) the purity of light waves.
D) the saturation of light waves.

Question 47

If a person views three lights that differ only in amplitude, the person would perceive the lights as

A) differing in brightness.
B) different colors.
C) differing in brightness and color.
D) different shades of the same color.

Question 48

The process in which the lens adjusts its shape to project a clear image on the retina depending on the distance between the eye and the object being viewed is called

A) adaptation.
B) transduction.
C) accommodation.
D) lateral antagonism.

Question 49

If the human eye was not responsive to differences in the wavelength of light, we would not be able to perceive differences in

A) brightness.
B) saturation.
C) color.
D) purity.

Question 50

Jose is wearing a blue shirt, and Evan is wearing a red shirt. In this case, Jose's shirt is reflecting

A) higher amplitude light waves than Evan's shirt.
B) shorter light waves than Evan's shirt.
C) longer light waves than Evan's shirt.
D) lower amplitude light waves than Evan's shirt.

Question 51

Light, the stimulus for vision, is

A) a form of chemical energy.
B) a form of mechanical energy.
C) a form of electromagnetic energy.
D) the result of vibrations of molecules.

Question 52

The lens in the eye

A) converts light energy into neural energy.
B) controls the amount of light entering the eye.
C) bends entering light rays and focuses them onto the retina.
D) is the part of the eye that gives it its color.

Question 53

The purity of a wavelength of light corresponds to the perception of

A) hue.
B) saturation.
C) brightness.
D) color constancies.

Question 54

Perception of color is associated with the

A) amplitude of light waves.
B) frequency of light waves.
C) wavelength of light waves.
D) purity of light waves.

Question 55

Overall, it appears that we perceive

A) changing stimuli better than constant ones.
B) constant stimuli better than changing ones.
C) long-acting better than short-acting stimuli.
D) stimuli that are steady in the environment.

Question 56

Our perception of the brightness of a color is affected mainly by

A) the wavelength of light waves.
B) the amplitude of light waves.
C) the purity of light waves.
D) the saturation of light waves.

Question 57

If the human eye was not responsive to differences in the purity of light waves, we would not be able to perceive differences in

A) hue.
B) brightness.
C) color constancies.
D) saturation.

Question 58

Sensory adaptation is probably a behavioral adaptation that allows people to

A) notice changes in their environment that may signal threats.
B) notice changes in their environment that many signal safety.
C) notice constants in their environment that may signal threats.
D) notice constants in their environment that may signal safety.

Question 59

The gradual decline in sensitivity to stimuli that follows prolonged stimulation is

A) sensory adaptation.
B) sensory overload.
C) perceptual adaptation.
D) perceptual overload.

Question 60

A red light, green light, and blue light differ in

A) amplitude.
B) complexity.
C) wavelength.
D) purity.

Question 61

Changes in the size of the ____ help regulate the amount of light entering the inner areas of the eye.

A) retina
B) lens
C) pupil
D) cornea

Question 62

Light first enters the eye through a transparent structure on the surface of the eye called

A) the pupil.
B) the cornea.
C) the retina.
D) the lens.

Question 63

Isaiah is having his eyes checked. The doctor has put drops in Isaiah's eyes that will cause the pupils to open wide. As the drops begin to work, Isaiah will MOST likely notice that

A) he will lose some of his color vision.
B) his vision will start to become quite blurry.
C) his vision will become extremely sharp and clear.
D) colors will appear to be "super" saturated.

Question 64

The structure that controls the size of the pupil is the

A) lens.
B) iris.
C) cornea.
D) vitreous humor.

Question 65

In dim light, the pupil of the eye is

A) dilated, producing a sharper image.
B) constricted, producing a sharper image.
C) constricted, producing an image that is not as sharp.
D) dilated, producing an image that is not as sharp.

Question 66

In bright sunlight, the pupil of the eye is

A) the same size as it is in a dark room.
B) dilated.
C) constricted.
D) closed.

Question 67

The correct sequence of eye structures that light passes through en route to the retina is

A) pupil, lens, cornea, iris.
B) cornea, pupil, lens.
C) cornea, iris, pupil, lens.
D) lens, pupil, cornea.

Question 68

The amount of light entering the eye is regulated by changes in the size of the

A) pupil.
B) lens.
C) cornea.
D) retina.

Question 69

The blind spot in the eye is

A) where photoreceptor cells do not "bleach."
B) the point at which ganglion cells synapse with bipolar cells.
C) where the optic nerve exits the back of the eye.
D) what leads to color blindness.

Question 70

As people age, the lens of the eye loses its ability to accommodate, and it tends to remain flat instead of becoming fat and round. This suggests that as people age they will

A) lose their ability to focus on objects in the distance.
B) be less likely to detect differences in light purity.
C) be more likely to detect differences in brightness and hue.
D) lose their ability to focus on objects that are close.

Question 71

The process in which the lens adjusts its shape depending on the distance between the eye and the object viewed in order to project a clear image onto the retina is

A) accommodation.
B) focusing.
C) constriction.
D) dilation.

Question 72

Night and peripheral vision depend mainly on ____, while daylight and acute vision depend mainly on ____.

A) rod cells; cone cells
B) cone cells; rod cells
C) rod cells; bipolar cells
D) bipolar cells; cone cells

Question 73

The structure of the eye that focuses light rays on the retina is the

A) pupil.
B) cornea.
C) optic disk.
D) lens.

Question 74

Why is it easier to detect a faint star at night if you look to the side of the star?

A) You are focusing on your fovea where there are more cones.
B) You are focusing the star on your fovea where there are more rods.
C) You are not focusing the star on your fovea, so can rely on your cones and thus can see the star better.
D) You are focusing the star in the periphery of your retina where your rods predominate.

Question 75

The optic disk is

A) where the optic nerve exits the retina.
B) the brain structure responsible for the merging of visual fields from both eyes.
C) where light enters the eye.
D) another term for the lens.

Question 76

Susan can see distant objects clearly, but close objects appear blurry to her. Susan

A) is, most likely, a young child.
B) is nearsighted.
C) is farsighted.
D) has a cataract.

Question 77

Courtney wears glasses to correct the far-sightedness in her left eye. If she were not wearing her glasses,

A) the lens would focus images in front of the retina in her left eye.
B) the pupil in her left eye would dilate and let in too much light energy.
C) the lens would focus images behind the retina in her left eye.
D) the pupil in her left eye would constrict and not let in sufficient light energy.

Question 78

Imagine that biologists have discovered an animal that has eyes very similar to human eyes, but that the only receptor cells in the retina are rods; there are no cones. Based on what is known about human vision you might expect that this animal would

A) have poor vision in low illumination.
B) have no color vision.
C) have poor peripheral vision.
D) be able to detect extremely fine details.

Question 79

Petra looked directly into a very bright light and damaged her retina. The ophthalmologist has told her that she has sustained massive damage to her cones, but for the most part her rods have not been affected. One change that you could predict for Petra's vision is that she will now have

A) poor vision in low illumination.
B) poor peripheral vision.
C) no color vision.
D) more accurate depth perception.

Question 80

In order to maximize visual acuity at night, you should

A) look directly at the object you wish to see.
B) turn your head at a slight angle to the object.
C) close one eye.
D) blink your eyes several times to hasten dark adaptation.