Deck 7: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

A forest ranger may notice the faintest scent of a forest fire,whereas much stronger but less important odors fail to catch her attention.This fact would be of greatest relevance to

A) place theory.
B) opponent-process theory.
C) signal detection theory.
D) frequency theory.

Answer 1

signal detection theory.

Question 2

Psychophysics is best defined as the study of relationships between

A) sensation and perception.
B) stimulus energies and neural impulses.
C) absolute thresholds and difference thresholds.
D) physical stimuli and psychological experience.

Answer 2

physical stimuli and psychological experience.

Question 3

The process by which cells in the eye convert stimulus energy into neural signals is an example of

A) top-down processing.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) transduction.
D) priming.

Answer 3

transduction.

Question 4

Heather Sellers suffers from prosopagnosia and is unable to recognize her own face in a photograph.Her difficulty stems from a deficiency in

A) top-down processing.
B) transduction.
C) bottom-up processing.
D) sensation.

Question 5

Although Manuel was sitting right next to his parents,he smelled a skunk minutes before they did.Apparently,Manuel has a lower ________ for skunk odor than his parents have.

A) critical period
B) tolerance level
C) absolute threshold
D) sensory adaptation

Question 6

Analysis that begins with the sensory receptors is called

A) subliminal sensation.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) bottom-up processing.
D) priming.

Question 7

The effect of prior experience and current expectations on perception best illustrates the importance of

A) subliminal stimulation.
B) transduction.
C) sensory thresholds.
D) top-down processing.

Question 8

Sensation is the

A) transformation of sound and light into meaningful words and images.
B) detection and encoding of stimulus energies by sensory receptors and the nervous system.
C) organization and interpretation of environmental events.
D) conscious awareness of a familiar stimulus.

Question 9

Stimuli below the absolute threshold are said to be

A) adaptive.
B) primed.
C) subliminal.
D) transduced.

Question 10

Experiencing an apple as being red is to ________ as recognizing an apple as being a fruit is to ________.

A) absolute threshold;difference threshold
B) sensory adaptation;signal detection.
C) sensation;perception
D) signal detection;difference threshold.

Question 11

If an adult develops cataracts that cloud the lenses of the eyes,his or her

A) absolute threshold for light is likely to increase.
B) difference threshold for light is likely to decrease.
C) absolute threshold for light is likely to decrease.
D) difference threshold for light is likely to remain unchanged.

Question 12

Which theory assumes that top-down processing can influence a person's absolute threshold for a particular stimulus?

A) place theory
B) frequency theory
C) signal detection theory
D) opponent-process theory

Question 13

The conscious or unconscious activation of certain associations is called

A) transduction.
B) priming.
C) signal detection.
D) adaptation.

Question 14

The process by which we organize and interpret sensory information in order to recognize meaningful objects and events is called

A) sensory adaptation.
B) sensation.
C) perception.
D) signal detection.

Question 15

Which of the following represents the second of three steps basic to all sensory systems?

A) transduction
B) subliminal stimulation
C) perceptual adaptation
D) priming

Question 16

Damage to a region of the temporal lobe essential to recognizing faces results in a condition known as

A) transduction.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) signal detection.
D) prosopagnosia.

Question 17

The absolute threshold is the minimum amount of stimulation that a person needs to detect a stimulus

A) at the beginning of a sensory experience.
B) on a subliminal level.
C) 50 percent of the time.
D) reliably on any occasion.

Question 18

The fact that fear may increase your sensitivity to an almost imperceptible pain stimulus is of most relevance to

A) frequency theory.
B) place theory.
C) opponent-process theory.
D) signal detection theory.

Question 19

Transduction refers to the process of

A) organizing and interpreting sensory information.
B) activating mental associations.
C) transforming stimulus energies into neural impulses.
D) drawing on our experience and expectations to construct perceptions.

Question 20

Detection is to interpretation as sensation is to

A) adaptation.
B) transduction.
C) perception.
D) priming.

Question 21

After sensory adaptation to an angry face,a morphed blend of an angry face and a scared face appears predominantly ________.After sensory adaptation to a scared face,a morphed face blend of an angry and a scared face appears predominantly ________.

A) scared;scared
B) angry;angry
C) scared;angry
D) angry;scared

Question 22

We experience the difference threshold as a(n)

A) perceptual set.
B) masking stimulus.
C) subliminal stimulus.
D) jnd.

Question 23

Soothing musical recordings accompanied by unheard verbal messages designed to increase a desire to lose weight best illustrate

A) Weber's law.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) subliminal stimulation.
D) difference thresholds.

Question 24

An assumption or expectation that affects (top-down)what we see or hear is called a

A) just noticeable difference.
B) perceptual set.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) masking stimulus.

Question 25

Perceiving a facial image as that of an old woman rather than that of a young woman may depend on which of two other less ambiguous facial drawings was viewed first.This best illustrates the importance of

A) difference thresholds.
B) a masking stimulus.
C) perceptual set.
D) subliminal stimulation.

Question 26

Diminished sensitivity to an unchanging stimulus is known as

A) priming.
B) prosopagnosia.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) transduction.

Question 27

Those who believe in the value of subliminal audio programs would be wrong to claim that

A) people are capable of bottom-up processing.
B) signal detection is influenced by a person's motivational state.
C) unconsciously processed information is unusually persuasive.
D) sensory transduction can occur without conscious awareness.

Question 28

After the word "bread" was briefly flashed and then replaced by a masking stimulus,observers detected the related word "butter" much faster than the unrelated word "bubble." This best illustrates the impact of

A) sensory adaptation.
B) prosopagnosia.
C) priming.
D) Weber's law.

Question 29

In 1972,a British newspaper published pictures of a "Loch Ness Monster." Many people readily perceived a floating tree trunk in the photographs as the partially submerged monster.This best illustrates the powerful influence of

A) bottom-up processing.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) subliminal stimulation.
D) perceptual set.

Question 30

Subliminal priming effects best illustrate

A) the difference between absolute and difference thresholds.
B) a diminishing sensitivity to unchanging and familiar information.
C) that information can be processed outside of conscious awareness.
D) the impact of sensory adaptation.

Question 31

According to Weber's law,to be perceived as different,two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum

A) shape.
B) distance.
C) intensity.
D) proportion.

Question 32

If we could stop our eyes from quivering as we stared at a stationary object,the object would probably

A) vanish from sight.
B) become a masking stimulus.
C) appear more brilliantly colored.
D) appear to change colors.

Question 33

Some participants in a subliminal persuasion experiment thought that they were receiving subliminal affirmations of their self-esteem when in reality they were receiving subliminal memory-enhancement instructions.These individuals subsequently demonstrated

A) an actual improvement in their memory.
B) an erroneous belief that their memory had improved.
C) an actual enhancement in self-esteem.
D) an erroneous belief that their self-esteem had improved.

Question 34

Which of the following strategies best illustrates the use of subliminal stimulation?

A) A department store places flashing red lights near its sale merchandise.
B) A magazine ad pictures a pack of cigarettes with a beautiful mountain stream in the background.
C) A church organist plays relaxing background music during a pastor's congregational prayer.
D) A trim female figure is imperceptibly flashed on the TV screen during an ad for a weight-reduction clinic.

Question 35

Some people are better than others at detecting slight variations in the tastes of various blends of coffee.This best illustrates the importance of

A) subliminal stimulation.
B) difference thresholds.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) transduction.

Question 36

Pablo sees 75-watt light bulbs as giving off more light than 60-watt bulbs.His wife sees them as giving off the same amount of light.Pablo apparently has a ________ threshold for light than his wife.

A) smaller difference
B) lower absolute
C) larger difference
D) higher absolute

Question 37

If the just-noticeable difference for a 10-ounce weight is 1 ounce,the just noticeable difference for an 80-ounce weight would be ________ ounces.

A) 2
B) 4
C) 8
D) 10

Question 38

Which of the following is an example of sensory adaptation?

A) enjoying a painting more the longer you study it
B) responding vigorously every time a fire alarm is sounded
C) not realizing how cold it is after you have been outdoors for a while in winter
D) relying heavily on your hearing when you wear a blindfold

Question 39

Once we have formed a wrong idea about reality,we have more difficulty seeing the truth.This best illustrates the importance of

A) Weber's law.
B) subliminal persuasion.
C) top-down processing.
D) prosopagnosia.

Question 40

Gay men were more accurate in guessing the angle of a geometric figure if it had been in the same location where a nude ________ briefly appeared a moment earlier.Straight women were more accurate if the geometric figure had been in the same location where a nude ________ briefly appeared a moment earlier.

A) woman;man
B) man;woman
C) woman;woman
D) man;man

Question 41

Intensity is to brightness as wavelength is to

A) accommodation.
B) frequency.
C) amplitude.
D) hue.

Question 42

Julie sees a friend's bright purple car.Compared with the entire range of visible light waves,the car is reflecting relatively ________ frequency and ________ amplitude light waves.

A) high;small
B) high;great
C) low;small
D) low;great

Question 43

Context effects illustrate that our perception of particular stimuli is influenced by the ________ of those stimuli.

A) absolute threshold
B) subliminal sensation
C) just noticeable difference
D) environmental surroundings

Question 44

The amplitude of electromagnetic waves determines the ________ of light.

A) difference threshold
B) brightness
C) hue
D) wavelength

Question 45

The adjustable opening in the center of the eye is the

A) fovea.
B) iris.
C) cornea.
D) pupil.

Question 46

It wasn't until Clara heard some of her classmates laughing loudly during history class that she began to perceive the professor's ongoing lecture to be very funny.This provides an illustration of

A) Weber's law.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) context effects.
D) subliminal messaging.

Question 47

If told an infant is "David," children may perceive him as bigger and stronger than if the same infant is called "Diana." This best illustrates the impact of

A) perceptual set.
B) context effects.
C) Weber's law.
D) sensory adaptation.

Question 48

A quarter appears larger to a group of children who really want the money than to another group of children who don't.This best illustrates that perceptions are influenced by

A) masking stimuli.
B) motivation.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) subliminal stimulation.

Question 49

In one experiment,preschool children judged french fries as tasting better when served in a McDonald's bag rather than a plain white bag.This best illustrates the impact of

A) transduction.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) perceptual set.
D) subliminal persuasion.

Question 50

After reading her horoscope in the morning newspaper,Sabrina readily interpreted many experiences that day as clear verifications of its accuracy.This best illustrates the dangers of

A) perceptual set.
B) sensory adaptation
C) signal detection.
D) transduction.

Question 51

Schemas are best described as

A) concepts that organize and interpret sensory input.
B) networks of interconnected brain cells.
C) visual receptor cells located in the eye.
D) absolute thresholds for particular stimuli.

Question 52

The iris is a doughnut-shaped ring of muscle that adjusts the size of the

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

Question 53

Many people calmly walked past an older gentleman lying on a city sidewalk without showing any concern.As a consequence,other passersby failed to perceive that the man was in need of immediate medical assistance.This best illustrates the importance of

A) difference thresholds.
B) context effects.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) prosopagnosia.

Question 54

Those who feel loved and appreciated by their spouse perceive less threat in stressful marital interactions.This best illustrates that perceptions are influenced by

A) emotion.
B) subliminal stimulation.
C) priming.
D) sensory adaptation.

Question 55

When Helen noticed that her classmates were all wearing expensive designer jeans,she suddenly perceived her own off-brand jeans to be very unattractive.This best illustrates the importance of

A) subliminal persuasion.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) masking stimuli.
D) context effects.

Question 56

Desired objects,such as a bottle of water,seem closer when we are thirsty.This best illustrates the importance of

A) sensory adaptation.
B) top-down processing.
C) subliminal persuasion.
D) prosopagnosia.

Question 57

Walking destinations look ________ to those who have been fatigued by prior exercise.A hill looks ________ steep to those with a friend beside them.

A) closer;less
B) close;more
C) farther away;less
D) farther away;more

Question 58

Green light is

A) longer in wavelength than yellow light.
B) shorter in wavelength than blue light.
C) longer in wavelength than orange light.
D) shorter in wavelength than red light.

Question 59

After watching a scary television movie,Julie perceived the noise of the wind rattling her front windows as the sound of a burglar breaking into her house.Her mistaken interpretation best illustrates the influence of

A) perceptual set.
B) subliminal stimulation.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) bottom-up processing.

Question 60

The perceived color of visible light is determined by its

A) proximity.
B) wavelength.
C) continuity.
D) difference threshold.

Question 61

Compared with rods,cones are

A) more sensitive to dim light and more sensitive to fine detail.
B) less sensitive to dim light and less sensitive to fine detail.
C) more sensitive to dim light and less sensitive to fine detail.
D) less sensitive to dim light and more sensitive to fine detail.

Question 62

The retina has three types of color receptors,each especially sensitive to one of three colors.The retina has no separate receptors especially sensitive to

A) green.
B) blue.
C) yellow.
D) red.

Question 63

Jason is so disgusted by the bitter taste of brussels sprouts that he refuses his parents' request to at least try eating them.Jason's feelings are most likely to be signaled by changes in his eyes caused by

A) increased retinal disparity.
B) accommodation of the lens.
C) enlargement of the fovea.
D) constriction of the pupils.

Question 64

Ganglion axons forming the optic nerve run to the ________ where they synapse with neurons that run to the visual cortex.

A) hypothalamus
B) cerebellum
C) hippocampus
D) thalamus

Question 65

Light rays passing through the pupil cast an upside-down image on the

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

Question 66

The receptor cells that are concentrated in the fovea are called

A) bipolar cells.
B) ganglion cells.
C) cones.
D) feature detectors.

Question 67

The direct link between a single cone and a single ________ preserves the fine details in the cone's message.

A) rod
B) ganglion cell
C) blind spot.
D) bipolar cell

Question 68

Any given area of the retina relays its information to a corresponding location in the

A) hypothalamus.
B) oval window.
C) occipital lobe.
D) cerebellum.

Question 69

Dilation and constriction of the pupil are controlled by the

A) optic nerve.
B) lens.
C) retina.
D) iris.

Question 70

The process by which the lens changes shape to focus the image of an object on the retina is called

A) interposition.
B) accommodation.
C) transduction.
D) feature detection.

Question 71

According to the Young-Helmholtz theory

A) the retina contains three kinds of color receptors.
B) color vision depends on pairs of opposing retinal processes.
C) the size of the difference threshold is proportional to the intensity of the stimulus.
D) certain nerve cells in the brain respond to specific features of a stimulus.

Question 72

The receptor cells that convert light energy into neural signals are called

A) bipolar cells.
B) ganglion cells.
C) rods and cones.
D) feature detectors.

Question 73

In most people who are color-blind,the red-sensitive or green-sensitive ________ do not function properly.

A) rods
B) cones
C) bipolar cells
D) feature detectors

Question 74

Damage to the fovea would have the GREATEST effect on

A) night vision.
B) peripheral vision.
C) detecting fine detail.
D) sensory adaptation.

Question 75

The light-sensitive inner surface of the eye,containing the rods and cones,is the

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

Question 76

Bipolar cells are located in the

A) optic nerve.
B) retina.
C) blind spot.
D) lens.

Question 77

Under very dim levels of illumination

A) rods reach their maximum light sensitivity more rapidly than do cones.
B) rods are more light sensitive than cones.
C) it is particularly important to look straight at the objects we want to see.
D) all of these statements are true.

Question 78

The iris constricts in response to visible ________ light waves.

A) low frequency
B) low amplitude
C) high frequency
D) high amplitude

Question 79

The most light-sensitive receptor cells are the

A) ganglion cells.
B) cones.
C) bipolar cells.
D) rods.

Question 80

The area of the retina where the optic nerve leaves the eye is called the

A) blind spot.
B) visual cortex.
C) cornea.
D) lens.