Deck 3: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

The lowest intensity of a particular stimulus that enables the average person to detect that stimulus 50 percent of the time it is presented is called the __________

A) absolute threshold.
B) difference threshold.
C) just noticeable difference.
D) psychophysical threshold.

Answer 1

absolute threshold.

Question 2

Ernst Weber provided a formulation that is used to determine the __________

A) largest detectable stimulus.
B) smallest detectable stimulus.
C) largest detectable difference between two stimuli.
D) smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.

Answer 2

smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.

Question 3

__________ furnishes the raw material of sensory experience, whereas __________ provides an interpretation of that material.

A) Sensation; transduction medium
B) Perception; transduction
C) Sensation; perception
D) Perception; sensation

Answer 3

Sensation; perception

Question 4

The difference threshold is defined as the degree of change in a stimulus level that is required in order for a person to detect a change __________ of the time.

A) 25 percent
B) 75 percent
C) 50 percent
D) 100 percent

Question 5

The principle that the just noticeable difference of any given sense is a constant fraction or proportion of the stimulus being judged is called __________

A) the opponent-process principle.
B) the doctrine of specific nerve energies.
C) the phi phenomenon.
D) Weber's law.

Question 6

__________ is the mental process of making sense of sensory information.

A) Abstraction
B) Sensation
C) Perception

Question 7

The __________ is a measure of the smallest increase or decrease in a physical stimulus that is required to produce the just noticeable difference.

A) absolute threshold
B) difference threshold
C) detection paradigm
D) perceptual set

Question 8

Participating in a psychology study, you find yourself sitting in a room that is completely dark. The researcher adjusts the dial on a machine that displays a small spot of light. Across dozens of trials, the researcher finds the minimal amount of light needed for you to report seeing it 50% of the time. In this study the researcher measured your __________

A) difference threshold.
B) absolute threshold.
C) JND threshold.
D) Weber threshold.

Question 9

The term just noticeable difference is synonymous with __________.

A) separation threshold
B) response threshold
C) difference threshold
D) absolute threshold

Question 10

Bobby is weight lifting. After lifting 250 lbs., Bobby notices that he had accidentally put an extra 2 1/2 lb. weight on the right side of the barbell. Why hadn't he noticed this while he was lifting?

A) 2 1/2 lbs. was not above the difference threshold.
B) Bobby's right arm is stronger than his left arm.
C) 2 1/2 lbs was not above the absolute threshold.
D) Bobby's activity was a violation of Weber's law.

Question 11

When Ann went to her doctor, he gave her a hearing test. During the test, the doctor presented tones to Ann through earphones. The tones started at a low intensity and then became louder. The doctor asked Ann to raise her hand whenever she started to hear a sound. The doctor was testing Ann's __________

A) auditory convergence.
B) absolute threshold.
C) refractory threshold.
D) difference threshold.

Question 12

Perception is the __________

A) process by which people take all the sensations they experience at any given moment and interpret them in some meaningful fashion.
B) action of physical stimuli on receptors leading to sensations.
C) interpretation of memory based on selective attention.
D) act of selective attention from sensory storage.

Question 13

The difference between not being able to perceive a stimulus and just barely perceiving it is termed __________

A) Weber's law.
B) the absolute threshold.
C) the perceptual set.
D) the difference threshold.

Question 14

The smallest amount of a particular stimulus required to produce any sensation at all in the person to whom the stimulus is presented is the __________

A) absolute threshold
B) minimum threshold
C) difference threshold
D) noticeable threshold

Question 15

The lowest stimulus intensity required for detection is the __________ and the smallest noticeable difference between a standard stimulus intensity and another stimulus value is the __________.

A) absolute threshold; difference threshold
B) base value; just noticeable difference (jnd)
C) response criterion; sensory constant
D) difference threshold; absolute threshold

Question 16

The point at which a person can detect a stimulus 50 percent of the time it is presented is called the __________

A) absolute threshold.
B) range threshold.
C) difference threshold.
D) noticeable threshold.

Question 17

Activation of the receptors by stimuli is called __________

A) perception
B) sensation
C) adaptation
D) habituation

Question 18

We can see a candle flame at 30 miles on a clear, dark night, and we can hear the tick of a watch 20 feet away in a quiet room. These two facts are examples of __________

A) jnds
B) difference threshold.
C) adaptation.
D) absolute thresholds.

Question 19

__________ are the raw data of experience, based on the activation of certain receptors located in the various sensory organs.

A) Perceptions
B) Emotions
C) Cognitions
D) Sensations

Question 20

__________ is the process through which the senses detect visual, auditory, and other sensory stimuli and transmit them to the brain.

A) Perception
B) Difference threshold
C) Sensation
D) Absolute threshold

Question 21

The visible spectrum refers to the __________

A) portion of the whole spectrum of light that is visible to the human eye.
B) effect of intensity on how we see dark to grey to white.
C) effect of the sound density on the perceptions of those with synesthesia.
D) well-known fact that colors are less visible to some men's eyes.

Question 22

Weber's law refers to the fact that the just noticeable difference for ALL senses depends on __________

A) a percentage of change in the stimulus.
B) a fixed amount of change in the stimulus.
C) a 25% increase of the original stimulus.
D) a 10% increase of the original stimulus.

Question 23

Through a process known as __________, the receptors change or convert the sensory stimulation into neural impulses, the electrochemical language of the brain.

A) sensory adaptation
B) saturation
C) accommodation
D) transduction

Question 24

The longest wavelengths we can see are experienced as __________ colors.

A) red
B) blue-violet
C) green
D) yellow

Question 25

When you first put your hat on, you can feel it quite easily, but after a while, you forget that you are wearing a hat at all-the sensation is gone. What happens?

A) sensory fatigue
B) subliminal perception
C) sensory adaptation
D) perceptual defense

Question 26

Studies indicate that individuals who have lost one sensory ability often experience __________

A) a deficit in their remaining sensory abilities.
B) sensory hallucinations similar to the phantom limb phenomenon.
C) an increase in their remaining sensory abilities.
D) an increase in the absolute thresholds of their remaining senses.

Question 27

The average threshold for human hearing is the tick of a watch from __________ under very quiet conditions.

A) 20 feet
B) 60 feet
C) 40 feet
D) 80 feet

Question 28

Over time, as sensory receptors grow accustomed to constant, unchanging levels of stimuli - sights, sounds, smells - we notice them less and less. This is called __________

A) transduction.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) accommodation.
D) saturation.

Question 29

What color would you report seeing if a researcher projects the longest wavelength in the visible spectrum onto a screen?

A) red
B) blue
C) yellow
D) violet

Question 30

When a wave of light becomes longer, we see this as a change in the light's __________

A) brightness.
B) intensity.
C) duration.
D) color.

Question 31

The process by which unchanging information from the senses of taste, touch, smell, and vision is "ignored" by the sensory receptor cells themselves is called __________

A) transformation.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) transmutation.
D) transduction.

Question 32

In the process known as__________, sensory receptors become less sensitive to repeated presentations of the same stimulus.

A) sensation
B) sensory fatigue
C) sensory adaptation
D) discrimination

Question 33

Big Al, a champion angler, has two big bass that he has caught swimming in his well. Lifting out a fish with each hand, big Al immediately notices that the bass in his right hand is bigger than the one in his left hand. What must be true?

A) The fish in his right hand must weigh at least a pound more than the fish in his left hand.
B) The fish in his left hand must be at least 2% heavier than the one in his right hand.
C) The fish in his right hand must be at least 2% lighter than the one in his left hand.
D) The fish in his right hand must be at least 2% heavier than the fish in his left hand.

Question 34

The average threshold for human vision is a candle flame seen from __________ on a dark, clear night.

A) 1 mile
B) 15 miles
C) 7.5 miles
D) 30 miles

Question 35

The shortest wavelengths that we can see are experienced as __________ colors.

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

Question 36

Cells that are triggered by light, vibrations, sounds, touch, or chemical substances are called __________

A) ganglion cells.
B) bipolar cells.
C) ossicles.
D) sensory receptors.

Question 37

If you are like most people, which sense do you regard as the most valuable?

A) vision
B) hearing
C) smell
D) touch

Question 38

__________ enables you to shift your attention to what is most important at any given moment in time.

A) Absolute threshold
B) JND
C) Difference threshold
D) Sensory adaptation

Question 39

This is the tough, transparent, protective layer covering the front of the eye.

A) lens
B) iris
C) fovea
D) cornea

Question 40

Although visitors to her apartment immediately notice the foul smell, Jill rarely notices her cat's litter box odor. This is an example of __________

A) transduction.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) accommodation.
D) saturation.

Question 41

Why do you see a lemon as yellow?

A) The lemon absorbs yellow wavelengths in the yellow region of the spectrum.
B) The lemon might reflect only yellow wavelengths in the yellow region of the spectrum.
C) The lemon absorbs red and blue wavelengths.
D) The lemon reflects all wavelengths of light other than yellow.

Question 42

Dr. Ngai just turned 40. To celebrate the beginning of his tenure in middle-age he went to the optometrist and had his vision checked. To Dr. Ngai's surprise the optometrist informed him he suffers from presbyopia, which is __________

A) a loss of elasticity in the cornea that reduces the ability to see far away.
B) a loss of elasticity in the lens that reduces the ability to see close up.
C) a loss of elasticity in the iris that reduces the ability of the pupil to dilate and contract.
D) a clouding of the lens that can lead to blindness.

Question 43

Which part of the eye regulates the size of the pupil?

A) iris
B) lens
C) retina
D) sclera

Question 44

When we describe someone's eyes as blue, technically we are referring to his or her blue __________

A) pupils.
B) irises.
C) corneas.
D) scleras.

Question 45

This condition is sometimes referred to as "old eyes."

A) myopia
B) hyperopia
C) presbyopia
D) ageopia

Question 46

Cindy, age 20, can read the numbers on cars' license plates when they are very far away; however, she struggles to focus on the print on a newspaper while she is reading it. Cindy's condition is most likely __________

A) presbyopia.
B) myopia.
C) hyperopia.
D) foveopia.

Question 47

The first step in the visual process takes place when the __________ bends light rays in toward the pupil.

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

Question 48

In vision, the term accommodation describes __________

A) the dilation and contraction of the iris as it lets light into the pupil.
B) the refraction of light off the cornea into the pupil.
C) a loss of visual acuity related to age.
D) the flattening and bulging of the lens as it focuses images on the retina.

Question 49

When light waves enter the eye, they first pass through the __________

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

Question 50

Simeon has no trouble reading his math book, but he can't clearly see the teacher working problems on the white board in front of the classroom. Simeon likely has __________

A) hyperopia.
B) myopia.
C) farsightedness.
D) glasses.

Question 51

Sensory receptors for vision are located on a thin layer of tissue at the back of the eyeball that is called __________

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

Question 52

The change in the shape of the lens in order to focus on a visual image is known as__________

A) fixation
B) divergence
C) convergence
D) visual accommodation

Question 53

What is the pupil of the eye?

A) It is the white part of the eye.
B) It is the colored part of the eye.
C) It is the location of the visual receptors.
D) It is the small opening in the center of the eye.

Question 54

The colored part of the eye that contains muscles to contract or expand the pupil is the __________

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

Question 55

This part of the eye is composed of many thin layers and looks like a transparent disc.

A) lens
B) iris
C) fovea
D) cornea

Question 56

Which component of the eye contains the visual receptors?

A) sclera
B) retina
C) cornea
D) posterior chamber

Question 57

The pupil is the __________

A) opening in the center of the iris.
B) white of the eye.
C) colored part of the eye.
D) lining in the back of the eyeball.

Question 58

The clear, transparent protective coating over the front part of the eye is the __________

A) fovea
B) sclera
C) cornea
D) iris

Question 59

Light is focused on the retina by the __________

A) pupil
B) ganglion cells
C) lens
D) iris

Question 60

The amount of light entering the eye is controlled by the __________

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

Question 61

In their work involving the visual systems of cats, Hubel and Wiesel identified individual neurons that responded to specific __________

A) angles and lines.
B) feline facial features.
C) ovals and circles.
D) prey items.

Question 62

While walking at night, Sharon can easily see objects around her. The cells of her eye that she is relying on are called __________

A) rods.
B) cones.
C) ganglion.
D) feature detectors.

Question 63

Bundles of axons from ganglion cells make up the __________

A) fovea
B) optic nerve
C) optic schism
D) rods and cones

Question 64

The fovea is __________

A) the spot where the optic nerve connects to the eye.
B) the area in the periphery of the retina containing mainly rods.
C) the center of the retina, which contains only cones.
D) the area in the periphery of the retina containing rods and cones.

Question 65

What causes the "blind spot" in the vision of both eyes?

A) The inconsistent surface of the cornea.
B) The folded area of the fovea that occurs where the cones are the most dense.
C) The optic nerve passing through the retina as it leaves the eye.
D) The concentration of ganglion cells in the center of the optic nerve blocking light.

Question 66

When you look directly at an object, the image is focused on the center of your __________

A) optic nerve.
B) optic chiasm.
C) lens.
D) fovea.

Question 67

By inserting tiny microelectrodes into single cells in the visual cortex of cats, Hubel and Wiesel were able to determine __________

A) cats cannot see red.
B) each neuron responded only to specific patterns.
C) all cats are color blind.
D) cats have specialized 'mouse receptors.'

Question 68

Receptor cells in the retina responsible for color vision and fine acuity are __________

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

Question 69

The point at which the two optic nerves come together is called the __________

A) fovea.
B) optic chiasm.
C) visual cortex.
D) temporal lobe.

Question 70

It is difficult to distinguish between colors at night because __________

A) we are seeing primarily with the cones.
B) rods do not adapt to the dark.
C) we are seeing primarily with the rods.
D) we are used to seeing mostly with the fovea.

Question 71

After moving from one room to another, Sally says "I have to pause for a minute so my opsin and retinal bond again." Sally has just moved from a __________ room to a __________ room.

A) brightly lit; dark
B) dark; brightly lit
C) small; large
D) quiet; loud

Question 72

Which of the following phenomena is a function of the distribution of the rods and cones in the retina?

A) The moon looks much larger near the horizon than it looks when it is higher in the sky.
B) The light from distant stars moving rapidly away from us is shifted toward the red end of the spectrum.
C) Stars can be seen only with difficulty during the daytime.
D) A dim star viewed at night may disappear when you look directly at it but reappear when you look to one side of it.

Question 73

Which of the following is true about cones?

A) They are responsible for black and white vision.
B) They are found mainly in the center of the eye.
C) They operate mainly at night.
D) They respond only to black and white.

Question 74

The place in the retina where the axons of all the ganglion cells come together to leave the eye is called the __________

A) fovea
B) blind spot
C) optic chiasm
D) optic nerve

Question 75

Which of the following is true of rods?

A) They respond to color.
B) They are found mainly in the fovea.
C) They operate mainly in the daytime.
D) They are responsible for night vision.

Question 76

Receptor cells in the retina responsible for night vision are __________

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

Question 77

When you attempt to read fine print you are trying to focus the images of the small letters on your __________

A) lens.
B) cornea.
C) fovea.
D) rods.

Question 78

Which of the following sequences correctly indicates the pathway of nerve impulses on their way from the eye to the brain?

A) ganglion cells, bipolar cells, photoreceptor cells, optic nerve
B) bipolar cells, receptor cells, ganglion cells, optic nerve
C) photoreceptor cells, bipolar cells, ganglion cells, optic nerve
D) photoreceptor cells, bipolar cells, optic nerve, ganglion cells

Question 79

Each retina of the eye has about __________ million rods.

A) 1
B) 75
C) 25
D) 120

Question 80

The fovea is made up of __________

A) all rods and no cones
B) mostly cones with some rods
C) mostly rods with some cones
D) all cones and no rods