Question 1

When you look into a room illuminated by fluorescent lights, the white walls appear to you to be white. However, if you take a photograph of that room the walls are likely to have a greenish tint. This is because ________.
A) your perception of the room is adjusted by color constancy
B) the film in the camera is adjusted by color constancy
C) most photographic films show white as having a greenish tint
D) your perception of the room is not affected by fluorescent lighting

Accepted Answer

Your perception of the room is adjusted by color constancy. Color constancy is the ability of the visual system to perceive the color of an object as consistent despite changes in lighting conditions. The walls look white to you because your brain is able to adjust for the greenish tint caused by the fluorescent lighting. However, a photograph is not able to adjust for color constancy and therefore captures the greenish tint of the lighting.

Question 2

To rewrite Gertrude Stein's famous line a bit, a "rose looks like a rose looks like a rose." And it does whether you look at it from above or below, from the left or the right. This rather amazing phenomenon generally goes by the name of ________.
A) perceptual continuity
B) perceptual similarity
C) perceptual consistency
D) perceptual constancy

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy refers to the ability to recognize that an object remains the same even when viewed from different angles or in different lighting conditions. This is why a rose will still appear as a rose regardless of how it is viewed.

Question 3

Visual distance and depth cues that require the use of both eyes are called ________ cues.
A) binocular
B) binaural
C) dichromatic
D) monocular

Accepted Answer

Binocular cues rely on the information received by both eyes working together, such as convergence (the degree to which the eyes turn inward when focusing on an object) and retinal disparity (the difference in the visual images received by each eye). Binaural cues involve sound localization and come from the auditory system, dichromatic cues involve color vision deficiencies, and monocular cues rely on information provided by only one eye, such as relative size and interposition.

Question 4

Visual distance and depth cues that require the use of only one eye are called ________ cues.
A) binocular
B) dichromatic
C) monocular
D) monaural

Accepted Answer

Monocular cues only require the use of one eye, whereas binocular cues require the use of both eyes to perceive depth and distance. Dichromatic refers to a type of color blindness, and monaural refers to cues that require the use of only one ear for auditory perception.

Question 5

Joanne walks into a dimly lit room and sees an unfamiliar object sitting on a table in the middle of the room. Research on perception indicates she is most likely to make a mistake about the object's ________.
A) shape
B) color
C) size
D) brightness

Accepted Answer

In dim lighting, color perception is impaired because the cones in the retina, which are responsible for color vision, require more light to function effectively.

Question 6

When we look at a white house, we can recognize it as a white house by day or night and from any angle. This is due to perceptual ________.
A) reversibility
B) constancy
C) closure
D) coherency

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy refers to the ability to perceive an object as maintaining its identity despite changes in the sensory information that it provides. In this case, we are able to recognize a white house as a white house regardless of lighting conditions or viewing angle.

Question 7

The walls of a very long, narrow corridor appear to come together as they recede from the viewer. This distance cue is known as ________.
A) linear perspective
B) aerial perspective
C) convergence
D) interposition

Accepted Answer

Linear perspective is a depth cue that refers to the way parallel lines appear to converge as they recede into the distance, which explains why the walls of a long, narrow corridor seem to come together as they move away from the viewer.

Question 8

The distance cue in which two parallel lines extend into the distance and seem to come together at one point is called ________.
A) aerial perspective
B) shadowing
C) motion parallax
D) linear perspective

Accepted Answer

The description provided in the question refers to linear perspective, also known as vanishing point perspective. This cue is based on the fact that when two parallel lines recede into the distance, they appear to converge at a point on the horizon (the vanishing point). The other options - aerial perspective, shadowing, and motion parallax - do not involve parallel lines converging in this way.

Question 9

When one object partly blocks another, it provides an important distance cue called ________.
A) interposition
B) aerial perspective
C) elevation
D) motion parallax

Accepted Answer

Interposition occurs when one object is positioned in front of another, partially blocking it from view. This creates the impression that the blocked object is farther away, providing a distance cue. Aerial perspective refers to the phenomenon where distant objects appear hazier and bluer due to atmospheric scattering, elevation refers to the height of an object relative to ground level, and motion parallax refers to the perceived difference in motion of nearby and faraway objects as you move through an environment. While all of these can provide distance cues, interposition specifically involves one object partially blocking another.

Question 10

When you stand to the side of a window frame, it casts a trapezoidal (nonrectangular) image on your retina. It still seems rectangular to you, though, because of ________.
A) the phi phenomenon
B) figure-ground constancy
C) shape constancy
D) size constancy

Accepted Answer

Shape constancy allows us to perceive shapes as remaining the same even when their orientation or position changes. In this case, we know that the window frame itself is rectangular, so our brain compensates for the trapezoidal image on our retina and perceives the window frame as still being rectangular. The phi phenomenon is related to the perception of motion, figure-ground constancy relates to the ability to distinguish an object from the background, and size constancy refers to the ability to perceive the true size of an object despite changes in its distance from us.

Question 11

Perceptual constancy refers to the ________.
A) awareness that objects do not cease to exist when they are out of sight
B) fact that the "jnd" is constant over a wide range of stimulus intensities
C) tendency to perceive objects as relatively stable and unchanging, despite changing sensory information
D) tendency to code incoming stimuli always in the same way

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy refers to the ability of the brain to perceive objects as relatively stable and unchanging, despite changing sensory information such as different angles, lighting, or distances. This allows us to recognize objects as familiar despite varying sensory input.

Question 12

Color constancy explains why ________.
A) the color you perceive in an object depends on the type of light (fluorescent, incandescent, etc.) shining on that object
B) an object is perceived as being the same color whether we see it in bright sunlight or dim candlelight
C) our perception of color is inversely related to the amount of light falling on an object
D) objects seen in bright light are seen as different in color than the same objects seen in dim light

Accepted Answer

Color constancy refers to the ability of our brains to perceive the color of an object as being largely constant despite changes in the lighting conditions under which we view it. This means that even if an object is viewed in bright sunlight or dim candlelight, our brain will interpret it as the same color.

Question 13

Whether you are standing right next to it or a mile away from it, you know a tree is the same height because of ________.
A) size constancy
B) the figure-ground distinction
C) the phi phenomenon
D) retinal disparity

Accepted Answer

Size constancy refers to the tendency for our brain to perceive objects as remaining the same size even when their distance from us changes. This allows us to recognize that a tree, for example, is the same height whether we are standing right next to it or a mile away from it. The other options (figure-ground distinction, phi phenomenon, retinal disparity) are not relevant to perceiving an object's height.

Question 14

Color, shape, size, and brightness are all types of perceptual ________.
A) coherency
B) reversibility
C) closure
D) constancy

Accepted Answer

Color, shape, size, and brightness are all examples of perceptual constancy, which refers to the ability of the brain to perceive objects as maintaining their characteristics even when viewed from different angles or in different lighting conditions. Coherency refers to the consistency of an object's parts and their relationship to each other. Reversibility refers to the ability to mentally reverse a series of steps or events. Closure refers to the brain's tendency to fill in missing information to create a complete picture or object.

Question 15

Stimuli with strong, clear contours in which we perceive figure and ground in two different ways, shifting back and forth, are called ________ figures.
A) flexible
B) camouflaged
C) inversed
D) reversible

Accepted Answer

Stimuli with strong, clear contours in which we perceive figure and ground in two different ways, shifting back and forth, are called reversible figures.

Question 16

An infant watches her father walk down a long hall toward her as he somehow magically grows from being just three feet tall to six feet tall. The infant has not yet acquired ________ constancy.
A) size
B) orientation
C) object
D) shape

Accepted Answer

The infant has not yet acquired size constancy, which is the understanding that an object's size remains the same despite changes in the distance from which it is viewed.

Question 17

Size constancy explains why ________.
A) closer objects are perceived as smaller than far-away objects
B) perception of size is inversely related to distance
C) distance affects perceived size
D) objects are perceived as having constant dimensions regardless of distance

Accepted Answer

Size constancy is the phenomenon where an object's perceived size remains constant despite changes in distance. So, the size of an object is perceived as constant regardless of how far away it is.

Question 18

When one object partially blocks another, the distance cue is called ________.
A) linear perspective
B) interposition
C) texture gradient
D) shadowing

Accepted Answer

Interposition is the distance cue that refers to when one object partially blocks another. Linear perspective refers to the apparent convergence of parallel lines in the distance, texture gradient refers to the change in texture or detail as objects move farther away, and shadowing refers to the change in lighting and shadows as an object moves or changes position.

Question 19

An object's reflection of a percentage of light relative to that of all the surrounding objects is always the same. This fact best explains ________.
A) color constancy
B) reversible figures
C) visual acuity
D) brightness constancy

Accepted Answer

This fact best explains brightness constancy, which is the ability to perceive the brightness of an object as remaining relatively constant despite changes in the amount of light it reflects. This constancy is due, in part, to the fact that an object will reflect a consistent percentage of light relative to that of all the surrounding objects, regardless of the absolute amount of light present in the environment.

Question 20

Our tendency to see objects as relatively stable and unchanging despite changing sensory information is called perceptual ________.
A) reversibility
B) constancy
C) closure
D) coherency

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy refers to our ability to maintain a constant perception of an object despite changes in sensory information. This allows us to see objects as having a stable shape, size, color, and brightness, even as they may appear differently depending on lighting conditions or perspective.

Quiz 3: Sensation and Perception

When you look into a room illuminated by fluorescent lights, the white walls appear to you to be white. However, if you take a photograph of that room the walls are likely to have a greenish tint. This is because ________.

To rewrite Gertrude Stein's famous line a bit, a "rose looks like a rose looks like a rose." And it does whether you look at it from above or below, from the left or the right. This rather amazing phenomenon generally goes by the name of ________.

Visual distance and depth cues that require the use of both eyes are called ________ cues.

Visual distance and depth cues that require the use of only one eye are called ________ cues.

Joanne walks into a dimly lit room and sees an unfamiliar object sitting on a table in the middle of the room. Research on perception indicates she is most likely to make a mistake about the object's ________.

When we look at a white house, we can recognize it as a white house by day or night and from any angle. This is due to perceptual ________.

The walls of a very long, narrow corridor appear to come together as they recede from the viewer. This distance cue is known as ________.

The distance cue in which two parallel lines extend into the distance and seem to come together at one point is called ________.

When one object partly blocks another, it provides an important distance cue called ________.

When you stand to the side of a window frame, it casts a trapezoidal (nonrectangular) image on your retina. It still seems rectangular to you, though, because of ________.

Perceptual constancy refers to the ________.

Color constancy explains why ________.

Whether you are standing right next to it or a mile away from it, you know a tree is the same height because of ________.

Color, shape, size, and brightness are all types of perceptual ________.

Stimuli with strong, clear contours in which we perceive figure and ground in two different ways, shifting back and forth, are called ________ figures.

An infant watches her father walk down a long hall toward her as he somehow magically grows from being just three feet tall to six feet tall. The infant has not yet acquired ________ constancy.

Size constancy explains why ________.

When one object partially blocks another, the distance cue is called ________.

An object's reflection of a percentage of light relative to that of all the surrounding objects is always the same. This fact best explains ________.

Our tendency to see objects as relatively stable and unchanging despite changing sensory information is called perceptual ________.