Question 1

Tom Petty has a nasal voice and Bob Dylan has a gravelly voice. There is a difference in the complexity of the sound waves produced by both men. What psychological dimension of hearing describes the difference?
A) timbre
B) pitch
C) loudness
D) intensity

Accepted Answer

Timbre refers to the quality or character of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and loudness, and is determined by the complexity of the sound waves produced. The difference in the complexity of the sound waves produced by Tom Petty and Bob Dylan's voices can therefore be described by the psychological dimension of timbre. Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a sound, loudness refers to the intensity of a sound, and intensity refers to the amount of energy in a sound wave.

Question 2

Melissa likes to put her headphones on and listen to her MP3 player at very high volume. This habit will likely lead to her damaging the __________ in her ears, which can result in permanent hearing loss.
A) eardrums
B) hair cells
C) semicircular canals
D) small bones

Accepted Answer

Hair cells in the cochlea are responsible for converting sound waves into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. Exposure to loud noises for extended periods of time can damage these hair cells, leading to permanent hearing loss. Eardrums, semicircular canals, and small bones do not play a direct role in sound perception and are therefore less likely to be affected by high volume music.

Question 3

The actual "detectors" for taste are called _______________.
A) papillae
B) olfactory cells
C) taste buds
D) taste receptor cells

Accepted Answer

Taste receptor cells are the actual detectors for taste. Papillae are small bumps on the tongue that contain taste buds, while olfactory cells are responsible for our sense of smell.

Question 4

Which of the following is true regarding the Gestalt principles and hearing?
A) None of them apply to hearing.
B) The figure-ground principle is the only one that applies to both vision and hearing.
C) All of the principles except for closure apply to both vision and hearing.
D) Many of the visual principles also appear to apply to hearing.

Accepted Answer

Many of the visual principles, such as similarity, continuation, and proximity, have also been observed in auditory perception. For example, tones that are similar in pitch or timbre are more likely to be grouped together and perceived as a pattern. Additionally, when listening to a melody, the continuation principle suggests that we fill in missing notes based on the context and our knowledge of familiar musical patterns. Thus, while not all of the Gestalt principles transfer directly to hearing, there is evidence that several of them apply to auditory perception.

Question 5

In Latin, "papillae" means _______________.
A) tiny
B) pimples
C) tasters
D) knobs

Accepted Answer

The answer of In Latin, "papillae" means _______________.
A) tiny
B) pimples
C)...

Question 6

Tory eats a low-salt potato chip and spits it out and says, "That's so salty!" She also cannot eat Brussels sprouts, pickles, or anything with a lot of saccharin in it because it tastes "too bitter." It is likely that Tory is a(n):
A) supertaster.
B) taster.
C) umamitaster.
D) ultrataster.

Accepted Answer

Supertasters are individuals who have a higher density of taste buds on their tongue, making them more sensitive to different tastes such as salt, bitterness, and sweetness. This sensitivity can cause certain foods to be perceived as too salty or too bitter, as in Tory's case. Tasters and umamitasters have a more average sensitivity to taste, while ultratasters are extremely sensitive to taste and may have difficulty enjoying many foods.

Question 7

The actual receptors for taste are found:
A) on the centre of the tongue.
B) on top of the knoblike elevations on the tongue.
C) inside the nasal cavity.
D) inside the taste buds.

Accepted Answer

The actual receptors for taste are located inside the taste buds, which are the sensory organs for taste and are distributed across the tongue and other parts of the mouth.

Question 8

Uri is walking home alone on a dark night. He hears a stick breaking and immediately turns to his right to see what made the noise. What cue did Uri most likely use to tell which direction the sound came from?
A) the timbre of the sound
B) the slight time difference between when the sound reached each ear
C) the overall loudness of the sound
D) the frequency of the sound

Accepted Answer

Uri most likely used the slight time difference between when the sound reached each ear to determine which direction the sound came from. This is known as the interaural time difference and is one of the cues used in auditory localization. The timbre, overall loudness, and frequency of the sound are not as helpful in determining the direction of the sound.

Question 9

_______________ is what makes a note played on a flute, which produces relatively pure tones, sound different from the same note played on an oboe, which produces very complex sounds.
A) Frequency
B) Pitch
C) Loudness
D) Timbre

Accepted Answer

Timbre refers to the quality of sound that distinguishes different instruments, voices, or objects producing the same pitch or frequency. In this case, the difference in complexity of the sound produced by the flute and the oboe is due to their different timbres.

Question 10

The snail-shaped, fluid-filled organ in the inner ear is called the _______________.
A) cochlea
B) stirrup
C) basilar membrane
D) semicircular canal

Accepted Answer

The cochlea is the snail-shaped organ in the inner ear that is responsible for converting sound vibrations into neural signals that can be interpreted by the brain. It contains fluid-filled compartments that are separated by membranes and lined with tiny hair cells that respond to different frequencies of sound.

Question 11

The hair cells of the cochlea are embedded in the rubbery _______________.
A) oval window
B) basilar membrane
C) auditory nerve
D) semicircular canals

Accepted Answer

The hair cells of the cochlea are located on the basilar membrane, a flexible and gelatinous structure that runs the length of the cochlea. The oval window is a membrane that connects the middle ear to the cochlea. The auditory nerve carries auditory information from the cochlea to the brain. The semicircular canals are part of the vestibular system and are involved in balance and spatial orientation.

Question 12

Research on taste shows that:
A) the taste receptor cells are replaced by new cells about every 40 days.
B) the tongue is divided into sections, each of which is sensitive to a particular basic taste.
C) people who are above 40 years of age have fewer taste buds than those who are younger.
D) the highest concentration of taste buds is found in the center of the tongue.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research on taste shows that:
A) the taste...

Question 13

Investigators have found that human tongues:
A) can have as few as 500 taste buds or as many as 10,000 taste buds.
B) show variation in sensitivity to taste but not in the number of taste buds.
C) taste subtle flavours, such as vanilla or chocolate, even without the sense of smell.
D) stop creating new taste receptors after about age three.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that the number of taste buds on a human tongue can vary greatly, with some individuals having as few as 500 and others having as many as 10,000. The sensitivity to taste can also vary between individuals, but this is not related to the number of taste buds. The sense of smell plays a crucial role in being able to taste subtle flavors such as vanilla or chocolate. While taste buds can regenerate and replace damaged cells, new taste receptors stop being created after infancy.

Question 14

Liana is listening to the CBC when the satellite feed momentarily goes out for a split second. Despite the short interruption, she was able to understand the conversation. This would be an example of the Gestalt principle of _______________.
A) continuity
B) similarity
C) closure
D) proximity

Accepted Answer

The Gestalt principle of closure explains how people can perceive a complete image or message even when some of its parts are missing, as in Liana's case where she understood the conversation despite the brief interruption in the satellite feed.

Question 15

The auditory receptors are located in the _______________.
A) cochlea
B) middle ear
C) eardrum
D) oval window

Accepted Answer

The auditory receptors, also known as hair cells, are located in the cochlea of the inner ear. The cochlea is responsible for converting sound vibrations into neural signals, which are then sent to the brain for interpretation.

Question 16

Taste buds are contained in the tongue's:
A) papillae.
B) hair cells.
C) underside.
D) saccules.

Accepted Answer

Taste buds are contained in small bumps on the tongue called papillae.

Question 17

Which of the following physical characteristics of the sound wave corresponds to the psychological dimension of timbre?
A) intensity
B) pitch
C) frequency
D) complexity

Accepted Answer

The psychological dimension of timbre refers to the quality or texture of a sound, which is determined by the complexity of the sound wave. Therefore, the physical characteristic that corresponds to this psychological dimension is complexity (choice D). Intensity (choice A) refers to the amplitude or loudness of a sound, pitch (choice B) refers to the perceived highness or lowness of a sound, and frequency (choice C) refers to the number of cycles per second of a sound wave.

Question 18

Frida is sitting on a park bench when she hears a police car turn on its siren. Although she cannot see the police car, she is certain that it is nearby. What cue did her brain most likely use to come to this conclusion?
A) the slight energy difference between each ear
B) the slight time difference between when the sound reached each ear
C) the overall loudness of the sound
D) the frequency of the sound

Accepted Answer

The answer of Frida is sitting on a park bench...

Question 19

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding audition?
A) Auditory information leaves the ear through the trigeminal nerve.
B) High-pitched sounds are discriminated largely on the basis of where vibration occurs along the basilar membrane.
C) The auditory Gestalt principles are very different from the visual Gestalt principles.
D) Localizing sounds that are directly to the left or right of the head is difficult.

Accepted Answer

High-pitched sounds are discriminated largely on the basis of where vibration occurs along the basilar membrane. This is because the basilar membrane is narrower and stiffer at the end near the oval window (where high-frequency sounds enter the ear), causing it to vibrate more readily in response to high-frequency sounds. This allows the brain to discriminate between different high-frequency sounds based on where along the basilar membrane the vibrations occur. The other options are inaccurate: A is incorrect because auditory information leaves the ear through the auditory nerve, not the trigeminal nerve; C is incorrect because the auditory and visual Gestalt principles are actually quite similar; and D is incorrect because localizing sounds that are directly to the left or right of the head is actually quite easy, due to the way that sound waves interact with the structures of the ears.

Question 20

In addition to salty, sour, bitter, and sweet, which of the following has been proposed as the fifth basic taste?
A) caramel
B) creamy
C) umami
D) pungent

Accepted Answer

Umami, which is a savory, meaty taste, has been proposed as the fifth basic taste. It is commonly found in foods such as meat, fish, and mushrooms.

Quiz 6: Sensation and Perception

Tom Petty has a nasal voice and Bob Dylan has a gravelly voice. There is a difference in the complexity of the sound waves produced by both men. What psychological dimension of hearing describes the difference?

Melissa likes to put her headphones on and listen to her MP3 player at very high volume. This habit will likely lead to her damaging the __________ in her ears, which can result in permanent hearing loss.

The actual "detectors" for taste are called _______________.

Which of the following is true regarding the Gestalt principles and hearing?

In Latin, "papillae" means _______________.

Tory eats a low-salt potato chip and spits it out and says, "That's so salty!" She also cannot eat Brussels sprouts, pickles, or anything with a lot of saccharin in it because it tastes "too bitter." It is likely that Tory is a(n) :

The actual receptors for taste are found:

Uri is walking home alone on a dark night. He hears a stick breaking and immediately turns to his right to see what made the noise. What cue did Uri most likely use to tell which direction the sound came from?

_______________ is what makes a note played on a flute, which produces relatively pure tones, sound different from the same note played on an oboe, which produces very complex sounds.

The snail-shaped, fluid-filled organ in the inner ear is called the _______________.

The hair cells of the cochlea are embedded in the rubbery _______________.

Research on taste shows that:

Investigators have found that human tongues:

Liana is listening to the CBC when the satellite feed momentarily goes out for a split second. Despite the short interruption, she was able to understand the conversation. This would be an example of the Gestalt principle of _______________.

The auditory receptors are located in the _______________.

Taste buds are contained in the tongue's:

Which of the following physical characteristics of the sound wave corresponds to the psychological dimension of timbre?

Frida is sitting on a park bench when she hears a police car turn on its siren. Although she cannot see the police car, she is certain that it is nearby. What cue did her brain most likely use to come to this conclusion?

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding audition?

In addition to salty, sour, bitter, and sweet, which of the following has been proposed as the fifth basic taste?