Question 1

Three-year-old Kevin was flying in a plane for the first time. As the plane descended for its landing, Kevin became very excited at all the toy houses and cars he saw, and he couldn't wait for the plane to land so he could play with the toys. Kevin's misinterpretation of the true size of the houses and cars the plane passed over shows that he is still not fully utilizing
A) binocular depth cues.
B) linear perspective.
C) size constancy.
D) visual accommodation.

Accepted Answer

Kevin's misinterpretation suggests that he is not fully utilizing size constancy, which is the perceptual ability to perceive objects as maintaining their size despite changes in the image they cast on our retinas as we move closer or farther away from them.

Question 2

The moon illusion occurs when you
A) perceive the moon to be smaller on the horizon than overhead.
B) perceive the moon to be larger on the horizon than overhead.
C) perceive the moon to be the same size when viewed on the horizon and overhead.
D) think you see the moon when in fact it is not there.

Accepted Answer

The moon illusion occurs when we perceive the moon to be larger on the horizon than overhead, even though it is the same size in both positions. This illusion is likely caused by a combination of factors, including the presence of foreground objects on the horizon that make the moon appear farther away, and the way our brains interpret visual information about distance and size.

Question 3

Compared to low notes on a piano, high notes always produce sound waves that have a
A) higher frequency.
B) lower amplitude.
C) higher amplitude.
D) lower frequency.

Accepted Answer

High notes have a higher frequency, meaning they vibrate more quickly per second than lower notes. This is why they sound higher pitched. The amplitude, or height, of the sound wave corresponds to the volume of the sound, which can vary for both low and high notes.

Question 4

When we view cars parked on a distant parking lot we know that the cars are not actually the size of toy cars because of a perceptual
A) illusion.
B) disparity.
C) constancy.
D) theory.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of size constancy, where our brain perceives the cars as being their actual size despite their distance from us. A perceptual illusion would involve a false or distorted perception of an object, while disparity refers to the difference between the images projected onto each eye. A theory is a general explanation for a set of phenomena.

Question 5

Perceptual constancy refers to
A) the same thing as functional fixedness.
B) our perception of objects remaining stable despite the fact that sensory information changes.
C) the existence of schemas that guide our perceptions.
D) visual fields in the retina that allow our perception of the world to remain stable.

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy refers to our ability to perceive objects as remaining stable despite changes in the sensory information we receive about them. For example, we can still recognize the shape of a table when looking at it from different angles or under different lighting conditions. It is not the same thing as functional fixedness, which is a cognitive bias that limits a person's ability to think of new ways to use an object beyond its intended purpose. Perceptual constancy is also not about the existence of schemas that guide our perceptions, although schemas can influence our perception of objects in certain contexts. Finally, visual fields in the retina contribute to our perception of the world by providing information about the location of objects, but they do not explain how we perceive an object as stable despite changes in sensory input.

Question 6

Sound is a ____ form of energy and is the result of ____.
A) wave; vibrating molecules
B) particle; photons
C) chemical; molecular breakdowns
D) moving; vibrating photons

Accepted Answer

Sound is a wave form of energy that is produced by the vibration of molecules in a medium such as air, water, or solid materials.

Question 7

The Ames room, in which people are seen to get small or enlarge as they move about, demonstrates that our perception of the world depends strongly on
A) the assumptions we make about it.
B) the actual, distal stimuli.
C) the proximal stimulus elements.
D) bottom-up processing.

Accepted Answer

The Ames room illusion is created through manipulating the viewer's assumptions about the size and shape of the room and the relative distance of objects within it. This highlights the importance of our assumptions and expectations in shaping our perception of the world.

Question 8

The tendency to experience a stable perception of an object even though the sensory input we receive is continually changing is
A) a visual illusion.
B) feature analysis.
C) a possible figure.
D) a perceptual constancy.

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy is the tendency to perceive an object as stable or unchanging despite changes in sensory input. This includes size, shape, and color constancy, where an object is perceived as the same size, shape, and color even when viewed from different angles or lighting conditions.

Question 9

Participants in the Featured Study on perceiving geographical slant were MOST accurate in estimating geographical slant when providing a ____ estimate.
A) visual
B) written
C) haptic
D) verbal

Accepted Answer

In the Featured Study on perceiving geographical slant, participants were tasked with estimating the slant of a hill. The study found that participants were most accurate in their estimates when they were allowed to physically touch the hill (the haptic condition). Therefore, the best choice for the question is C) haptic.

Question 10

The perception of timbre corresponds to a sound wave's
A) pitch.
B) panache.
C) amplitude.
D) purity.

Accepted Answer

Timbre refers to the quality or color of a sound, which is influenced by the harmonics and overtones present in the sound wave. Purity (or clarity) refers to the absence of overtones or harmonics, which would result in a pure tone without timbre. Therefore, the perception of timbre is not directly related to pitch, panache, or amplitude, but is instead influenced by the presence and characteristics of harmonics and overtones, making D (purity) the best choice.

Question 11

If you incorrectly perceive that two lines are the same length when they are not, you are experiencing a(n)
A) Müller-Lyer effect.
B) Ponzo effect.
C) illusion.
D) delusion.

Accepted Answer

The term "illusion" refers to a misperception or misinterpretation of a sensory stimulus, such as the perception of two lines being the same length when they are not. The Müller-Lyer and Ponzo effects are specific types of illusions that involve the misperception of the length of lines, but the general term "illusion" is the best choice to describe this situation. "Delusion" refers to a persistent false belief or idea that is maintained despite evidence to the contrary, which is not applicable in this scenario.

Question 12

Which of the following principles does the Ponzo illusion use to achieve its effect?
A) perceptual grouping
B) figure ground relationships
C) linear perspective
D) selective attention

Accepted Answer

The Ponzo illusion uses linear perspective to create the illusion that the top line is longer than the bottom line. The converging lines in the background give the impression that the top line is farther away and therefore larger when in reality both lines are the same size. Perceptual grouping, figure ground relationships, and selective attention are not involved in this illusion.

Question 13

The perception associated with the amplitude of a sound wave is
A) timbre.
B) loudness.
C) tonal quality.
D) richness.

Accepted Answer

The perception associated with the amplitude of a sound wave is loudness. Amplitude is the physical property of a sound wave that determines how powerful or intense the sound is, and our perception of this physical property is interpreted as loudness.

Question 14

When a clarinet plays a high C followed by a low C, these two notes are perceived differently because they differ in
A) amplitude.
B) purity.
C) complexity.
D) frequency.

Accepted Answer

The two notes are perceived differently because they differ in frequency. The high C has a higher frequency than the low C, which is why it sounds higher-pitched to our ears.

Question 15

The phenomenon of size constancy implies that
A) the perception of size is not related to the perception of distance.
B) the farther away an object is, the more we underestimate its true size.
C) two objects will be perceived as the same size whenever they produce the same size retinal image.
D) two objects may be perceived as being the same size even though they produce different size retinal images.

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon of size constancy implies that even when an object is viewed from different distances, we are still able to perceive it as having the same size. This means that two objects may produce different size retinal images but we can still perceive them as being the same size. This is because our brain takes into account the distance of the object and adjusts our perception of its size accordingly. Therefore, choice D is correct.

Question 16

Optical illusions tend to be
A) influenced by our experiences.
B) more pronounced in children.
C) less pronounced in adults.
D) genetically determined.

Accepted Answer

Optical illusions are influenced by our experiences because our brain relies on previous knowledge and assumptions to interpret sensory information. Our perception of an illusion may differ based on cultural or personal experiences.

Question 17

The explanation of the Müller-Lyer illusion that relates the lines to inside- and outside-corners accounts for the observation that people from non-Western cultures
A) are more susceptible to the illusion than people from Western cultures.
B) are less susceptible to the illusion than people from Western cultures.
C) are equally susceptible to the illusion as people from Western cultures.
D) do not perceive any visual illusions the same way as people from Western cultures.

Accepted Answer

The explanation suggests that people from non-Western cultures are less exposed to the carpentered corners typically found in Western architecture, which the Müller-Lyer illusion mimics. Therefore, they are less likely to be deceived by the illusion, making them less susceptible than those from Western cultures who are more familiar with such visual cues.

Question 18

Carmella is at a water park. She watches several sliders ride the "Max" and decides to try it for herself. Based on the work by Proffitt and his colleagues, you might predict that when she gets to the top, Carmella will
A) ride the slide because it will appear less steep from the top than it did from the bottom.
B) ride the slide because it will appear shorter from the top than it did from the bottom.
C) have second thoughts because the slide will appear longer from the top than it did from the bottom.
D) have second thoughts because the slide will appear steeper from the top than it did from the bottom.

Accepted Answer

According to Proffitt and his colleagues, the perception of steepness is influenced by the observer's current physiological state and their position relative to the slope. As Carmella approaches the top of the slide, she will likely experience an increase in heart rate and adrenaline, both of which can make the slope appear steeper. Additionally, as she looks down from the top, the angle of the slope may appear to be more severe than it did when viewed from the bottom, potentially causing her to second-guess her decision to ride. Therefore, D is the best choice.

Question 19

The moon illusion is the moon appears ____ when near the horizon than when overhead and is explained by ____.
A) larger; size constancy
B) larger; texture gradient
C) smaller; size constancy
D) smaller; texture gradient

Accepted Answer

The answer of The moon illusion is the moon appears...

Question 20

The fact that the corner of a building thrust toward the viewer looks shorter than an inside corner thrust away from the viewer can be accounted for by the
A) horizontal-vertical illusion.
B) Ponzo illusion.
C) Müller-Lyer illusion.
D) illusion of relative size.

Accepted Answer

The Müller-Lyer illusion explains this phenomenon, where lines of equal length appear different in length due to the orientation of the arrowheads at their ends. In the context of a building, the corner that thrusts toward the viewer is analogous to the part of the Müller-Lyer illusion where the line appears shorter due to the inward-facing arrowheads, while the inside corner thrust away resembles the part where the line looks longer because of the outward-facing arrowheads.

Quiz 7: Sensation and Perception Part 1

The moon illusion occurs when you

Compared to low notes on a piano, high notes always produce sound waves that have a

When we view cars parked on a distant parking lot we know that the cars are not actually the size of toy cars because of a perceptual

Perceptual constancy refers to

Sound is a form of energy and is the result of .

The Ames room, in which people are seen to get small or enlarge as they move about, demonstrates that our perception of the world depends strongly on

The tendency to experience a stable perception of an object even though the sensory input we receive is continually changing is

Participants in the Featured Study on perceiving geographical slant were MOST accurate in estimating geographical slant when providing a ____ estimate.

The perception of timbre corresponds to a sound wave's

If you incorrectly perceive that two lines are the same length when they are not, you are experiencing a(n)

Which of the following principles does the Ponzo illusion use to achieve its effect?

The perception associated with the amplitude of a sound wave is

When a clarinet plays a high C followed by a low C, these two notes are perceived differently because they differ in

The phenomenon of size constancy implies that

Optical illusions tend to be

The explanation of the Müller-Lyer illusion that relates the lines to inside- and outside-corners accounts for the observation that people from non-Western cultures

Carmella is at a water park. She watches several sliders ride the "Max" and decides to try it for herself. Based on the work by Proffitt and his colleagues, you might predict that when she gets to the top, Carmella will

The moon illusion is the moon appears when near the horizon than when overhead and is explained by .

The fact that the corner of a building thrust toward the viewer looks shorter than an inside corner thrust away from the viewer can be accounted for by the