Question 1

Sally is a ballet dancer. Although she often practices with her eyes closed, she is always aware of exactly where her arms and legs are and how her knees and elbows are bent. This is an example of which bodily sense?

Accepted Answer

The bodily sense described in the scenario is kinesthesis, which refers to the perception of body position and movement without relying on vision. This is crucial for activities like dancing, where precise movements are necessary, but vision may be limited or obstructed.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is correct regarding the trichromatic and opponent-process theories of color vision?

Accepted Answer

Both theories are considered correct and describe different stages of color processing in the visual system. The trichromatic theory explains how color information is processed in the retina, while the opponent-process theory describes how color information is processed in the visual cortex. Both theories are necessary to fully understand color vision.

Question 3

When Bethany steps on her digital scale, a mechanism in it measures the physical pressure pushing down on the scale and converts it into an electrical signal that can be read by the scale. The converting of the physical pressure on the scale caused by Bethany's weight into an electrical signal is similar to the process of ____________.

Accepted Answer

Transduction is the process by which physical stimuli are converted into neural impulses that can be interpreted by the brain. In this case, the physical pressure of Bethany's weight on the scale is transduced into an electrical signal that the scale can interpret and display as a numerical weight value.

Question 4

Which of the following depth cues requires two eyes?

Accepted Answer

Retinal disparity requires two eyes to compare the slightly different images each eye receives and create a 3D perception of depth. The other options listed (motion parallax, linear perspective, and relative size) can be perceived with only one eye.

Question 5

The conversion of external energy into something that the nervous system can understand is known as _____________.

Accepted Answer

Transduction is the process by which external energy (such as light or sound waves) is converted into electrical signals that the nervous system can understand and process. Accommodation refers to the ability of the eye to adjust its focus, perception is the interpretation of sensory information by the brain, and sensation is the initial detection of sensory information by sensory receptors.

Question 6

Which of the following requires the greatest amount of cognitive processing?

Accepted Answer

Perception involves the interpretation and organization of sensory information, which requires the highest level of cognitive processing. Transduction is the conversion of sensory stimuli into neural signals, sensation is the detection of those signals, and sensory adaptation is the adjustment of the sensory system to prolonged exposure to a particular stimulus. While each of these processes does involve some level of cognitive processing, perception requires the most complex and varied cognitive functions.

Question 7

After eating grape lollipops, you and a friend notice your tongues have turned blue. With the change in color, it is easy to notice that there are many more papillae on your friend's tongue. Who is more likely to be a supertaster?

Accepted Answer

Supertasters have more papillae on their tongues, which makes them more sensitive to tastes. Therefore, the friend with more papillae is more likely to be a supertaster.

Question 8

The organization and interpretation of olfactory information is one example of ____________.

Accepted Answer

The organization and interpretation of olfactory information refers to the process of perceiving smell, which is the identification and recognition of stimuli through sensory systems. Choice A (accommodation) refers to the process of adjusting the lens of the eye to focus on objects at different distances. Choice C (sensation) refers to the activation of sensory receptors by physical stimuli from the environment, while choice D (transduction) refers to the conversion of physical energy into neural signals by sensory receptors.

Question 9

Which of the following is not considered a monocular depth cue?

Accepted Answer

Convergence is a binocular depth cue, which means it requires both eyes to perceive depth. The other options, interposition, pictorial cues, and motion parallax, are all monocular depth cues that can be perceived with only one eye.

Question 10

The ______ in the thalamus is where the optic nerves from the left and right eyes converge.

Accepted Answer

The lateral geniculate nucleus is the structure in the thalamus where the optic nerves from the left and right eyes converge. The fovea is a small depression in the retina that is responsible for acute and detailed vision. The optic chiasm is the point where the optic nerves from each eye cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The retina is the layer of tissue at the back of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells.

Question 11

Neurons cannot fire fast enough to keep up with high-pitched sound waves. Therefore, they alternate firing according to the ______.

Accepted Answer

The volley principle states that groups of neurons fire in rapid succession, alternating firing to keep up with higher pitches beyond the individual neuron's firing capacity. Therefore, option C is the correct answer. The place theory states that different areas of the cochlea respond to different frequencies of sound, while the frequency theory suggests that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone. However, neither of these theories explains how neurons can fire fast enough to handle high-pitched sounds. Finally, there is no such theory as the switch theory in auditory perception.

Question 12

The place theory of hearing states that:

Accepted Answer

The place theory of hearing suggests that different frequencies of sound activate different areas along the basilar membrane in the inner ear. This means that the location or place where the membrane vibrates determines the perception of pitch. In other words, our perception of a sound's pitch depends on the location along the basilar membrane that is stimulated by the sound.

Question 13

When Keith had to give a presentation to the entire class, his classmate Daniel decided to wear a large fake mustache to make Keith laugh. To Daniel's disappointment, when Keith gave his presentation, he seemed completely unaffected, despite looking at Daniel several times. Afterward, Keith said that he was so focused on the presentation that he didn't even notice the mustache! This scenario is an example of

Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of inattentional blindness because Keith was so focused on his presentation that he failed to notice the large fake mustache that Daniel was wearing. Inattentional blindness occurs when we fail to notice unexpected objects or events because our attention is directed elsewhere.

Question 14

"Sensation is to _______ as perception is to _______."

Accepted Answer

Sensation is the process of gathering sensory information from the environment, while perception involves understanding and interpreting that information.

Question 15

Cochlear implants are electronic hearing devices that can "replace" which part of the auditory system when it is damaged?

Accepted Answer

Cochlear implants are used to replace damaged hair cells in the cochlea, which are responsible for sending auditory signals to the brain. The implant bypasses the damaged hair cells and directly stimulates the auditory nerve, allowing for some restoration of hearing ability.

Question 16

___________ hearing loss results from damage to the cochlear hair cells and the neurons making up the auditory nerve.

Accepted Answer

Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the cochlear hair cells or the auditory nerve, which prevents sound from being effectively transmitted to the brain. This is different from conduction hearing loss, which is caused by problems in the outer or middle ear, and temporary hearing loss, which may result from conditions such as ear infections or excessive noise exposure but typically resolves on its own. Puncturing is not a type of hearing loss.

Question 17

__________ involves the detection of energy by sense organs, whereas __________ involves interpreting sensory inputs.

Accepted Answer

Sensation involves the detection of energy by sense organs, whereas perception involves interpreting sensory inputs. Therefore, option C is the correct choice.

Question 18

The ability to detect external events through our sensory systems is known as ______________.

Accepted Answer

Sensation refers to the detection of external events by our sensory systems. It involves the process of receiving, translating, and transmitting sensory information from our environment to our brain. Accommodation refers to the process by which the lens of our eye changes shape to focus on objects at different distances. Perception, on the other hand, involves the interpretation of sensory information in order to make sense of it, and sensory adaptation refers to the decrease or complete disappearance of sensory sensitivity to prolonged or constant stimulation.

Question 19

At which structure does the transduction of light into a neural signal occur in the visual system?

Accepted Answer

The transduction of light into a neural signal occurs in the retina. The retina contains specialized cells called photoreceptors (rods and cones) that respond to light and convert it into an electrical signal that can be transmitted to the brain through the optic nerve.

Question 20

Which gestalt principle refers to the perceptual rule that lines and other objects tend to be continuous, rather than abruptly changing directions?

Accepted Answer

The continuity principle refers to the tendency for lines, shapes, and objects to be perceived as continuous rather than abruptly changing direction. This allows people to perceive smooth and flowing patterns, as opposed to jarring and disjointed ones.

Quiz 4: Sensation and Perception