Question 1

The loudness of sounds is determined by the ________ of sound waves.

Accepted Answer

The amplitude of sound waves determines the loudness of the sound. Amplitude is the maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position. In simple terms, the greater the amplitude of a sound wave, the louder the sound perceived by our ears.

Question 2

Lenore had been blind from birth.Immediately after corrective eye surgery,she could visually perceive figure-ground relationships.This fact would serve to support the position advanced by

Accepted Answer

Immanuel Kant argued that the ability to perceive the world in certain ways (such as understanding space and time) is innate, not acquired through experience. The fact that Lenore could immediately perceive figure-ground relationships after gaining sight supports Kant's view that some aspects of perception are built into the human mind, rather than learned through experience. John Locke, on the other hand, believed in tabula rasa, meaning the mind is a blank slate at birth and knowledge is gained through experience, which contrasts with the immediate perception abilities demonstrated by Lenore.

Question 3

The bones of the middle ear relay vibrations received from the

Accepted Answer

The ear drum, also known as the tympanic membrane, is located in the outer ear and vibrates in response to sound waves. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear bones (the malleus, incus, and stapes) which amplify the sound and relay it to the inner ear. The inner ear includes the cochlea, vestibular sacs, and semicircular canals, which are responsible for converting the vibrations into electrical signals that the brain can interpret as sound and balance. However, the bones of the middle ear specifically relay the vibrations from the ear drum to the inner ear, making answer choice B the best option.

Question 4

Sensory restriction is much more likely to hinder visual development in early infancy than during other times of life.This suggests that there is a(n)________ for normal visual development.

Accepted Answer

The mention of sensory restriction hindering visual development in early infancy suggests the concept of a critical period, which is a specific timeframe during development where certain skills are more easily learned or acquired. In this case, normal visual development requires visual input during a critical period in infancy, and sensory restriction during this time can result in long-term visual impairments. Choice A (difference threshold) refers to the smallest level of difference between two stimuli that can be detected, and is not relevant to the context. Choice B (retinal disparity) refers to the slight difference in the retinal images of the two eyes that enables depth perception, and is also not applicable. Choice D (blind spot) refers to the area in the retina without any photoreceptor cells, and although relevant to vision, is not related to the concept of critical periods.

Question 5

The high notes from a violin always produce ________ sound waves than the low notes.

Accepted Answer

The pitch of a sound is determined by its frequency, with higher pitch sounds having higher frequencies. Therefore, since the high notes from a violin have a higher pitch than the low notes, they must have a higher frequency. This means choice C, higher frequency, is the correct answer. The amplitude of a sound wave refers to its intensity or loudness, and while the high notes may subjectively sound louder, they do not inherently produce greater-amplitude sound waves. Therefore, choice A is incorrect. Similarly, the low notes may sound softer, but they do not inherently produce smaller-amplitude sound waves, so choice B is incorrect. Finally, the frequency of a sound wave does not directly affect its amplitude or size, so choice D is also incorrect.

Question 6

Rebecca was born with cataracts that were not surgically removed until she was 3 years old.As a result,Rebecca is most likely to

Accepted Answer

Cataracts in early childhood can lead to inadequate neural connections in the brain's visual cortex, which can result in permanent visual deficits even after surgical treatment. The loss of visual receptor cells or the inability to perceive figure-ground relationships are less likely outcomes of cataracts. While it is possible for cataracts to impact color perception, it is not necessarily a common outcome of the condition.

Question 7

The lowest level of sound detectable by human ears is defined as zero

Accepted Answer

Decibels are the unit used to measure the intensity of sound, and zero decibels is the threshold of hearing for the average human ear.

Question 8

Our sense of hearing is known as

Accepted Answer

Our sense of hearing is known as audition. The vestibular sense refers to our sense of balance and spatial orientation, kinesthesia refers to our sense of body movement and position, and tinnitus is a condition characterized by ringing or buzzing in the ears.

Question 9

High-frequency sound waves are to ________ as low-frequency sound waves are to ________.

Accepted Answer

High-frequency sound waves are associated with high-pitched voices and low-frequency sound waves are associated with low-pitched voices.

Question 10

Eardrum vibrations are transmitted by three tiny bones located in the

Accepted Answer

Eardrum vibrations are transmitted by three tiny bones located in the middle ear, namely the malleus, incus, and stapes. The sound waves that reach the eardrum cause it to vibrate, which then transfers these vibrations to the ossicles (the three tiny bones) in the middle ear. The ossicles amplify the vibrations and transmit them to the inner ear, specifically the cochlea.

Question 11

Although he was wearing a pair of glasses that shifted the apparent location of objects 20 degrees to his right,after a short practice time Lars was still able to play tennis very effectively.This best illustrates the value of

Accepted Answer

Lars' ability to adapt to the shifted apparent location of objects due to his glasses demonstrates perceptual adaptation, which refers to the brain's ability to adjust and adapt to changes in sensory input. Linear perspective and shape constancy are related to visual perception of shapes and depth, while retinal disparity refers to the slight difference in the images received by each eye, which the brain uses to create depth perception.

Question 12

The ability to adjust to changed sensory input is called

Accepted Answer

Perceptual adaptation refers to the ability of the brain to adjust to changed sensory input by incorporating this new information into our perception of the world. This allows us to adjust to changes in our environment and maintain a stable perception of our surroundings. Retinal disparity refers to the slight differences in the images projected onto the two retinas, which is used to perceive depth. Sensory interaction is the idea that our senses can influence each other, such as taste and smell affecting each other's perception. Shape constancy refers to our ability to perceive objects as maintaining their shape despite changes in viewing angle or distance.

Question 13

The ability of newborn infants to perceive depth best serves to support the views of

Accepted Answer

The fact that newborn infants are able to perceive depth supports the views of Immanuel Kant, who believed that certain aspects of knowledge are innate or inherent in the mind, rather than learned through experience. This innate knowledge, according to Kant, includes the perception of space and time. In other words, infants are born with an innate ability to perceive depth, which does not need to be learned through experience.

Question 14

Research with distorting goggles best supports the view of human perception advanced by

Accepted Answer

The answer of Research with distorting goggles best supports the...

Question 15

A clouding of the lens of the eye is called a

Accepted Answer

A clouding of the lens of the eye is medically known as a cataract. A blind spot refers to an area of the visual field where no information is perceived due to the lack of receptor cells. The fovea is a small area in the center of the retina that is responsible for high-acuity vision. Gestalt refers to the theory that our brain processes information by grouping individual elements together into a whole.

Question 16

John Locke is to Immanuel Kant as ________ is to ________.

Accepted Answer

John Locke and Immanuel Kant were both philosophers who contributed to the fields of epistemology and political philosophy. Locke is known for his emphasis on the role of experience and nurture in shaping human knowledge and behavior, while Kant emphasized the role of reason and nature. Similarly, the relationship between nurture and nature is a key concept in understanding the differences between these two philosophers. Therefore, the best choice is C, nurture; nature.

Question 17

The process of transforming air pressure waves into neural messages that the brain interprets as meaningful sound is known as

Accepted Answer

The process described in the question is the process of hearing, which is also known as audition.

Question 18

Who emphasized that perceptual understanding comes from inborn ways of organizing sensory experience?

Accepted Answer

Immanuel Kant emphasized that perceptual understanding comes from inborn ways of organizing sensory experience. He believed that the mind is not a blank slate, but rather has structures and categories that shape our perception of the world.

Question 19

If an adult who was blind from birth gains the ability to see,that person would have the greatest difficulty visually distinguishing

Accepted Answer

The answer of If an adult who was blind from...

Question 20

The philosopher John Locke believed that people

Accepted Answer

John Locke's theory of empiricism suggests that people gain knowledge through experience and observation. He believed that at birth, the mind is a blank slate (tabula rasa) and that all knowledge and ideas come from sensory experiences. Therefore, A is the best choice as it aligns with Locke's belief that people learn to perceive the world through experience.

Quiz 5: Sensation and Perception