Question 1

The point at which a person can detect a stimulus 50 percent of the time it is presented is called the

Accepted Answer

The definition provided matches the definition of the absolute threshold, which is the minimum amount of stimulation necessary for a person to detect a stimulus 50 percent of the time it is presented. The other options are incorrect. The range threshold is not a recognized term in perception research. The difference threshold, also known as the just noticeable difference, refers to the minimum difference between two stimuli that a person can detect at least 50 percent of the time. The noticeable threshold is not a recognized term.

Question 2

Which of the following drugs is a depressant?

Accepted Answer

Alcohol is a depressant drug that slows down the central nervous system, leading to reduced brain activity, relaxation, and sedation. Marijuana is a psychoactive drug that can have both depressant and stimulant effects, depending on the strain and dosage. LSD is a hallucinogenic drug that can cause altered perceptions and sensory experiences, but it is not classified as a depressant. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is a stimulant drug that can increase heart rate and blood pressure, so it is also not a depressant.

Question 3

Body position is to __________ as equilibrium and balance are to __________.

Accepted Answer

Body position is primarily detected by proprioception, which refers to the sense of the relative position of body parts and the amount of force being exerted in muscles and joints. Equilibrium and balance are primarily detected by the vestibular sense, which refers to the sense of spatial orientation and motion. Therefore, the correct answer is D, as proprioception is to body position, and the vestibular sense is to equilibrium and balance.

Question 4

During what stage of sleep are we most likely to experience a vivid dream?

Accepted Answer

REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is the stage of sleep during which vivid dreams occur. While dreams can occur during non-REM sleep stages, they are typically not as vivid or memorable as those experienced during REM sleep. Stage 2 and Stage 4 sleep are also non-REM stages of sleep.

Question 5

Sounds that we hear are converted into electrical signals in neurons through a process called

Accepted Answer

The process of converting physical stimuli (such as sound waves) into neural signals is called transduction. The other options are not relevant to this process.

Question 6

One of the effects of alcohol is to slow the heart rate. People who are addicted to alcohol may have an increase in heart rate when they smell or see alcohol. What is the term for this learned reaction?

Accepted Answer

The term for this learned reaction is conditioned compensatory response, where the body learns to compensate for the expected effects of the substance by increasing heart rate, among other physiological reactions. This response is a result of classical conditioning, where the body associates the sight and smell of alcohol with the effects of the substance.

Question 7

Which theory of hypnosis argues that hypnosis is a normal variation of consciousness rather than a state that is altered, or unique?

Accepted Answer

Sociocognitive theory argues that hypnosis is a normal variation of consciousness and that hypnotic effects are not due to any special characteristics of the hypnotic state, but rather to the expectations and attitudes of the participant and the suggestion of the hypnotist. This theory suggests that anyone can be hypnotized to some degree if they are willing to cooperate and follow instructions.

Question 8

Which cells on the retina are most important for night vision?

Accepted Answer

Rods are the cells on the retina that are most important for night vision. Rods are more sensitive to low levels of light and are responsible for our ability to see in dimly lit environments. Bipolar cells and ganglion cells are involved in transmitting the signals from the rods and cones to the brain. Cones are responsible for color vision and work best in bright light conditions.

Question 9

Which schedule of reinforcement is associated with slot machines and other forms of casino gambling?

Accepted Answer

Slot machines and other forms of casino gambling are associated with variable ratio schedules of reinforcement. This means that the reward (winning money) is given on an unpredictable basis and after an unpredictable number of responses. This creates a strong and persistent behavior, as individuals continue to engage in the behavior in hopes of receiving a reward.

Question 10

The quality or complexity of a sound is referred to as the

Accepted Answer

The quality or complexity of a sound is referred to as the timbre. The other options have different meanings: frequency refers to the number of cycles of a wave per second, amplitude refers to the intensity or loudness of a sound, and pitch refers to the perceived highness or lowness of a sound.

Question 11

Operant conditioning would be the best choice to modify which of the following responses?

Accepted Answer

Operant conditioning is the modification of behavior through rewards and punishments. Doing homework is a voluntary behavior that can be reinforced through rewards (such as praise, good grades, or extra privileges) or punished through negative consequences (such as low grades or loss of privileges). Therefore, operant conditioning can be used to modify the behavior of doing homework. Heart rate, drug cravings, and disgust reactions are all involuntary responses that are controlled by physiological or neurological factors, so classical conditioning or other forms of therapy may be more effective in modifying these responses.

Question 12

Pavlov placed meat powder in the mouths of dogs, and they began to salivate. In this example, what is the food?

Accepted Answer

In Pavlov's experiment, the meat powder is the unconditioned stimulus (US) because it naturally and automatically triggers the unconditioned response (UR) of salivation in dogs.

Question 13

What is the term for a biological cycle, or rhythm, that is approximately 24 hours long?

Accepted Answer

A cycle that is approximately 24 hours long is referred to as a circadian rhythm. Circannual rhythms refer to cycles that occur once a year, diurnal rhythms refer to cycles that occur within a 24-hour period, and ultradian rhythms refer to cycles that occur more than once in a 24-hour period.

Question 14

You are learning a list of items for a test by relating the items to each other and to information that you already have stored in memory. Which type of rehearsal are you using?

Accepted Answer

Elaborative rehearsal involves making connections between new information and existing knowledge or memories, which is what is described in this scenario.

Question 15

In a photo, you can see that the house is farther away than the car because part of the house is blocked from view by the car. Which monocular cue is illustrated in this example?

Accepted Answer

Interposition occurs when one object partially blocks another object, which provides a depth cue indicating that the blocked object is farther away. This is illustrated in the photo where the car is blocking part of the house, indicating that the house is farther away. The other options, such as relative size and linear perspective, can also provide depth cues, but they are not illustrated in this particular photo.

Question 16

Leslie just started a new job, and got a new company email address. When people ask for his email address, he often responds with his old one by accident. Which one of the following sources of interference is most likely in this example?

Accepted Answer

Proactive interference occurs when old information interferes with new information. Leslie had been using his old email address for a long time and, as a result, it is interfering with his ability to remember his new email address.

Question 17

Janet used to pout in order to get her own way, but her parents started ignoring that behaviour. Now she rarely pouts to get her own way. Which process has occured?

Accepted Answer

Extinction occurs when a behavior that was previously reinforced is no longer effective in producing reinforcement, causing it to gradually decrease and eventually stop. In this case, Janet's pouting behavior was no longer reinforced by her parents' attention, so it gradually decreased and stopped.

Question 18

According to Freud, if you dream about giraffes, and the giraffes represent your lifelong goals, then your lifelong goals are the

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's theory of dream interpretation, the latent content of a dream represents the hidden, underlying meaning behind the dream. In this scenario, the giraffes are representing the individual's lifelong goals, which is a deeper, hidden meaning behind the dream. Therefore, the answer is B- latent content.

Question 19

Trevor is trying to study in the library and is distracted by students who are talking at nearby tables. After a while, he does not notice them and is able to concentrate on his studying. What form of learning has Trevor experienced?

Accepted Answer

Trevor has experienced habituation, which is a decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated exposure to it. In this case, he was initially distracted by the talking students but eventually became less responsive to their conversation and was able to focus on his studying.

Question 20

In operant conditioning, which of the following is an example of negative reinforcement?

Accepted Answer

Negative reinforcement is the removal of an aversive stimulus, which leads to an increase in the frequency of a behavior. In this scenario, the student completing all homework is allowed to skip a quiz, which is the removal of an aversive stimulus (having to take the quiz). This leads to an increase in the frequency of the behavior (completing all homework).

Quiz 17: Mid-Term Exam