Question 1

Fabio has been driving for over twelve hours.He is hungry and tired,so he begins looking for a place to spend the night.He reads a sign that he thinks says "Red Roof Inn," but when he pulls into the parking lot,he realizes that the sign reads "Reed Roofing,Inc." Fabio's perception that the sign is for the national hotel chain and not a roofing company is most likely due to ____ processing.
A) bottom-up
B) top-down
C) network
D) hallucination

Accepted Answer

Fabio's perception was influenced by his prior knowledge and expectations of seeing a "Red Roof Inn" sign, which is an example of top-down processing.

Question 2

While looking at his professor,Brian finds himself thinking about his date on Friday,rather than about what his professor is saying.Brian's attention on his date is an example of ____.
A) overt orienting
B) covert orienting
C) parallel processing
D) involuntary control

Accepted Answer

Covert orienting refers to the shifting of attention without any visible movement of the eyes. In this scenario, Brian's attention is on his date while still looking at his professor, indicating that his attention has shifted covertly. Therefore, option B is the correct choice. The other options do not fit the given scenario.

Question 3

A new robot is able to examine a photograph of a crowd and pick out a figure wearing a wool cap in exactly 200 milliseconds.The time it takes to do this is always the same,whether there are 10 or 1,000 people in the crowd.The robot must be using ____ processing.
A) attentional
B) parallel
C) serial
D) connectionist

Accepted Answer

The fact that the time it takes to pick out a figure wearing a wool cap is always the same regardless of the number of people in the crowd implies that the robot is using parallel processing, in which it is able to process all the elements in the crowd simultaneously. This is in contrast to serial processing, in which the robot would have to examine the crowd one person at a time. Attentional processing is related to the allocation of resources to specific stimuli, while connectionist processing refers to the use of artificial neural networks for information processing.

Question 4

Nine-month-old Keisha watches her ball bounce down the stairs.As she approaches the top of the stairs,she backs up and hesitates to go down the stairs.This indicates that Keisha has developed ____.
A) perceptual constancies
B) binocular vision
C) depth perception
D) proximity

Accepted Answer

Keisha's hesitation to go down the stairs indicates that she has developed depth perception, which is the ability to perceive objects and surfaces in three dimensions and to judge distances accurately. This allows her to understand that the stairs are too steep for her and that she needs to be careful when going down them. Perceptual constancies refer to the ability to recognize that objects remain the same despite changes in size, shape, or orientation. Binocular vision is the ability to see using both eyes, which is typically developed by around 4 months of age. Proximity refers to the perception that objects that are close to each other tend to be grouped together.

Question 5

A witness claimsthat his robber has a gun,although later examination of the surveillance video shows that this was not true.The witness's perception of the event was likely influenced by ____.
A) grouping principles
B) the simplicity principle
C) bottom-up processing
D) schemas

Accepted Answer

This is an example of how schemas can influence perception. The witness's pre-existing beliefs and expectations about a robbery likely influenced their perception of the event, leading them to believe that the robber had a gun even though one was not present.

Question 6

After placing a sheet of white paper in a dimly lit corner of the room,it appears to be darker.You know when you place it back in the light,it will maintain its original appearance due to the perceptual principle of ____.
A) motion parallax
B) stroboscopic illusion
C) brightness constancy
D) interposition

Accepted Answer

Brightness constancy is the perceptual principle that allows us to perceive objects as maintaining the same level of brightness regardless of changes in lighting conditions. In this case, the white paper appears darker in the dimly lit corner, but we know that it will return to its original brightness when placed back in the light due to brightness constancy.

Question 7

Culture and social class can affect perception through their influence on ____.
A) experiential focus
B) prior screening
C) maturational capabilities
D) expectations

Accepted Answer

Culture and social class can shape an individual's expectations about how they will experience and interpret various stimuli. For example, someone from a collectivist culture may focus more on the group context of an event, while someone from an individualistic culture may focus more on individual attributes. Similarly, someone from a higher social class may expect different behaviors and outcomes in certain situations than someone from a lower social class, based on their experiences and norms. These expectations can influence how an individual perceives and interprets information.

Question 8

When Jason is watching the Thanksgiving Parade,he perceives more distant objects as farther away because the lenses in his eyes change shape to focus on those objects.This cue for depth perception is called ____.
A) ocular accommodation
B) retinal disparity
C) eye convergence
D) motion parallax

Accepted Answer

Ocular accommodation refers to the process of changing the shape of the lens in the eye to focus on objects at different distances. This cue for depth perception allows Jason to perceive more distant objects as farther away. Retinal disparity refers to the slight difference in the visual image seen by each eye, which is used to sense depth. Eye convergence refers to the inward movement of the eyes when focusing on nearby objects. Motion parallax refers to the apparent movement of objects at different distances as the observer moves. None of these other options directly relate to the cue for depth perception described in the scenario.

Question 9

Upon awakening from a nap,you open your eyes and immediately have the image of a cat's paw rapidly expanding on your retina.Which concept explains why you perceive this image as moving and not as an expanding object fixed in space?
A) retinal disparity
B) perceptual constancy
C) movement gradient
D) eye convergence

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy allows us to perceive objects as stable and unchanging despite changes in sensory input, such as size or shape, due to movement or distance. In this case, it helps us perceive the cat's paw as moving rather than just expanding.

Question 10

If our perceptual system did not follow the organizing principle of constancy,____.
A) external stimuli would be unidentifiable
B) people would appear to change shape as they move in different directions
C) sensory information would be delivered to the brain in incomplete units
D) perceptual processing would be inefficient during times of stress

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy allows us to perceive objects as unchanging (having consistent shapes, sizes, brightness, and color) even as illumination and retinal images change. Without this principle, objects (including people) would indeed appear to change shape as they move or as our perspective changes.

Question 11

A newborn baby will probably use ____ more than an adult.
A) bottom-up processing
B) top-down processing
C) depth cues
D) perceptual constancy cues

Accepted Answer

A newborn baby's perceptual processing is primarily driven by sensory inputs from the environment, which is known as bottom-up processing. They have not yet developed the cognitive abilities to use top-down processing or perceptual constancy cues effectively. Depth cues may be present, but their interpretation and use require more advanced perceptual abilities.

Question 12

Lance is anxiously awaiting his girlfriend's phone call.When the phone finally rings,he quickly answers it and says,"Hi,honey bun.Come kiss me now." But it is actually his startled boss on the phone,who promptly accepts the offer.What perceptual process caused this embarrassing event?
A) feature detection
B) bottom-up processing
C) perceptual set
D) auditory gradients

Accepted Answer

This embarrassing event was caused by perceptual set, which is the tendency to perceive things in a certain way based on previous experiences or expectations. Lance was expecting a call from his girlfriend, so when he heard the phone ring, he automatically assumed it was her and responded accordingly. However, this led to a misinterpretation of the situation when it turned out to be his boss on the phone.

Question 13

When little Rosario quickly flipped the pages of her new "flip" book,Sniffy the rat appeared to run around,eat cheese,and scratch himself.Rosario's perception of Sniffy's movements is due to ____.
A) looming
B) optical flow
C) a stroboscopic illusion
D) motion parallax

Accepted Answer

The description of Sniffy's movements being created by flipping through the pages of the book suggests a stroboscopic illusion, which tricks the brain into perceiving motion where there is none. Looming refers to the way objects appear to grow larger as they approach us, optical flow refers to the way visual patterns change as we move through the environment, and motion parallax refers to the way objects appear to move at different speeds depending on how far away they are from us. None of these concepts fully explain the perception of Sniffy's movements in the "flip" book.

Question 14

Ned the Neuron is a pretty busy guy.His job is to fire anytime he sees a vertical line in his visual field.Ned's specialty is ____.
A) feature detection
B) lateral inhibition
C) hierarchical processing
D) being an interneuron

Accepted Answer

Ned's job of firing in response to a specific feature (vertical line) in his visual field indicates that he is performing feature detection, which is the ability to selectively respond to specific features within a stimulus.

Question 15

The perceived size of an object remains constant as it moves closer because the perceived distance ____ at the same rate that the retinal image ____.
A) decreases; decreases
B) increases; increases
C) increases; decreases
D) decreases; increases

Accepted Answer

The perceived size of an object remains constant (a phenomenon known as size constancy) because as an object moves closer, the perceived distance decreases, but the size of the retinal image increases. This balance between perceived distance and retinal image size allows us to perceive the object as the same size despite changes in distance.

Question 16

Indiana looks at the ground near his feet.He hears a hissing sound and sees a long,thin shape with scales.From this information only,he determines the object is a snake.He is using ____ processing.
A) sequential
B) top-down
C) ecological
D) bottom-up

Accepted Answer

Bottom-up processing refers to the perception of objects based solely on their physical characteristics, such as their shape, color, texture, and other attributes. In this case, Indiana is using his sensory input (visual and auditory) to determine that the object he sees and hears is a snake, without relying on any prior knowledge or expectations (which would be top-down processing).

Question 17

Feature detection cannot explain how you can ____.
A) perceive the same sounds as "I scream" sometimes and "ice cream" at other times
B) identify a new Honda automobile as a car, even if you had never seen that particular model before
C) recognize a friend you have not seen in several years
D) identify a black poodle as a poodle, even if you had previously seen only white poodles

Accepted Answer

Feature detection is limited to identifying specific features in sensory input, such as lines and angles in visual information. It cannot account for complex processes such as speech recognition and language comprehension, which involve higher-level cognitive processes. The phenomenon described in option A, where the same sounds can be perceived as different words based on context, is an example of language comprehension beyond feature detection.

Answer: C 
 Recognizing a friend involves much more than just simple feature detection. It involves memory retrieval, social cues, and higher-order cognitive processes such as facial recognition and emotional recognition. These processes cannot be explained solely through feature detection.

Answer: D 
 While recognizing a specific poodle as a poodle may involve feature detection (such as identifying specific fur patterns or body shapes), recognizing that a black poodle is still a poodle despite its color requires additional cognitive processes beyond basic feature detection. These may include categorization and generalization abilities, which allow us to identify similarities between different objects or concepts.

Therefore, the best choices are A and C.

Question 18

With bottom-up processing,a person is using ____ to recognize an object.With top-down processing,recognition is based on the use of ____.
A) ocular accommodation; retinal disparity
B) schemas; feature detection
C) feature detection; schemas
D) retinal disparity; ocular accommodation

Accepted Answer

With bottom-up processing, a person is using feature detection to recognize an object by analyzing the physical features of the stimulus, such as lines, angles, shapes, and colors, and combining them into a recognizable pattern. In contrast, with top-down processing, recognition is based on the use of schemas, which are mental models or frameworks that help us interpret and organize the incoming sensory information based on our prior knowledge, experience, and expectations. Top-down processing allows us to make sense of ambiguous or incomplete stimuli by filling in the missing details with our knowledge and assumptions.

Question 19

Oscar is in a fight and he sees the image of a fist that expands so that it fills his retina.He realizes that the fist is coming at him,rather than growing in size,because of ____.
A) induced motion
B) eye convergence
C) looming
D) retinal disparity

Accepted Answer

The expansion of the fist filling Oscar's retina, and the realization that it is coming at him, is an example of looming. Looming refers to the perception that an object is rapidly approaching or coming closer due to an increase in retinal size.

Question 20

As a vampire runs at Buffy to attack her,Buffy perceives that the vampire is moving closer,not growing larger,even though her retinal image of the vampire is growing larger.This is due to ____.
A) brightness constancy
B) size constancy
C) interposition
D) relative size

Accepted Answer

Size constancy refers to our ability to perceive objects as maintaining their actual size, despite changes in retinal image size. In this situation, Buffy perceives the vampire as moving closer but not growing larger, because of the size constancy mechanism.

Quiz 4: Sensation and Perception

While looking at his professor,Brian finds himself thinking about his date on Friday,rather than about what his professor is saying.Brian's attention on his date is an example of ____.

A new robot is able to examine a photograph of a crowd and pick out a figure wearing a wool cap in exactly 200 milliseconds.The time it takes to do this is always the same,whether there are 10 or 1,000 people in the crowd.The robot must be using ____ processing.

Nine-month-old Keisha watches her ball bounce down the stairs.As she approaches the top of the stairs,she backs up and hesitates to go down the stairs.This indicates that Keisha has developed ____.

A witness claimsthat his robber has a gun,although later examination of the surveillance video shows that this was not true.The witness's perception of the event was likely influenced by ____.

After placing a sheet of white paper in a dimly lit corner of the room,it appears to be darker.You know when you place it back in the light,it will maintain its original appearance due to the perceptual principle of ____.

Culture and social class can affect perception through their influence on ____.

When Jason is watching the Thanksgiving Parade,he perceives more distant objects as farther away because the lenses in his eyes change shape to focus on those objects.This cue for depth perception is called ____.

Upon awakening from a nap,you open your eyes and immediately have the image of a cat's paw rapidly expanding on your retina.Which concept explains why you perceive this image as moving and not as an expanding object fixed in space?

If our perceptual system did not follow the organizing principle of constancy,____.

A newborn baby will probably use ____ more than an adult.

Lance is anxiously awaiting his girlfriend's phone call.When the phone finally rings,he quickly answers it and says,"Hi,honey bun.Come kiss me now." But it is actually his startled boss on the phone,who promptly accepts the offer.What perceptual process caused this embarrassing event?

When little Rosario quickly flipped the pages of her new "flip" book,Sniffy the rat appeared to run around,eat cheese,and scratch himself.Rosario's perception of Sniffy's movements is due to ____.

Ned the Neuron is a pretty busy guy.His job is to fire anytime he sees a vertical line in his visual field.Ned's specialty is ____.

The perceived size of an object remains constant as it moves closer because the perceived distance at the same rate that the retinal image .

Indiana looks at the ground near his feet.He hears a hissing sound and sees a long,thin shape with scales.From this information only,he determines the object is a snake.He is using ____ processing.

Feature detection cannot explain how you can ____.

With bottom-up processing,a person is using to recognize an object.With top-down processing,recognition is based on the use of .

Oscar is in a fight and he sees the image of a fist that expands so that it fills his retina.He realizes that the fist is coming at him,rather than growing in size,because of ____.

As a vampire runs at Buffy to attack her,Buffy perceives that the vampire is moving closer,not growing larger,even though her retinal image of the vampire is growing larger.This is due to ____.