Question 1

Which theory can partly explain the pain-killing effects of acupuncture?

Accepted Answer

The gate control theory suggests that non-painful input closes the "gates" to painful input, which can help explain how acupuncture might reduce pain by stimulating non-painful sensory pathways.

Question 2

Messages carried by large, fast nerve fibres tend to go to the spinal gate directly, preventing the slower"reminding system" pain from reaching the brain. What is this control technique called?

Accepted Answer

Counter irritation is a technique where stimulation of large, fast nerve fibers can inhibit the transmission of pain signals from slower fibers, effectively blocking pain perception.

Question 3

Chris vigorously rubs an injury to reduce the pain. What does this example demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

Counter irritation is a technique where one pain is reduced by creating another, less intense pain or sensation, such as rubbing an injury.

Question 4

When we miss something that is right in front of us because our attention is narrowly focused, what are we demonstrating?

Accepted Answer

Inattentional blindness is the failure to notice something that is right in front of us because our attention is narrowly focused on something else.

Question 5

The perceived size of an object remains the same, even though the size of its image on the retina changes. What is this called?

Accepted Answer

Size constancy refers to the ability of the visual system to perceive the size of an object as remaining the same, even though the size of its image on the retina changes.

Question 6

The shape of an object remains stable, even though the shape of its retinal image changes. What is this called?

Accepted Answer

Shape constancy refers to the ability of the visual system to perceive the shape of an object as remaining stable, even though the shape of its retinal image changes due to changes in viewing angle or distance.

Question 7

Why does the perception of brightness constancy occur?

Accepted Answer

Brightness constancy occurs because objects reflect the same proportion of available light, allowing us to perceive them as having consistent brightness under varying lighting conditions.

Question 8

Even though the typical retinal image is elliptical, why do we perceive a coin as round?

Accepted Answer

Shape constancy refers to the ability of the visual system to perceive the shape of an object as constant, even when the retinal image of the object changes. In the case of a coin, the retinal image is elliptical, but we perceive the coin as round because of shape constancy.

Question 9

In order to group elements together to make sense of our perceptions, what do we follow?

Accepted Answer

Gestalt principles of organization are psychological theories that describe how humans naturally perceive objects as organized patterns and objects, which help in grouping elements together to make sense of our perceptions.

Question 10

What does the principle of closure state?

Accepted Answer

The principle of closure states that we tend to perceive incomplete figures as complete by filling in the missing parts.

Question 11

We may perceive CPEN as the word OPEN due to our tendency to complete a recognizable figure. What do we call this principle?

Accepted Answer

The principle of closure refers to our tendency to perceive a complete, whole figure even when there are gaps in the visual information.

Question 12

Sitting in the pit area at a race-track, you watch cars speed around the track in front of the mass of humanity in the stands. You have organized this visual scene such that the race car is figure. In a perceptual sense, what are the people in the stands?

Accepted Answer

In perceptual organization, the figure is the main focus, while the ground is the background. Here, the race car is the figure, and the people in the stands are the ground.

Question 13

What is another way to describe a "guess," held until more information is available, about what a sensation represents?

Accepted Answer

A perceptual hypothesis is another way to describe a "guess," held until more information is available, about what a sensation represents.

Question 14

The active nature of human perception can be displayed through an examination of which of the following (which includes objects such as the Necker's cube)?

Accepted Answer

Ambiguous stimuli, like the Necker's cube, demonstrate the active nature of human perception as they can be interpreted in multiple ways, requiring the brain to actively choose between different perceptual interpretations.

Question 15

When 6- to 14 month-old infants are placed in the middle of a visual cliff, what are they most likely to do?

Accepted Answer

Infants are likely to move to the shallow side of the visual cliff because they perceive the deep side as a drop-off, indicating an understanding of depth perception and a natural aversion to heights.

Question 16

The ability to identify the direction from which a sound originates is strongly dependent on having two ears separated in space by several inches. Which similar property is the ability to perceive visual depth related to?

Accepted Answer

Retinal disparity refers to the slight difference in images between the two eyes due to their horizontal separation, which the brain uses to perceive depth.

Question 17

What gives us the ability to see three-dimensional space and to accurately judge distances?

Accepted Answer

Depth perception is the ability to perceive the world in three dimensions and to judge the distance of objects accurately.

Question 18

The batter has just hit a fly ball to centre field where you are standing. As the ball spirals down, why are you able to both focus on it and judge its distance?

Accepted Answer

Convergence is the process by which both eyes move inward to focus on a nearby object, helping to judge its distance.

Question 19

What do we call distance cues involving both eyes?

Accepted Answer

Binocular cues involve both eyes, such as convergence and binocular disparity.

Question 20

What do we call distance cues that require the use of only one eye?

Accepted Answer

Monocular cues are depth cues that can be perceived using just one eye, such as size, texture gradient, and interposition.

Quiz 4: Sensation and Perception