Question 1

Which of the following is true of attention?

Accepted Answer

Inattentional blindness occurs when our attention is engaged in a task and we fail to detect unexpected events, such as the gorilla in the basketball video. Option A is incorrect because attention can be both selective and shiftable. Option B is incorrect because novel stimuli often do attract our attention. Option D is incorrect because objects that are large, vividly colored or moving are more likely to be attention-grabbing than objects that are small, dull-colored, or stationary.

Question 2

You arrive at your friend's apartment for a big party at the end of the semester.When you first arrive,the music is so loud that it almost hurts your ears.After a couple of hours,even though the music is still at the same volume,it no longer bothers you or seems that loud.This change in your sensations describes the process of _____.

Accepted Answer

Sensory adaptation is the process by which our sensitivity to a stimulus decreases over time as we become accustomed to it. In this case, the loud music initially caused discomfort, but as the partygoer adjusted to the noise level, the sensation of loudness decreased. This is an example of sensory adaptation. Auditory adjustment and sensory deprivation are not relevant to this scenario. Transduction refers to the process by which sensory stimuli are converted into neural signals. While it is related to sensory adaptation, it does not describe the change in perception of loudness over time.

Question 3

Jennifer is a chain smoker.When her friend Irene,a non-smoker,gets in the car with Jennifer she is overwhelmed by the smell of smoke.One day she mentioned this fact to Jennifer who was surprised by the comment.Jennifer claims that when she sniffs her hair and clothing she can't sense the smoky scent.Jennifer's inability to detect the smoky scent is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

Jennifer's inability to detect the smoky scent even though it is noticeable to others is an example of sensory adaptation. This refers to the process by which our sensory receptors become less sensitive to stimuli that are present constantly or repeatedly. Since Jennifer is a chain smoker, the constant exposure to the smell of smoke has led to her sensory receptors adapting to it and becoming less sensitive to the odor.

Question 4

The multilayered light-sensitive surface in the eye that records electromagnetic energy and converts it to neural impulses for processing in the brain is known as the _____.

Accepted Answer

The multilayered light-sensitive surface in the eye that records electromagnetic energy and converts it to neural impulses for processing in the brain is known as the retina. The sclera is the outermost layer of the eye, the iris controls the size of the pupil and the amount of light that enters the eye, and the optic nerve is the nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Question 5

When Carlos first jumped into the pool,he thought the water was very cold.Although the actual temperature of the pool remained constant,after a few minutes Carlos no longer complained about feeling cold.This change is his reaction to the temperature of the water is an example of _____.

Accepted Answer

The change in Carlos's perception of the water temperature is an example of sensory adaptation, which is the process by which sensory receptors adjust to constant, unchanging stimuli over time.

Question 6

The iris is the _____.

Accepted Answer

The iris is the colored part of the eye that contains muscles that control the size of the pupil.

Question 7

The tiny area in the center of the retina that contains only cones is called the _____.

Accepted Answer

The fovea is a small area in the center of the retina that contains only cones, making it responsible for our central, detailed vision. The cornea is the clear outer layer of the eye. The chiasm is the point where the optic nerves partially cross over each other. The optic nerve is a bundle of nerve fibers that carries visual information from the eye to the brain.

Question 8

_____ focuses on decision making about stimuli under conditions of uncertainty.

Accepted Answer

Signal detection theory focuses on decision making under conditions of uncertainty, specifically in regards to detecting weak or ambiguous signals within noise. It takes into account the individual's criteria and sensitivity in detecting the signal. The other options mentioned (A, B, and C) are theories/concepts related to sensory processing and perception, but do not specifically address decision making under uncertainty.

Question 9

A predisposition or readiness to perceive something in a particular way is known as _____.

Accepted Answer

A perceptual set refers to the predisposition or readiness to perceive something in a particular way. This can be influenced by a variety of factors, including past experiences, expectations, and context. Selective attention refers to the ability to focus on a particular stimulus while ignoring others. The cocktail party effect is a phenomenon in which people are able to selectively attend to one conversation in a noisy environment, while tuning out other conversations. Top-down processing refers to the use of preexisting knowledge and expectations to interpret sensory information.

Question 10

Cones _____.

Accepted Answer

Cones are specialized receptor cells that enable us to see color. They are responsible for detecting fine details and allowing us to see in bright light conditions, unlike rods which are better at night or under low illumination conditions. Cones are concentrated in the fovea, a small depression in the retina.

Question 11

The _____ is the colored part of the eye.

Accepted Answer

The iris is the part of the eye that is responsible for giving the eye its color. It sits in front of the lens and regulates the amount of light entering the eye through the pupil. The cornea is a clear layer that covers the front of the eye, while the lens is a transparent part of the eye that focuses light onto the retina.

Question 12

The _____ is a transparent and somewhat flexible,disklike structure filled with a gelatin-like material.

Accepted Answer

The description matches the lens of the eye, which helps to focus light onto the retina at the back of the eye. The retina is a layer of photosensitive cells, the optic nerve is a bundle of nerve fibers that sends visual signals from the eye to the brain, and the fovea is a small area in the center of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision. None of these structures fit the given description as well as the lens.

Question 13

You try to note the incredibly fine details of a computer microchip through a magnifying glass.On which area of the retina should you be focusing this image?

Accepted Answer

The fovea is the area in the retina that is responsible for high acuity vision and is responsible for seeing fine details. Therefore, when trying to see the incredibly fine details of a computer microchip through a magnifying glass, one should focus the image on the fovea.

Question 14

The _____ is made up of axons of the ganglion cells,which carries visual information to the brain for further processing.

Accepted Answer

The optic nerve is made up of axons of the ganglion cells in the retina and it carries visual information to the brain for further processing. The fovea is a small central area of the retina responsible for sharp and detailed vision, the lens is a transparent structure that bends light to focus it on the retina, and the iris is a muscle that controls the size of the pupil to control the amount of light entering the eye.

Question 15

The pupil is the _____.

Accepted Answer

The pupil is specifically the opening in the center of the iris, which appears black.

Question 16

Rods and cones are located in the _____.

Accepted Answer

Rods and cones are photoreceptor cells that are located in the retina, which is the layer of tissue at the back of the eye that is sensitive to light. The retina is responsible for sending visual signals to the brain through the optic nerve. The lens and cornea are also important parts of the eye, but they do not contain rods and cones. The occipital lobe is a part of the brain that processes visual information, but it does not contain rods and cones either.

Question 17

Jane is having trouble sleeping.As she sits in bed looking around the darkened room,she notices that her peripheral vision seems to be better than her central vision.This is because vision in low light conditions _____.

Accepted Answer

Vision in low light conditions depends on the rods, which are mainly located in the peripheral regions of the retina. The cones, which are responsible for central vision and color perception, require higher levels of light to function properly.

Question 18

What theory of perception proposes that detection of stimuli depends on a variety of factors including,but not limited to,physical intensity of the stimulus,fatigue of the observer,and expectancy?

Accepted Answer

Signal detection theory proposes that the detectability of a stimulus depends on both the physical intensity of the stimulus and the judgmental biases of the observer, such as their expectancy and level of fatigue. This theory is widely used in experimental psychology to measure an individual's sensitivity to particular stimuli.

Question 19

The major purpose of the sclera is to _____.

Accepted Answer

The sclera is the white part of the eye and its primary purpose is to help maintain the shape of the eye and protect it from injury. It also provides attachments for muscles that move the eye.

Question 20

As light enters the eye,eventually it reaches the light-sensitive _____ at the back of the eye.

Accepted Answer

The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that contains photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) that convert incoming light into electrical signals. The iris is the colored part of the eye that controls the size of the pupil, the lens is a part of the eye that helps to focus light onto the retina, and the cornea is the clear, outermost layer on the front of the eye that helps to protect and focus light into the eye.

Quiz 3: Sensation and Perception