Question 1

One problem with Vicary's study of subliminal perception is that it ________.
A) demonstrated the validity of the concept of subliminal perception 
B) did not prove that people actually bought more colas and popcorn for several months after seeing the movie
C) showed that subliminal stimuli had only very small effects on consumer patterns
D) never happened

Accepted Answer

The answer of One problem with Vicary's study of subliminal...

Question 2

What color would you report seeing if a researcher projected the longest wavelength in the visible spectrum onto a screen?
A) red 
B) blue 
C) yellow
D) violet

Accepted Answer

The longest wavelength in the visible spectrum is red, therefore if it is projected onto a screen, the color seen would be red.

Question 3

Which pairing of name and property of light is correct?
A) Helmholtz; particle nature (photon) 
B) Holstein; wave nature
C) Newton; wave nature
D) Einstein; wave packet (photon)

Accepted Answer

Einstein is associated with wave-particle duality, which describes light as having both particle-like and wave-like properties. He described photons as wave packets or quantized packets of energy.

Question 4

In the process known as ________, the brain stops attending to constant, unchanging stimuli from one's surroundings.
A) habituation 
B) sensory fatigue
C) sensory adaptation 
D) discrimination

Accepted Answer

Habituation is the process by which the brain stops attending to constant, unchanging stimuli from one's surroundings.

Question 5

Microsaccades are ________.
A) tiny vibrations of the eye that prevent images from fading 
B) the tiny bones in the ear that transmit sound waves to the cochlea 
C) the photoreceptors in the eye responsible for night vision
D) pain receptors in the limbs

Accepted Answer

Microsaccades are tiny involuntary eye movements that occur during fixation. They help prevent images from fading and stabilize visual perception.

Question 6

Our eyes don't adapt completely to a repeated visual stimulus because ________.
A) tiny little vibrations called microsaccades keep the eyes from adapting to what they see 
B) the optic chiasm enables fibers to carry messages to all parts of the brain
C) ganglion cells fire continuously 
D) visual acuity is greatest in the fovea

Accepted Answer

Tiny little vibrations called microsaccades keep the eyes from adapting to what they see. These small eye movements occur even when we try to focus on a stationary object, preventing complete adaptation to a repeated visual stimulus.

Question 7

In the process known as ________, sensory receptors become less sensitive to repeated presentations of the same stimulus.
A) sensation
B) sensory fatigue 
C) sensory adaptation 
D) discrimination

Accepted Answer

Sensory adaptation refers to the process by which sensory receptors become less sensitive to repeated presentations of the same stimulus. This allows organisms to become more attuned to changes in their environment, rather than becoming overwhelmed by constant stimuli. Sensory adaptation is a normal part of the sensory processing system and occurs in all sensory modalities.

Question 8

When you first put your hat on, you can feel it quite easily, but after a while, you forget that you are wearing a hat at all-the sensation is gone. What happens?
A) sensory fatigue 
B) subliminal perception
C) habituation 
D) perceptual defense

Accepted Answer

Habituation refers to a decreased response to a stimulus after repeated exposure to it. In this case, after wearing a hat for a while, our brain becomes accustomed to the sensation and no longer registers it, leading to the feeling of the hat being forgotten or not being felt anymore.

Question 9

Light is said to have a dual nature, meaning it can be thought of in two different ways. These two ways are ________.
A) particles and photons 
B) waves and frequencies
C) waves and particles 
D) dark light and daylight

Accepted Answer

Light can be thought of as both waves (as demonstrated by interference and diffraction patterns) and particles (as demonstrated by the photoelectric effect). Choice A is incorrect because particles and photons are essentially the same thing. Choice B is incorrect because waves and frequencies are closely related concepts and do not represent the dual nature of light. Choice D is not a valid concept in physics.

Question 10

A method for assessing the accuracy of judgments or decisions under uncertain conditions is called ________ theory. This method assesses a person's "hits" and "rejections" are compared to their "misses" and "false alarms."
A) neural appraisal
B) transductive 
C) signal detection 
D) psychophysics

Accepted Answer

The method described in the question is known as signal detection theory. It involves analyzing a person's ability to detect a signal or stimulus in the presence of noise or distractions, and weighing their hits and rejections against their misses and false alarms. Neural appraisal, transductive, and psychophysics are not methods specific to assessing accuracy under uncertain conditions.

Question 11

The longest wavelengths we can see are experienced as ________ colors.
A) red 
B) blue-violet
C) green
D) yellow

Accepted Answer

Red light has the longest wavelength in the visible spectrum, which is why it experiences as the "warm" color.

Question 12

Because of what you have learned about sensory adaptation, you might think that if you stared at a picture for a long period of time, the image you see would eventually fade. This would be the case if not for the tiny vibrations of your eye called ________.
A) glissades 
B) microsaccades 
C) habituation movements
D) light wave responses

Accepted Answer

Microsaccades are tiny movements of the eyes that occur involuntarily, even when trying to maintain a steady gaze. These movements prevent sensory adaptation by continuously stimulating different receptors in the eye, allowing us to perceive a stable image despite prolonged exposure to a single stimulus.

Question 13

The visible spectrum refers to the ________.
A) portion of the whole spectrum of light that is visible to the human eye 
B) effect of intensity on how we see dark to grey to white
C) effect of the sound density on the perceptions of those with synesthesia
D) well-known fact that colors are less visible to some men's eyes

Accepted Answer

The visible spectrum refers to the portion of the whole spectrum of light that is visible to the human eye. It includes colors ranging from violet to red.

Question 14

Some people believe that ________ are messages that can be sent to consumers, prompting them to buy a product without their being aware of receiving such messages.
A) selective perceptions
B) subliminal stimuli 
C) inductive perceptions
D) below threshold perceptions 
Those that are perceived on an unconscious level.

Accepted Answer

Subliminal stimuli are messages or signals that are presented below the threshold of conscious awareness, which means that people are not aware of receiving them. This type of stimuli is believed by some people to have the power to influence people's behavior and decision-making without them realizing it. However, the effectiveness and validity of subliminal advertising are controversial and debated among scholars and practitioners in the field.

Question 15

Erin has learned to create a "truly red" light by focusing on only one wavelength of the visible spectrum. In which property of light would Erin be most interested?
A) intensity 
B) decibels
C) accommodation
D) saturation

Accepted Answer

Saturation refers to the purity or intensity of a color, which is what Erin is focusing on by creating a "truly red" light using only one wavelength of the visible spectrum.

Question 16

The term photon refers to ________.
A) a tiny packet of light waves 
B) a torpedo used by the USS Enterprise
C) the smallest unit of sound
D) the property of light that gives us the perception of color

Accepted Answer

The term photon refers to a tiny packet of light waves, which is the fundamental particle of light.

Question 17

The process by which unchanging information from the senses of taste, touch, smell, and vision is "ignored" by the sensory receptor cells themselves is called ________.
A) transformation
B) sensory adaptation 
C) transmutation 
D) transduction

Accepted Answer

Sensory adaptation refers to the process where sensory receptor cells become less responsive to unchanging stimuli from the environment, enabling them to focus on detecting and responding to changes in the environment. This allows the brain to concentrate on the most relevant and important sensory information. Other options, such as transformation and transmutation, do not accurately describe this process. Transduction refers to the process of converting sensory input into neural signals that the brain can process.

Question 18

The shortest wavelengths that we can see are experienced as ________ colors.
A) red 
B) blue 
C) green
D) yellow

Accepted Answer

Blue has the shortest wavelength among the visible colors, ranging from approximately 450 to 490 nanometers.

Question 19

The aspect of color that corresponds to names such as red, green, and blue is ________.
A) brightness 
B) saturation
C) hue 
D) fine detail

Accepted Answer

The aspect of color that corresponds to names such as red, green, and blue is hue, which refers to the specific wavelength of light that gives a color its characteristic appearance. Brightness refers to how light or dark a color appears, while saturation refers to how pure or intense a color appears. Fine detail is not related to color.

Question 20

LaVerne goes to a movie theater to watch her favorite movie. About halfway through the movie she becomes aware of an overpowering hunger for popcorn. What she doesn't realize is that throughout the first part of the movie, a message saying "Eat Popcorn!" was repeatedly flashed on the screen at a speed too fast for her to be consciously aware of it. If her desire for popcorn is due to that message, she is responding to ________.
A) selective perception 
B) subliminal perception 
C) cognitive restructuring
D) stroboscopic perception

Accepted Answer

LaVerne is responding to subliminal perception, which involves processing information without conscious awareness or recognition. The message to "Eat Popcorn!" was flashed at a speed that was too fast for her conscious mind to detect, but it may have still influenced her behavior and thoughts.

Quiz 3: Sensation and Perception

One problem with Vicary's study of subliminal perception is that it ________.

What color would you report seeing if a researcher projected the longest wavelength in the visible spectrum onto a screen?

Which pairing of name and property of light is correct?

In the process known as ________, the brain stops attending to constant, unchanging stimuli from one's surroundings.

Microsaccades are ________.

Our eyes don't adapt completely to a repeated visual stimulus because ________.

In the process known as ________, sensory receptors become less sensitive to repeated presentations of the same stimulus.

When you first put your hat on, you can feel it quite easily, but after a while, you forget that you are wearing a hat at all-the sensation is gone. What happens?

Light is said to have a dual nature, meaning it can be thought of in two different ways. These two ways are ________.

A method for assessing the accuracy of judgments or decisions under uncertain conditions is called ________ theory. This method assesses a person's "hits" and "rejections" are compared to their "misses" and "false alarms."

The longest wavelengths we can see are experienced as ________ colors.

Because of what you have learned about sensory adaptation, you might think that if you stared at a picture for a long period of time, the image you see would eventually fade. This would be the case if not for the tiny vibrations of your eye called ________.

The visible spectrum refers to the ________.

Some people believe that ________ are messages that can be sent to consumers, prompting them to buy a product without their being aware of receiving such messages.

Erin has learned to create a "truly red" light by focusing on only one wavelength of the visible spectrum. In which property of light would Erin be most interested?

The term photon refers to ________.

The process by which unchanging information from the senses of taste, touch, smell, and vision is "ignored" by the sensory receptor cells themselves is called ________.

The shortest wavelengths that we can see are experienced as ________ colors.

The aspect of color that corresponds to names such as red, green, and blue is ________.