BIOPSYCH- chapter 7

A professor is discussing the visual system in class. If the professor asks a student to provide a summary of the spatial-frequency model, which of the following should the student say? a. The model states that cortical cells respond best to spots of light on the retina. b. The model surmises that the visual system breaks down complex stimuli into different spatial frequency components. c. The model states that the visual system has sets of cells to detect any possible form. d. The model suggests that neurons at each level of the visual system combine input from neurons at lower levels to make progressively more complex receptive fields.

b

A scientist is conducting imaging studies with a group of participants to understand the visual cortical areas that respond to specific stimuli. In this context, which of the following cortical areas is most likely to be activated in the participants' brains when a moving car is shown on a screen? a. Area V2 b. Area V5 c. Area V4 d. Area V1

b

Which of the following should a neurologist do to achieve a maximal response in the activity of an off-center ganglion cell? a. Illuminate the entire center of the cell's receptive field b. Illuminate the entire surround region of the receptive field c. Illuminate both the center and surround regions d. Illuminate a small part in the center of the cell's receptive field

b

Identify a true statement about optic ataxia. a. It results from damage to the fusiform gyrus. b. It results from damage to the what stream. c. It results from damage to the inferior temporal lobe. d. It results from damage to the dorsal parietal cortex.

d

Which of the following is a similarity between simple and complex cortical cells? a. Both respond best to a bar that has a stationary location in the visual field. b. Both respond best to a row of LGN cells. c. Both require movement of the stimulus to make them respond actively. d. Both have elongated receptive fields.

d

The ___________ model of visual analysis suggested that, by integration of enough successive levels of analysis, a neuron could respond only to a person's grandmother, and such hypothetical "grandmother cells" were frequently mentioned in the literature.

hierarchical

The __________ field of a sensory cell consists of the stimulus region and features that excite or inhibit the cell.

receptive

Which of the following terms refers to the bending of light rays by a change in the density of a medium? a. Accommodation b. Refraction c. Transduction d. Convergence

refraction

A(n) __________ is a neural cell in the retina that responds to light.

rod

(true/false) Research on people of Chinese origin who lived either in Singapore or in Sydney found that in these populations, myopia relates much more strongly with time spent indoors than with time spent reading.

true

The length between two peaks in a repeated stimulus such as a wave, light, or sound is called the _____________

wavelength

Why was D.F. unable to perceive objects but was able to reach and grasp them? a. Because her ventral stream had been damaged as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning b. Because her dorsal parietal cortex had been damaged as a result of the accident c. Because her where stream had been impaired as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning d. Because she had severe optic ataxia after the accident

a

A person having difficulty focusing on distant objects visits a doctor for an eye checkup. After a thorough examination, the doctor gives a diagnosis of myopia. If the person asks the doctor the likely reason for the diagnosis, which of the following is the doctor most likely to say? a. Elongation of the eyeball is causing the eye to focus images in front of the retina rather than on the retina. b. Damage to the dorsal parietal cortex is leading to spatial disorientation. c. Abnormal growth of retinal capillaries is leading to detachment of the retina and death of photoreceptors. d. A reduction in the elasticity of the lenses is making it difficult to bring objects into focus.

a

Which of the following statements is true of an off-center bipolar cell? a. Glutamate is excitatory to this type of cell. b. It becomes maximally inhibited when the entire surround region is illuminated. c. It gives a maximal response when the entire receptive field is illuminated. d. Glutamate is inhibitory to this type of cell.

a

Which of the following are criticisms against hierarchical models of visual analysis? (Select all that apply.) a. The "grandmother cells" proposed in a hierarchical model respond only when the whole face or most of the face is presented rather than to specific features of the face. b. A hierarchical system would require a vast number of cells, perhaps more neurons than the cortex possesses, in order to account for all the visual objects people might ever encounter. c. Hierarchical models do not account for the fact that neurons at each level of the visual system combine inputs from neurons at lower levels to make progressively more complex receptive fields. d. Hierarchical models do not account for the fact that cortical cells respond best to lines of particular orientation or lines that move in a particular direction.

a, b

Which of the following predictions did Hermann von Helmholtz make as part of the trichromatic hypothesis? (Select all that apply.) a. He predicted that blue-sensitive, green-sensitive, and red-sensitive receptors would be found in the eye. b. He predicted that each type of color receptor would have a separate path to the brain. c. He predicted that each type of color receptor would be sharply tuned to its part of the spectrum. d. He predicted that there would be three physiological processes with opposed positive and negative values that form the basis of color vision.

a, b, c

Identify the true statements about the spatial-frequency model of visual analysis. (Select all that apply.) a. It has proven useful in the analysis of many aspects of human pattern vision. b. It suggests that the visual system specifically detects seminaturalistic features such as bars and edges. c. It provides the basis of high-definition television. d. It explains why "Halle Berry neurons" respond to small portions of a face.

a, c

Why is a person unable to see colors at night? a. Because only the scotopic system, which is used for day vision, can detect colors b. Because rods, which play a vital role in night vision, are insensitive to color c. Because the photopic system, which is used for night vision, requires light of high intensity to identify colors d. Because the photopigment rhodopsin, which helps identify colors, is inactive at night

b

One of the three basic dimensions of color perception is , which ____________varies from dark to light.

brightness

A professor is discussing a visual condition in which people are able to recognize objects but are unable to reach out and grasp those objects. The professor says that such people have a spatial disorientation. Which of the following visual impairments is most likely being discussed? a. Apraxia b. Amblyopia c. Optic ataxia d. Macular degeneration

c

Identify a function of the cornea. a. It is responsible for controlling the change in the shape of the lens. b. It is primarily responsible for controlling the movement of the eyes. c. It is primarily responsible for focusing the image on the retina. d. It is responsible for allowing light to enter the eye.

c

Some people are born with misaligned eyes. In such cases, the visual acuity is severely reduced in one eye because of the misalignment. This causes the primary visual cortex to suppress the information from this eye, making that eye functionally blind. Which of the following visual conditions does this describe? a. Macular degeneration b. Myopia c. Amblyopia d. Optic ataxia

c

Why does vision become severely impaired due to "wet" macular degeneration even though the damage is mostly restricted to the fovea? a. Because visual acuity is solely dependent on rods, which are found in the fovea b. Because cones, which are concentrated in the peripheral retina, only respond to dim objects c. Because visual acuity is poor for the rest of the retina d. Because all the photoreceptors in the eye are concentrated in the fovea

c

Which of the following occur when light falls in the center of an on-center bipolar cell's receptive field? (Select all that apply.) a. On-center ganglion cells are hyperpolarized. b. The firing rate of off-center ganglion cells increases. c. On-center ganglion cells are depolarized. d. The firing rate of on-center ganglion cells increases.

c, d

After a comprehensive eye exam of a person, an ophthalmologist provides a diagnosis of "dry" macular degeneration. Which of the following is the ophthalmologist most likely to give as the cause of the visual impairment? a. Atrophy of the retinal pigmented epithelium that results in death of overlying photoreceptors b. Elongation of the eyeball, which causes the eye to focus images in front of the retina c. Damage to the dorsal parietal cortex in the visual processing system, which results in spatial disorientation d. Abnormal growth of retinal capillaries that leads to detachment of the retina and death of photoreceptors

a

If one had to use the spatial-frequency model to explain why "Halle Berry neurons" do not respond to small portions of a face, which of the following explanations would be accurate? a. The spatial-frequency model suggests that the visual system needs both low- and high-frequency components for recognition rather than only the high-frequency components provided by small snippets. b. The spatial-frequency model suggests that neurons at each level of the visual system combine inputs from neurons at lower levels to make progressively more complex receptive fields, and small snippets do not provide information to low-level neurons. c. The spatial-frequency model suggests that higher-order circuits of cells in the visual system can detect any possible form by integration of enough successive levels of analysis. d. The spatial-frequency model suggests that the visual system has specific neurons that detect such seminaturalistic features as bars and edges.

a

Which of the following is a cause of "wet" macular degeneration? a. It is caused by abnormal growth of retinal capillaries, which leads to detachment of the retina and/or death of photoreceptors. b. It is caused by damage to the dorsal parietal cortex, which is part of the where stream of the visual processing system. c. It is caused by the misalignment of the two eyes, which results in the suppression of information travelling to the cortex from one eye. d. It is caused by atrophy of the retinal pigmented epithelium, resulting in death of overlying photoreceptors.

a

Which of the following statements is true of amacrine cells? (Select all that apply.) a. They contact both bipolar cells and ganglion cells. b. They are interneurons that receive information from rods and cones. c. They are especially significant in inhibitory interactions within the retina. d. They make contacts among the receptor cells and bipolar cells.

a, c

Which of the following are associated with the spatial-frequency model of visual analysis? (Select all that apply.) a. Several bars of light and dark b. A single stationary dark bar or edge c. A moving bar of light or dark d. Several bars in different orientations

a, d

Which of the following are true statements that argue against the trichromatic hypothesis? (Select all that apply.) a. Certain ganglion cells and certain neurons at higher stations in the visual system are color-specific, but the photoreceptors are not. b. The receptor pigments have different peaks of sensitivity, and those peaks always correspond to a particular color. c. None of the cone pigment curves peak in the short-wavelength part of the spectrum, where people typically see the color blue (about 420 nm). d. The visual system does not have receptors that are sensitive to only narrow parts of the visible spectrum but has receptor pigments that exhibit broad sensitivities that substantially overlap.

a, d

How does one eye become functionally blind in amblyopia? a. Abnormal growth of retinal capillaries leads to detachment of the retina of one eye. b. The misalignment of the two eyes in early life causes the primary visual cortex to suppress information from one eye. c. Atrophy of the retinal pigmented epithelium results in the death of overlying photoreceptors. d. Damage to the dorsal parietal cortex leads to spatial disorientation, making it difficult to grasp objects.

b

Identify a difference between the scotopic system and the photopic system. a. The scotopic system is used for night vision, whereas the photopic system is used for day vision. b. The scotopic system has photopigments called cone opsins, whereas the photopic system has a photopigment called rhodopsin. c. The scotopic system is concentrated in and near the fovea on the retina, whereas the photopic system is located outside the fovea. d. The scotopic system is a cone-based system, whereas the photopic system is a rod-based system.

b

If both the center and surround regions of an off-center ganglion cell are illuminated, the response is minimal. Why is this? a. Because surround effects are slightly stronger than center b. Because light has opposing effects on the center versus the surround c. Because light in the surround region of the receptive field inhibits d. Because light in the center of the receptive field excites

b

Which of the following statements is true of the dorsal stream? a. It serves in the recognition of faces and objects. b. It serves in location and visuomotor skills. c. It includes regions of the occipitotemporal, inferior temporal, and inferior frontal areas. d. It includes the fusiform gyrus, which is specialized to identify faces.

b

Why are defects of red-green color vision much more frequent in human males than in human females? a. Because the genes for the S and M pigments that correspond to red and green, respectively, are on chromosome 7, there is a chance that a male will have the defective photopigment genes on both copies of this chromosome. b. Because the genes for the M and L pigments are on the X chromosome and males have only one X chromosome, mutations in the genes for these pigments can impair color vision. c. Because the genes for the M and L pigments are on the X chromosome and males have two X chromosomes, there is a chance that a male will have the defective photopigment genes on both chromosomes. d. Because the genes for the L pigments that correspond to red are on chromosome 7 and males have only one chromosome 7, mutations in the genes for these pigments are fairly common in males.

b

Why is acuity much lower in blue light than in yellow light? a. Because blue light has a wavelength of around 700 nm and there are few L cones in the eye b. Because S cones respond to blue light and there are far fewer S cones than M and L cones c. Because M cones respond to blue light and both M and L cones are on chromosome X, which leads to the L cones overpowering the M cones d. Because receptors that respond to blue light have a peak sensitivity of 300 nm, which is outside the range of the human visible spectrum

b

Why is uniform illumination of the entire receptive field of an on-center ganglion cell less effective than a well-placed small spot of light within the center of the cell's receptive field? a. This is due to the fact that when the entire receptive field of an on-center ganglion cell is illuminated, the cell is maximally inhibited. b. This is because the center of a cell's receptive field and its surround have antagonistic effects on each other. c. This is because center effects are much stronger than surround effects, regardless of whether the center is on or off. d. This is due to the fact that an on-center ganglion cell becomes maximally excited when a small spot within the center of the receptive field of the cell is illuminated.

b

Spectrally opponent neurons are the second stage in the system for color perception. Despite this, they cannot be called color cells. Identify the reasons for this. (Select all that apply.) a. Because each spectrally opponent ganglion cell receives input from two different kinds of cones and the connections from both are either excitatory or inhibitory b. Because they send their outputs into many higher circuits for detection of form, depth, and movement, as well as hue c. Because their peak wavelength sensitivities do not correspond precisely to the wavelengths that are seen as the principal hues d. Because each spectrally opponent ganglion cell receives input from only one kind of cone through bipolar cells

b, c

Which of the following predictions did Ewald Hering make as part of the opponent-process hypothesis? (Select all that apply.) a. He predicted that there are several color receptors in the eye and each receptor has a separate path to the brain. b. He proposed that there are four unique hues (blue, green, yellow, red) and three opposed pairs of colors—blue versus yellow, green versus red, and black versus white. c. He predicted that there are three physiological processes with opposed positive and negative values that form the basis of color vision. d. He proposed that there are blue-sensitive, green-sensitive, and red-sensitive receptors in the eye.

b, c

Who among the following proposed that primates have two main visual processing streams? (Select all that apply.) a. David Hubel b. Mortimer Mishkin c. Leslie Ungerleider d. Torsten Wiesel

b, c

Identify the differences between rods and cones. (Select all that apply.) a. Rods play a vital role in color vision, whereas cones play an important role in night vision. b. Rods are concentrated in the peripheral retina, whereas cones are concentrated in the fovea. c. Rods are part of the photopic system in the retina, whereas cones are part of the scotopic system in the retina. d. Rods are most active at low levels of light, whereas cones are most active at high levels of light.

b, d

Which of the following is a similarity between the ventral processing stream and the dorsal processing stream? a. Both are responsible for the identification of objects. b. Both are responsible for understanding the spatial location of objects. c. Both originate in the striate cortex and lead to the parietal lobe. d. Both originate in the primary visual cortex.

d

Which of the following statements is true of Hubel and Wiesel's theoretical model of visual analysis? a. It states that the visual system analyzes the number of cycles of light-dark (or color) patches in any stimulus. b. It states that a simple cortical cell receives inputs from a row of on-center ganglion cells and a complex cortical cell receives inputs from a row of LGN cells. c. It states that cortical cells respond best to spots of light on the retina. d. It states that neurons at each level of the visual system combine input from neurons at lower levels to make progressively more complex receptive fields.

d

Which of the following terms refers to reduced visual acuity that is not caused by optical or retinal impairments? a. Macular degeneration b. Myopia c. Optic ataxia d. Amblyopia

d

Which of the following was a consequence of carbon monoxide poisoning in D.F.? a. She was unable to reach and hold objects. b. She had optic ataxia after the accident. c. Her dorsal stream was damaged. d. Her what stream became impaired.

d

Why is visual acuity greater in the fovea than anywhere else on the retina? a. Because the fovea has special photopigment receptor molecules called rhodopsin that are not present anywhere else on the retina b. Because the fovea has photoreceptors that can be stimulated by light of weak intensity c. Because the fovea has the highest density of rods compared with other parts of the retina d. Because the fovea has an especially dense concentration of cones

d

(true/false) An NIH-conducted trial (Age-Related Eye Disease Study) found that supplemental vitamins and antioxidants can significantly slow down macular degeneration.

false

(true/false) Light always hyperpolarizes rod and cone photoreceptors, causing them to release more glutamate.

false

(true/false) The where stream enables a person to identify objects and recognize faces.

false

The ___________ is a portion of the ventral stream that is specialized to identify faces.

fusiform gyrus

A type of concentric retinal receptive field in which stimulation of the center excites the cell of interest while stimulation of the surround inhibits it is known as ___________

on-center/off-surround

The axons of the ganglion cells form the __________ which carries information to the brain.

optic nerve

A basic dimension of color perception is ___________, which varies from rich, full colors to gray.

saturation

A model of visual perception that emphasizes the analysis of the different spatial frequencies present in various orientations and in various parts of a visual scene is called the __________ model

spatial-frequency