EXP 4604- Chapter 3 Test: Visual Perception

Question 23 In order to summarize the Gestalt psychologists' movement in a few words, one might say "What you see is what you get." "If you can't see it happen, it isn't worth studying." "The perceptual whole is different than the sum of its parts." "All that is important happens in the subconscious."

"The perceptual whole is different than the sum of its parts."

Question 28 If a cat casts a 5 millimeter image on your retina when it is 10 feet away from you, that same cat will cast an image that is ________ millimeters when it is 20 feet away from you. 5 2.5 20 10

2.5

Question 22 Which of the following would NOT be considered an advantage of parallel processing in the visual system? Information is processed only once, making it efficient. It is fast. Disparate systems can work together to negotiate an accurate interpretation. Multiple areas can process the information simultaneously.

Information is processed only once, making it efficient.

Question 26 Molly went to the mall and parked her red car under a tree. When she returned to her car a few hours later, only half of the car was still in the shade. How will Molly perceive this situation? Molly will perceive the car as two different shades, one dark red (in shade) and one brighter red (in sunlight). Molly will perceive the car as a single color, despite the changes in lighting. Molly will use the background color of the asphalt to determine that the car is not actually two different colors. Molly will perceive the shaded portion of the car as farther away, relative to the part of the car in sunlight.

Molly will perceive the car as a single color, despite the changes in lighting.

Question 39 Which of the following statements about the visual stimulus, light, is FALSE? Red light is associated with longer waves, relative to blue light. Color (hue) is represented by the amplitude of the wavelength. Our visual system is only able to detect a small proportion of all of the electromagnetic spectrum. Light is characterized in wavelengths that vary in frequency and amplitude.

Red light is associated with longer waves, relative to blue light.

Question 29 Which of the following statements most accurately describes visual illusions? Illusions are mostly beneficial to perception. Illusions can occur for shape and size, but not for color or brightness. The cognitive architecture that helps us in most cases causes illusions in other cases. Illusions will not occur if you know how to avoid them.

The cognitive architecture that helps us in most cases causes illusions in other cases.

Question 2 Pick one of the ambiguous figures that was mentioned in the chapter. Describe the illusion and why it occurs. Make sure to differentiate between the role the stimulus plays and the role the interpreter plays in the illusion.

The figure I chose to discuss is the two table tops that appear to be different in size, but apparently they are the same. The illusion occurs here because of the misperception of depth. The stimulus is just a stimulus, which is perceived by the person looking at the stimulus. The interpreter must use appropriate adjustments to achieve shape constancy, otherwise the stimulus stays an illusion.

Question 1 Describe the process by which visual information is processed in the brain. Begin by discussing how light is converted into neural energy. Then describe the pathway from the eye to the primary visual cortex. Finally, explain the sophisticated processing that occurs outside of the primary visual cortex.

The process by which visual information is processed in the brain starts with light, which passes through the lens and the cornea. Once the retina's photoreceptors absorb the light, it is split off into rods and cones which convert light into neural energy. Then the photoreceptors are sent through the second layer of interneurons to the ganglion cell layer of the retina. Information gathered throughout these layers is then projected within the optic nerve to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), which is the main pathway to the primary visual cortex. Axons from the retina are transferred to several areas of the brain to control circadian rhythm and coordinate eye movements.

Question 16 Some people have sustained brain damage and lost the ability to identify color. Other people sustained damage to a different area of the brain and lost the ability to detect motion. What does this indicate about our visual system? Identifying color is more important than identifying motion. The brain is unable to simultaneously process information in multiple ways. Neither color nor motion detection is critical to survival, if it can be erased through brain damage. We have specialized areas for processing different kinds of visual information.

We have specialized areas for processing different kinds of visual information.

Question 37 It seems inefficient to need to rely on so many different cues for depth perception. Why, then, do we have so many disparate cues? We are born with the ability to use some cues, but others have to be learned. Although we have many cues, they are all served by the same neural area, which is efficient. Some of the cues are always more accurate than other cues. We use different cues in different situations.

We use different cues in different situations.

Question 25 The moon often looks very large when it is low in the sky, but looks smaller when it is high in the sky. Which of the following could account for this phenomenon? The moon seems smaller when it is closer to the sun, which is very large. The moon looks larger when it is closer to you, and it is closer when it is low in the sky. When the moon is lower in the sky, other objects like buildings or trees provide a reference point for size comparisons. The moon changes size when it moves through the sky.

When the moon is lower in the sky, other objects like buildings or trees provide a reference point for size comparisons.

Question 21 Which of the following does NOT provide an example for parallel processing in the visual system? There are magnocellular and parvocellular cells in the LGN. Rods and cones function simultaneously in the retina. The "what" and "where" streams in the visual association cortex work together. You have two eyes that process different information, but work at the same time.

You have two eyes that process different information, but work at the same time.

Question 30 One way that we can perceive depth is through our awareness of the adjustment our lens is making. This cue would be a monocular depth cue. interposition. constancy. a binocular depth cue.

a monocular depth cue

Question 40 The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) acts as the location in the temporal cortex where auditory information is stored. a way station between the eye and the occipital cortex, located in the thalamus. a relay station to the amygdala. an important area in the amygdala, associated with long-term memory.

a way station between the eye and the occipital cortex, located in the thalamus.

Question 18 Brad is able to read a clock, but is unable to see the arms of a clock move from position to position. He is suffering from akinetopsia. prosopagnosia. change blindness. visual neglect.

akinetopsia

Question 7 A researcher wishes to define the receptive field for a particular neuron in the visual cortex. To do this, the researcher will need to specify an area within the visual field wherein the cell will fire if the target appears. the portion of the neuron that receives input from neighboring neurons. where the neuron is located within the visual cortex. the brain area from which the neuron is receiving its input.

an area within the visual field wherein the cell will fire if the target appears.

Question 35 The cues to depth perception: change based on one's age. are based on principles of physics. are inconsistent across individuals. are random.

are based on principles of physics

Question 20 Human brains have a distinct division-of-labor strategy. Each task is achieved as a result of multiple brain areas working together. But the work of the various parts of the brain must be compiled into a finished whole. The issue of how this reassembly works is referred to as the reassembly law. ultimate puzzle. binding problem. Humpty Dumpty dilemma.

binding problem

Question 27 Despite the fact that sensory stimuli can change from moment to moment, we perceive the details (color, shape, etc.) of an image to be stable because of constancy. memory. proximity. good continuation.

constancy

Question 6 A researcher has identified the receptive field for a neuron and has determined that the receptive field has a center-surround organization. If the researcher were to shine light into the entire receptive field, including both the center and the surrounding areas, we would expect the neuron to increase its firing rate. cease firing. decrease its firing rate. continue firing at its resting rate.

continue firing at its resting rate

Question 13 You are at the zoo watching a tiger sleep. It suddenly awakes and lurches in your direction. Spatial position would NOT provide information about the tiger's color. form. dangerous nature. motion patterns.

dangerous nature

Question 15 Julie has sustained damage to the "what" system in her brain. She will likely have difficulty with which of the following tasks? providing directions to the store identifying a chair remembering where she put her keys hitting a baseball with a bat

identifying a chair

Question 36 Shadowing can provide a cue for depth. For example, if a shadow appears on the bottom of a circle, the object appears convex. However, if the shadow appears on the top of the object, it appears concave. This happens because we were taught in school how to interpret shadows. we have a part of the visual cortex that is dedicated to the interpretation of shadows that are at the bottom of an object. we are born with the ability to discriminate depth through use of shadows. in the real world, light comes from above more often than from below.

in the real world, light comes from above more often than from below.

Question 31 The blockage of one's view by another object can provide information about depth perception. This is termed similarity. interposition. binocular depth cue. good continuance.

interposition

Question 32 A horse is blocking the front of a barn door, obstructing your view of the door. This configuration allows you to determine that the horse is closer to you than the barn door is. This is called linear perspective. closure. good continuation. interposition.

interposition

Question 8 Cells A and B receive the same high levels of stimulation, but Cell A shows a lower level of activity relative to Cell B. A likely explanation for this fact is that Cell A is being laterally inhibited by other nearby cells. has a higher resting level than Cell B. is receiving input from the edge of a surface, while Cell B is receiving input from a portion of the surface away from the edge. is defective.

is being laterally inhibited by other nearby cells.

Question 11 Parvo cells are similar to magno cells in what way? location in the visual system size of the cell pattern of firing size of the receptive field

location in the visual system

Question 5 Because of its center-surround organization, a neuron that has its entire receptive field exposed to bright light will stop firing entirely. maintain the same rate of firing as if there was no light presented. fire slowly until the light turns off, then begin firing rapidly. fire rapidly.

maintain the same rate of firing as if there was no light presented.

Question 34 As you move toward an object, the object gets larger on your retina. This is called motion parallax. similarity. linear perspective. optic flow.

optic flow

Question 4 Single-cell recordings measure the ________ of individual neurons. synaptic connections pattern of firing release of neurotransmitters shape

pattern of firing

Question 19 Someone with akinetopsia would have difficulty with all of the following EXCEPT recognizing faces. playing Pac-Man. pouring a drink. crossing the street.

recognizing faces

Question 10 The importance of vision for humans is reflected in the inability of brain damage to disrupt the visual system. relative size of the visual cortex. close proximity of the eyes to the visual cortex. lack of a "blind spot" in humans.

relative size of the visual cortex.

Question 17 The ________ is the part of the eye involved in transducing light energy into neural energy. retina lens pupil cornea

retina

Question 33 Which of the following is NOT considered a monocular cue for depth perception? texture similarity linear perspective interposition

similarity

Question 3 A researcher wishes to determine exactly when a particular neuron is firing. A technique well suited to this purpose is single-cell recording. stereotaxis. lesion studies. neuropsychological testing.

single-cell recording

Question 14 Visual agnosia is associated with damage to which of the following? area V1 the "where" system, which carries information from the occipital cortex to the parietal cortex the "what" system, which carries information from the occipital cortex to the temporal cortex area MT

the "what" system, which carries information from the occipital cortex to the temporal cortex

Question 24 Which of the following would NOT be considered part of the fovea? the area of the retina on which we place a target image in order to see the target clearly the region of the retina with the greatest acuity the area of the retina found far out in the periphery a cluster of cones in the center of the retina

the area of the retina found far out in the periphery

Question 9 Lateral inhibition leads to which perceptual experience? The middle of an object is emphasized. Edges of objects tend to fade into the background. Colors appear brighter next to a textured background. The edge of an object is enhanced.

the edge of an object is enhanced.

Question 38 Which of the following statements about the retina is FALSE? You have a "blind spot" in the retina where there are no rods or cones. The photoreceptors communicate directly with the ganglion cells. Bipolar cells communicate with both photoreceptors and ganglion cells. The axons of ganglion cells form the optic nerve.

the photoreceptors communicate directly with the ganglion cells.

Question 12 The specialization evident in visual processing shows that all visual processing occurs in the right hemisphere. the visual system relies on parallel processing. all of the various aspects of visual processing occur within the occipital cortex. the visual system relies exclusively on serial processing.

the visual system relies on parallel processing.