Psychology unit 4- sensation and perception
The structure of the ear that is responsible for gathering sound initially is the (A) pinna (B) tympanic membrane (C) cochlea (D) semicircular canals (E) stapes
a
Gestalt
an organized whole. his psychologists emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes
Bottom-Up Processing
analysis that begins with the sensory recpetors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information
Our rods and cones electromagnetic energy into neural messages (A) adapt (B) accommodate (C) parallel process (D) transduce (E) perceptually set
d
Extrasensory Perception(ESP)
the controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input; include telepathy, clairvoyane, and recognition
Hue
the dimension of color that is determined by the wavelenghth of light
Wavelength
the distance from one peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next
Selective Attention
the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus
Inner Ear
the innermost part of the ear, containg the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
Retina
the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information
Figure-Ground
the organization of the visual field into objects(the figures) that stand out from their surroundings(the ground)
Grouping
the perceptual tendency to organize stimuli into coherent groups
Blind Spot
the point at which the optic nerve leaves th eye, creating a "blind" spot because no receptor cells are located there
Sensory Interaction
the principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell o food influences its taste
Weber's Law
the principle that, to be percieved as different, two stimuli must differ by a constant percentage(rather than a constant amount)
Accommodation
the process by which the ye's lens changes the shape to focus nera or far objects on the retina
Perception
the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events
Parallel Processing
the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many fuctions, including vision
Kinesthesis
the system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
Opponenet-Process Theory
the theory that opposing retinal processes enable color vision. for example, some cells are stimulated by green and inhibited by red; others are stimulated by red and inhibited by green
Young-Helmholtz Trichromatic(three-color) Theory
the theory that the retina contains three different color receptors-one most sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue- which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color
Gate-Control Theory
the theroy that the spinal cord contains a neurological "gate" that blocks pain signals or allows them to pass on to the brain. the "gate" is opened by the activity of pain signals traveling up small nerve fibers and is closed by activity in larger fibers or by information coming from the brain
Intensity
the amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we percieve as brightness or loudness, as determined by the wave's amplitude
Fovea
the central focal point in the retinal, around which the eyes cones cluster
light and shadow
nearby objects reflect more light to our eyes
Feature Detectors
nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement
Shape Constancy
objects viewed from different angles will produce different shapes on our retinas, but we know the shape of an object remains constant
Rods
retinal recpetors that detect blackl, white, and gray;necessary for peripheral and twiligt vision, when cones don't respond
Sensation
the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our enviroment
Vestibular Sense
the sense of body movement and position, including the sense of balance
Audition
the sense or act of hearing
Parapsychology
the study of paranormal phenomena, including ESP and pstchokinesis
Psychophysics
the study of relationships between the physical characterisitics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them
Sensory Adaptation
diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Lens
the transparent structire behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina
What are the basic steps in forming sound waves into percieved sound?
1. OUTER EAR:collecting air pressure waves 2. MIDDLE EAR: mechanical waves 3. INNER EAR: fluid waves 4. AUDITORY NERVE: electrical waves 5. THE BRAIN: percieving sound
What is the rapid sequence of events that occurs when you see and recognize someone you know?
Light waves reflect off the person and travel into your eye, where the rods and cones convert the light waves' energy into neural impulses sent to your brain. Your brain then processes the subdimensions of this visual input-including color, depth, movement, and form-separtely but simultaneously, and integrates this information(along with previously stored information) into a conscious perception of the person you know.
What is the rough distinction between sensation and perception?
Sensation is the bottom-up process by which the physical sensory system recieves and represents stimuli. Perception is the top-down mental process of organizing and interpreting sensory input. But in our everyday experiences, sensation and perception are different aspects of one continuous process.
Continuity
We percieve smooth, continuous patterns rather than discontinuous ones
Cochlea
a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses
Phi Phenomenon
an illusion of movement created when two or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
Depth Perception
the ability to see objects in three-dimensions although the images that strike the retina are two-dimensionsal; allows us to judge distance
Primimg
the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response
Difference Threshold
the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50 percent of the time. we experinece the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference
Absolute Threshold
the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50 percent of the time
Optic Nerve
the nerve that that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
Frequency
the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
10. Vibrating molecules in the air are called a) light waves b) sound waves c) odor molecules d) taste sensations
10. b The outer and middle ear are designed to funnel the vibrating air molecules to the inner ear, where they are translated into an electrical signal and sent to the brain.
11. The membrane stretched over the opening to the middle ear is the a) pinna b) oval window c) tympanic membrane d) cochlea
11. c The tympanic membrane is also known as the eardrum. Sound waves cause the tympanic membrane to vibrate, which then causes the bones of the middle ear to move back and forth.
12. Which is the correct order of the three bones of the middle ear, from the outside in? a) anvil, hammer, stirrup b) hammer, anvil, stirrup c) stirrup, anvil, hammer d) stirrup, hammer, anvil
12. b The order of the bones is hammer, anvil, stirrup which spells "has."
13. Which theory proposes that above 100 Hz but below 1000Hz, auditory neurons do not fire all at once but in rotation? a) place theory b) volley theory c) frequency theory d) rotational theory
13. b Volley theory describes the perception of pitch for the middle frequencies (100 - 1000 Hz). Frequency theory describes the low frequencies (100 Hz and less) and place theory describes the fastest frequencies (1000 Hz and higher).
14. The _________ theory explains how we hear sounds above 1,000 Hz. a) place b) frequency c) volley d) adaptive
14. a The idea is that at very high sound frequencies, the action potential frequency can't keep up, so pitch has to be coded by the place on the basilar membrane that is activated.
15. Ringing or buzzing sensations in the ears may be a sign of: a) noise produced hearing damage b) habituation of the hair cells c) rigidity of the ossicles d) volley theory morbidity
15. a Damage to the hair cells can cause the receptors to fire action potentials even when no stimulus is present. This can cause a sensation of ringing in the ears.
16. _______________is the term used to refer to difficulties in hearing. a) Hearing impairment b) Timbre blindness c) Acoustic stiffness d) Volley involution
16. a Hearing impairments are usually divided into impairments of conduction and nerve.
17. If a severe ear infection damages the bones of the middle ear, you may develop _______ hearing impairedness. a) nerve b) stimulation c) brain pathway d) conduction
17. d Conduction hearing impairment is caused by damage to the outer or middle ear.
18. Cochlear implants bypass the: a) outer ear b) outer and middle ear c) outer, middle and inner ear d) none of the above
18. b Cochlear implants use an electronic device instead of the movements of the bones in the middle ear to convert the sound wave into a signal that is then sent to the auditory nerve in the inner ear.
19. The "bumps" on the tongue that are visible to the eye are the __________ a) olfactory receptors b) taste buds c) papillae d) taste receptors
19. c The bumps you can see with your eye are the papillae. The taste buds are located along the sides of the papillae. Each taste bud contains 10-20 taste receptors.
20. An olfactory stimulus travels from receptor to _____________. a) olfactory bulb b) thalamus c) amygdala d) pons
20. a The olfactory system is the only system in which the receptors send their signal directly to the higher brain and bypass the filtering process of the lower brain.
21. In gate control theory, Substance P a) opens the spinal gates for pain. b) closes the spinal gates for pain. c) is unrelated to pain. d) is similar in function to endorphins.
21. d The gate-theory of pain suggests that there are a number of factors in the central and peripheral nervous system that can inhibit or allow pain signals to be transmitted to the brain.
22. Which is the best description of the vestibular senses? a) having to do with touch, pressure, temperature, and pain b) having to do with the location of body parts in relation to the ground and to each other c) having to do with movement and body position d) having to do with your location as compared to the position of the sun
22. c The vestibular sense provides you with a sense of balance and sends your brain information about acceleration and tilt.
23. We know when we are moving up and down in an elevator because of the movement of tiny crystals in the a) outer ear b) inner ear c) otolith organs d) middle ear
23. c Although the otolith organs are located in the inner ear, choice c is a more precise answer.
24. Which might be the best explanation of motion sickness, according to your textbook? a) The conflict between vision and the vestibular organs b) Fluid circulating in the semicircular canals c) Human evolutionary history in that poisons make us dizzy, so when motion makes us dizzy we try to expel the poison d) none of these
24. c Although choice a is partially correct, the conflict between the visual and vestibular system only explains the sense of dizziness, not the sense of nausea. Probably the best explanation for that is human evolutionary theory.
25. The tendency to interpret an object as always being the same size, regardless of its distance from the viewer is known as _____________ a) size constancy b) shape constancy c) brightness constancy d) color constancy
25. a Size constancy refers to the fact that our perception of the size of an object tends to remain constant.
26. Closure is _________________ a) the tendency to perceive objects, or figures, on some background. b) the tendency to complete figures that are incomplete. c) the tendency to perceive objects that are close to each other as part of the same grouping. d) the tendency to perceive things a with a continuous pattern rather than with a complex, broken-up pattern.
26. b Closure is one of the Gestalt principles of perception and refers to our tendency to "close" objects to form a complete picture.
27. Which Gestalt principle is at work in the old phrase, "birds of a feather flock together?" a) closure b) similarity c) expectancy d) continuity
27. b The saying is emphasizing that objects with similar characteristics ("birds of a feather") tend to be grouped together ("flock together"). This is the principle of similarity
28. Visual distance and depth cues that require the use of both eyes are called ______. a) monocular cues b) diocular cues c) binocular cues d) dichromatic cues
28. c The phrase "ocular" means having to do with the eyes. "Mono" refers to one and "bi" refers to two. Therefore the term binocular means seeing depth with two eyes.
29. The Műller-Lyer illusion exists in cultures in which there are a) more men than women b) more women than men c) few buildings d) buildings with lots of corners
29. d The carpentered-world theory states that the Müller-Lyer illusion does not exist in certain "primitive" cultures because they are not surrounded by straight lines and corners.
3. An automobile manufacturer has decided to add a little bit of horsepower to its cars. They have a device that alters horsepower one unit at a time. Suppose drivers first notice the increase on a 200 horsepower car when it reaches 220 horsepower. How much horsepower must be added to a 150 horsepower car for drivers to notice the difference? a) 5 b) 10 c) 15 d) 25
3. c According to Weber's law, the just noticeable difference (jnd) is a constant proportion. A change from 200 to 220 represents an increase of 20 units and a jnd of 20/200 or 0.10, which is 10%. If the company starts with 150 horsepower, they will need to increase it by 10% in order for the driver to notice a difference. Ten percent of 150 is 15.
30. People's tendency to perceive things a certain way because their previous experiences or expectations influence them is called a) a perceptual set b) binocular disparity c) motion parallax d) accommodation
30. a An individual's expectations or perceptual set often influence perception of objects.
31. A recent review of studies on ESP using the Ganzfeld procedure concluded that ______. a) no convincing evidence for psychic ability had emerged from any of the studies b) no convincing evidence for psychic ability had emerged from the majority of studies c) convincing evidence for psychic ability had been found in the majority of studies d) convincing evidence for psychic ability had been found in virtually all studies
31. b The majority of quality studies have found no evidence for ESP. The studies that reported positive results have been flawed.
4. If you stared at a picture for a long period of time, you might think the image of the picture would fade due to sensory adaptation. This would be the case except for the tiny vibrations of your eye called: a) glissades b) saccades c) habituation movements d) light wave responses
4. b Saccades are the small quick movements your eye makes in order to keep the visual stimuli changing. When our sensory receptors receive unchanging, constant stimuli, they eventually stop responding to the stimulus. This process is known as sensory adaptation.
5. 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) photons and waves d) dark light and daylight
5. c Light can be thought of as a wave and as particles. Photons are the specific type of particles that light is composed of.
6. When light waves enter the eye, they first pass through the a) iris. b) lens. c) pupil. d) cornea.
6. d The cornea is the outermost coating of the eye. It is transparent and serves to protect the eye and to help focus the light coming into the eye.
7. Which of the following is true about cones? a) They are more sensitive to light than rods. b) They are found mainly in the center of the eye. c) They operate mainly at night. d) They respond only to black and white
7. b Cones are the sensory receptors that respond to color and send visual information of high acuity or visual sharpness. The cones are located primarily in the center of the retina. Choices a and d more accurately describe the rods.
8. The existence of afterimages in complementary colors best supports the ______ theory of color vision. a) opponent-process b) place c) vibrational d) Hering trichromatic
8. a The opponent process theory of color vision was introduced, in part, to explain the phenomenon of the afterimage
9. Which of the following properties of sound would be the most similar to the color or hue of light? a) pitch b) loudness c) purity d) timbre
9. a Pitch is determined by the length of the wave just as color is determined by the length of the wave. Both brightness and loudness are determined by the height of the wave.
The point at which a person can detect a stimulus 50 percent of the time it is presented is called the ______. a) absolute threshold b) range threshold c) differential threshold d) noticeable threshold
A is the correct answer. Gustav Fechner investigated the sensitivity of the human sensory systems and called the lowest level of a stimulus that a person could detect half of the time the absolute threshold
1. The most important role of sensory receptors is to _____________. a) coordinate communications within the body. b) regulate the body's response to pain. c) control skeletal muscle contractions. d) convert an external stimulus into an electrical-chemical message the nervous system can use.
D is the correct answer. Sensory receptors are the body's "antennae" to the outside world. Each sensory receptor type is specially designed to receive a specific external signal and convert it to an electrical-chemical signal.
What do we mean when we say that, inperception, " the whole is greater than the sum of its parts"?
Gestalt psychologists used this saying to describe our perceptual tendency to organize clusters of sensations into meaningful forms of coherent groups.
How does our system for sensing smell differ from our sensory systems for vision, touch, and taste?
We have three types of color receptors, four basic touch senses, and five taste sensations. But we have no basic smell receptors. Instead, 1000 odor receptors, individually and in combination, recognize some 10,000 discernible odors.
What type of evidence shows that, indeed, " there is more to perception than meets the senses"?
We construct our perceptions based on both sensory input and-experiments show- on our assumptions, expectations, schemas, and perceptual sets, often influenced by the surrounding context.
Although sound comes from speakers on the sides of the room, viewers watching a movie perceive the sound coming from the screen. This phenomenon is best accounted for by (A) visual capture (B) proximity (C) closure (D) opponent-processes (E) feature-detection
a
An object as it appears in the world as a visual stimulus is referred to as the (A) distal simulation (B) proximal stimulus (C) figure (D) ground (E) retinal image
a
Assume you would like to look at the stars tonight. Since it is dark, you should try to use which cells in the eye to get a good look? (A) rods (B) cones (C) retina (D) fovea (E) periphery
a
Frequency theory relates to the (A) rate at which the basilar membrane vibrates (B) number of fibers in the auditory nerve (C) point at which the basilar membrane exhibits the most vibration (D) decibel level of a sound (E) number of hair cells in each cochlea
a
John complains that when he gets out of bed that he feels dizzy. He also says his ears hurt. Why is John commenting that his ears hurt? (A) The inner ear, specifically the semicircular canals and vestibular sacs, provide information for the vestibular sense, which monitors balance (B) The inner ear, specifically the hammer, anvil and stirrup, provide information for the vestibular sense, which monitors balance (C) The middle ear, specifically the semicircular canals and vestibular sacs, provide information to the vestibular sense, which monitors balance (D) The outer ear, specifically the semicircular canals and vestibular sacs, provide information to the kinesthetic sense, which monitors balance (E) The middle ear, specifically the semicircular canals and vestibular sacs, provide information to the kinesthetic sense, which monitors balance
a
Sensation refers to the (A) detection of stimulus energy from the environment (B) conversion of stimulus energy into neural code (C) organization and interpretation of stimulus energy (D) adaptation to an unchanging stimulus, resulting in diminished sensitivity (E) relaying of information that occurs in the brain
a
The _____________ is the first structure involved in focusing the photons of light. (A) cornea (B) lens (C) retina (D) sclera (E) vitreous humor
a
The part of the brain responsible for coding auditory information is the (A) temporal lobe (B) occipital lobe (C) somatosensory cortex (D) frontal lobe (E) hypothalamus
a
The two monocular depth cues that are most responsible for our ability to know that a jet flying high overhead is at an elevation of several miles are relative size and (A) relative motion (B) retinal disparity (C) interposition (D) light and shadow (E) linear perspective
a
When food supplies may be unsafe, which of the following would have an adaptive advantage over most other people? I. supertasters II. average tasters III. nontasters (A) I only (B) II only (C) III only (D) I and III only (E) I, II, III
a
Which of the following would be most difficult for a person who only had one eye? (A) inserting a toothpick into a horizontal straw (B) watching a movie at a theatre (C) correctly identifying the color of a car (D) organizing objects into similar patterns or colors (E) understanding that a line continues despite a break in it
a
Which of the following would be the best illustration of Weber's law? (A) As sound increases to 80 decibels from 40 decibels, most peoples can recognize that one sound is louder than the other. However, if the two sounds are given at 80 and 82 decibels respectively, most people would not recognize the difference between the two sounds. (B) A person can recognize an imperceptible amount of perfume in a ten foot-by-ten-foot room. (C) People cannot attend to more then one stimulus at a time. (D) A person has the ability to tell the difference between a 20 watt bulb and a 100 watt bulb 50 percent of the time. (E) All auditory stimuli above a certain frequency "sound" as if their frequencies are the same.
a
Retinal Disparity
a binocular cue for perceiving depth; by comparing images from the retinas in the two eyes, the brain computes distance- the greater the disparity(difference) betwenn the two images, the closer the object
Cochlear Implant
a device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea
Visual Cliff
a labortory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals
Perceptual Set
a mental predisposition to percieve one thing and not another
Iris
a ring of muscles tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening
Signal Detection Theory
a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a fainty stimulus(signal) ami background stimulation(noise). assumes there is no single absolute thershold and that detect depends partly on a person's experience, expectations, motivation, an alertness
Pitch
a tone's experineced highness or lowness; depends on frequency
relative motion
as we move, objects that are actually stable may appear to move
A cue used to understand distance is (A) pragnanz (B) linear perspective (C) Ponzo illusion (D) Good continuation (E) Proximity
b
According to the Gestalt principle of proximity (A) objects that display the same features are grouped together (B) objects that are close together are interpreted as belonging together (C) monocular cues allow the size of an object to remain constant (D) binocular cues allow the color of an object to remain constant (E) objects that are farther away look as if they are moving more slowly than do closer objects
b
Armando was tearing up old papers when he realized that he had accidentally torn up the homework that was due the next day. Because Armando knew what his homework was he was able to put the pieces back together with relative ease. Armando used which organizational strategy to reconstruct his homework? (A) Bottom-up processing (B) Top-down processing (C) Similarity processing (D) Perceptual blindness (E) The cocktail-party effect
b
Awareness, integration, and organization of information into meaningful information is known as (A) sensation (B) perception (C) illusions (D) false perception (E) convergence
b
Carlos was just able to perceive a difference in weight when Maria removed two of the 50 jelly beans from his plastic bag. It is most likely that if Carlos had the jumbo bag of 100 jelly beans, the smallest number of jelly beans he could notice removed would be (A) 2 (B) 4 (C) 8 (D) 16 (E) 20
b
Conventional hearing aids may restore hearing by (A) restoring functionality to a badly punctured eardrum (B) amplifying vibrations conducted by facial bones to the cochlea (C) translating sounds into electrical signals wired into the cochlea's nerves (D) stimulating the semicircular canals to transduce sound waves (E) converting sound waves to radio waves
b
Receptors for kinesthesis are located in the (A) retina (B) joints (C) semicircular canals (D) olfactory epithelium (E) taste buds
b
The ______________ carry information from the rods and cones back out to the ganglion cells and then out the brain. (A) Amacrine cells (B) Bipolar cells (C) Optic nerve (D) Occipital lobe (E) Temporal lobe
b
The four basic gustatory sensations that most animals possess are (A) bitter, salty, tangy, sour (B) salty, sweet, bitter, sour (C) smooth, grainy, cold, hot (D) grain, fruit, meat, vegetable (E) salty, sharp, sour, bitter
b
The part of the ear responsible for translating information into neural impulses is the (A) pinna (B) cochlea (C) semicircular canals (D) tympanic membrane (E) incus
b
The part of the eye responsible for opening and closing to allow in more or less light is the (A) sclera (B) pupil (C) lens (D) retina (E) cornea
b
The receptor cells that make the transduction for the auditory system are called the (A) basilar membrane (B) hair cells (C) cochlea (D) semicircular canals (E) stapes
b
When physical energy is transformed into neural impulses, it is referred to as (A) reception. (B) transduction. (C) perception. (D) sensation. (E) induction.
b
Which of the following is most likely to influence our memory in a painful event? (A) The overall length of the event (B) The intensity of pain at the end of the event (C) The reason for the pain (D) The amount of rest you've had in the 24 hours preceding the event (E) The specific part of the body that experiences the pain
b
Which of the following phrases describes top-down processing? (A). the entry level data captured by our various sensory systems (B). the effect that our experiences and expectations have on perception (C). our tendency to scan a visual field from top to bottom (D). our inclination to follow a predetermined set of steps, beginning with step 1, to process sound (E). the fact that information is processed by the higher regions of the brain before it reaches lower brain
b
Which sense is least involved in enabling you to maintain your balance when you stand on one foot? (A) kinesthesis (B) olfaction (C) vision (D) vestibular sense (E) somatosensation
b
The Gestalt psychologists were interested in (A) depth perception and how it allows us to survive in the world (B) why we see an object near us as closer rather than larger (C) how an organized whole is formed out of its component pieces (D) what the smallest units of perception are (E) the similarities between shape constancy and size constancy
c
Connectedness
because they are uniform and linked, we percieve each set of two dots and the line between them as a single unit
Subliminal
below one's absolute thrshold for sonscious awareness
Devin understands that when a door is opening it does not lose its original shape. This is known as (A) perceptual ability (B) inattentional blindness (C) constancy (D) proximity (E) closure
c
Mechanical energy of vibrations is transduced to the electrochemical energy of neural impulses at the (A) retina (B) lens (C) cochlea (D) olfactory mucosa (E) taste buds
c
Of the following, which is not a basic taste? (A) sweet (B) salty (C) peppery (D) bitter (E) sour
c
On its way to the cones and rods of the eye, (in order) light passes through the (A) cornea, vitreous humor, lens, iris, aqueous humor (B) sclera, lens, pupil, iris, vitreous humor (C) cornea, aqueous humor, pupil, lens, vitreous humor (D) sclera, aqueous humor, lens, pupil, vitreous humor (E) retina, vitreous humor, lens, iris, aqueous humor, fovea
c
Our tendency to see faces in clouds and other ambiguous stimuli is partly based on (A) selective attention (B) ESP (C) Perceptual set (D) Shape constancy (E) Bottom-up processing
c
Signal detection theory is most closely associated with (A) vision (B) sensory adaptation (C) absolute threshold (D) hearing (E) context effects
c
The Gestalt concept of perceptual continuity refers to (A) our tendency to see objects near to each other as belonging to the same group (B) our tendency to see objects that are closer to us as larger than objects that are farther away (C) our tendency to see fluid or complete forms rather than irregular or incomplete forms (D) our tendency to see similar-looking objects as part of the same group (E) our tendency to see two slightly different images from each of our eyes
c
Of the following, which bend incoming light rays to focus an image on the retina? I. cornea II. iris III. lens (A) I only (B) II only (C) III only (D) I and III only (E) I, II, III
d
The ability to talk on the phone and type on the computer at the same time is the result of (A) bottom-up processing (B) perceptual processing (C) selective attention (D) closure (E) convergence
c
The amount of a stimulus required to determine that a stimulus has changed just a little bit is called the (A) difference threshold (B) absolute threshold (C) just noticeable difference (D) just noticeable threshold (E) taste aversion
c
The cells responsible for coding for color in the eye are the (A) rods (B) iris (C) cones (D) retina (E) fovea
c
The optic chiasm is (A) responsible for color vision (B) where the optic nerve leaves the eye, causing a blind spot (C) where the optic nerves cross over to report information to opposite sides of the brain (D) where information from rods and cones is passed to the ganglion cells (E) responsible for detecting fine details
c
The purpose of the pupil is to (A) focus light on the retina (B) process color (C) allow light into the eye (D) enable night vision (E) detect specific shapes
c
The structure of the eye that changes shape to accommodate the closeness or distance of an object is the (A) cornea (B) retina (C) lens (D) sclera (E) iris
c
When Sue first went outside she found the cold unbearable. She complained how cold it was, but after a while the temperature did not seem to bother her. Which sensational process allowed Sue to tolerate the cold? (A) transduction (B) selective attention (C) sensory adaptation (D) accommodation (E) perceptual set
c
When a fortune teller claims to have the ability to see what the person you will meet and marry 10 years from now will look like, the person is professing to possess the ability of (A) telepathy (B) clairvoyance (C) precognition (D) telekinesis (E) top-down processing
c
Which of the following might result from a disruption of your vestibular sense? (A) inability to detect the position of your arm without looking at it (B) loss of the ability to detect bitter tastes (C) dizziness and a loss of balance (D) an inability to detect pain (E) loss of color vision
c
Which of the following represents perceptual constancy? (A) We recognize the taste of McDonald's food each time we eat it. (B) In the photos with people, the people almost always are perceived as figure and everything else as ground. (C) We know that the brightness of a printed page has not changed as it moves from sunlight to shadow. (D) From the time they are very young, most people can recognize the smell of a dentist's office. (E) The cold water in a lake doesn't seem so cold after you have been swimming in it for a few minutes.
c
Transduction
conversion of one form of energy into another. insensation, the transformming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains can interpret
A landscape painting shows boats on a lake in the foreground and mountains farther away. Of the following, which cue would not contribute to your perception that the mountains are farther away than the boats in the picture? (A) texture gradient (B) linear perspective (C) relative height (D) retinal disparity (E) interposition
d
All except one of the following demonstrate a difference threshold. The exception represents an absolute threshold. Which of the following represents an absolute threshold? (A) a guitar player knows that his D string has just gone out of tune (B) a photographer can tell that the natural light available for a photograph has just faded slightly (C) your friends amazes you by correctly identifying unlabeled glasses of Coke and Pepsi (D) a cook can just barely taste the salt she has added to her soup (E) your mom throws out the milk because she says the taste is "off"
d
Cats tend to notice slight movements under low lightening conditions with greater ease than do humans; they do not, however, find it easy to distinguish colors. This is primarily due to their retinas containing, in comparison to humans (A) relatively fewer numbers of amarcine cells and relatively more bipolar cells (B) relatively fewer numbers of ganglion cells and relatively more osmoreceptors (C) Relatively fewer numbers of cilia and relatively more optic nerve cells (D) Relatively fewer numbers of cones and relatively more rods (E) Relatively fewer numbers of mechanoreceptors and relatively more ossicles
d
Cells that can respond to specific edges, line, angles, and movements are called (A) rods (B) cones (C) ganglion cells (D) feature detections (E) bipolar cells
d
In the signal detection theory, when a participant responds that a stimulus was present and it was, the response is called a (A) Correct rejection (B) ROC curves (C) Miss (D) Hit (E) False positive
d
Neural impulses go directly to the cortex without passing through the thalamus from receptors in the (A) retina (B) joints (C) cochlea (D) olfactory epithelium (E) taste buds
d
Study subjects were placed in a darkened room and told to focus on a single stationary point of light on the wall. After a few minutes subjects reported that the point of light was moving. This apparent movement is known as (A) phi phenomenon (B) the Gestalt law of proximity (C) stroboscopic motion (D) the autokinetic effect (E) perceptual constancy
d
The hammer, anvil, and stirrup (A) process only high frequency sounds (B) process only low frequency sounds (C) make up a frame that supports the eardrum (D) transmit sound waves to the cochlea (E) hold the hair cells that enable hearing
d
The height of a sound wave determines the (A) pitch (B) frequency (C) timbre (D) loudness (E) transduction
d
The part of the brain responsible for coding visual information is the (A) temporal lobe (B) somatosensory cortex (C) hypothalamus (D) occipital lobe (E) frontal lobe
d
Which of the following is NOT an example of a monocular visual depth perception cue? (A) Texture gradient (B) Motion parallax (C) Interposition (D) Opponent process (E) Relative size
d
_________ are the receptor cells for audition and _________ are the receptor cells for vision. (A) olfactory cells; rods and cones (B) taste buds; rods and cones (C) rods and cones; hair cells (D) hair cells; rods and cones (E) proprioceptors; rods and cones
d
Monocular Cues
depth cues, such as interposition and lineaqr perspective, available to either eye alone
Binocular Cues
depth cues, such as retinal desparity, that depend on the use of two eyes
All sensory information is sent to the thalamus EXCEPT (A) taste (B) vision (C) audition (D) touch (E) smell
e
Laticia is listening to her teacher conduct a lesson on the parts and functions of the brain. Laticia can distinguish her teacher from the board because of which Gestalt principle? (A) proximity (B) closure (C) similarity (D) continuity (E) figure-ground
e
The order of the bones in the middle ear is (A) incus, malleaus, stapes (B) stapes, malleaus, incus (C) stapes, incus, malleaus (D) malleaus, stapes, incus (E) malleaus, incus, stapes
e
The part of the eye responsible for receiving photons of the light then translating them into neural messages is the (A) sclera (B) lens (C) cornea (D) pupil (E) retina
e
The point of focus for the eye that contains mostly cones is the (A) rods (B) iris (C) cones (D) retina (E) fovea
e
The structure that contains the main receptor cells in the auditory system is the (A) semicircular canals (B) tympanic membrane (C) pinna (D) malleaus (E) cochlea
e
The theory that best accounts for the experience of pain is (A) the opponent-process theory (B) Weber's law (C) The trichromatic theory (D) The direct perception theory (E) The gate-control theory
e
Which of the following is not a Gestalt grouping principle? (A) proximity (B) similarity (C) closure (D) continuity (E) figure-ground
e
Your tendency to see the words "went" and "ties," rather than the word "twenties" when you look at T WENT TIES is best explained by the organizing principle of (A) bottom-up processing (B) closure (C) continuity (D) figure-ground (E) proximity
e
Conduction Hearing Loss
hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves the cochlea
Change Blindness
failing to notice changes in the enviroment
Inattentional Blindness
failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere
What is the pathway from the eyes to the visual cortex?
ganglion axons forming the optic nerve run to the thalamus, where they synapse with neurons that run to the visual cortex
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea's receptor cells or to the auditory nerves; also called nerve deafness
interposition
if one object particularly blocks our view of another, we percieve it as closer
relative size
if we assume two objects are similar in size, most people percieve the one that casts the smaller retinal image as farther away
Frequency Theory
in hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tine, thus enabling us to sense its pitch
Place Theory
in hearing, the theroy that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea's membrane is stimulated
Perceptual Adaptation
in vision, the ability to adjust to an artifically displaced or even inverted visual field
Top-Down Processing
information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as when we construct perceptions drawing on our experinece and expectations
size constancy
objects closer to our eyes will produce bigger images on our retinas, but we take distance into account in our estimations of size. we keep a constant size in mind for an object(if we are fimilar with the typical size of the object) and know that it does not grow or shrink in size as it moves closer or farther away
linear perspective
parallel lines, such as railroad tracks, appear to converge with distance. the more they converge, the greater their percieved distance
Color Constancy
percieving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelenghths reflected by the object
Perceptual Constancy
percieving obkects as unchanging (having consistent shapes, size, lightness, and color) even as illumination and retinal images change
Cones
retinal receptor cells that are concetarted near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions
Pupil
the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which enters
Middle Ear
the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containg three tiny bones(hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochleas oval window
Closure
we fill in the gaps to create a complete, whole object
Proximity
we group neary figures together
Similarity
we group similar figures together
brightness constancy
we percieve objects as being a constant color even as the light reflecting off the object changes
relative height
we percieve objects higher in our feild of vision as farther away