AP Psychology Unit 3 Questions BR, Practice Test

Alicia has a condition in which tiny crystals break loose and randomly touch and bend the hair cells in her semicircular canals. Which of the following is the most likely effect of this condition? A Loss of feeling in her limbs B Confusion about right and left directions C Dizziness and loss of balance D Inability to recognize her body parts E Inability to determine the position of her joints

C Dizziness and loss of balance

Which of the following refers to the transformation of stimulus energy into neural impulses? A Perception B Bottom-up processing C Top-down processing D Transduction E Psychophysics

D Transduction

The place in the retina where the optic nerve exits to the brain is called the A lens B sclera C fovea D blind spot E aqueous humor

D blind spot

Which monocular depth cue is illustrated in the figure above? A Accommodation B Texture gradient C Relative size D Interposition E Linear perspective

E Linear perspective

Which of the following is an example of shape constancy? A Even though the angle from which she viewed the table had changed, Elise still perceived the table as rectangular. B Mariann still saw an apple as red even when the light in the room got darker. C Allison's hair was still perceived as bright pink even when the sky became overcast. D Sarah did not notice the sound of the air conditioner until it suddenly shut off. E Marcia is able to catch the basketball because of binocular cues.

A Even though the angle from which she viewed the table had changed, Elise still perceived the table as rectangular.

Martin fell off his skateboard and badly bruised his elbow. He immediately began rubbing the area around the bruise until the pain subsided. This method of reducing pain can be explained by which of the following? A Gate-control theory B Opponent-process theory C Trichromatic theory D Expectancy theory E Phantom pain

A Gate-control theory

Feature detectors are neurons that are turned on or off by specific features of visual stimuli like edges and movement. Where in the visual system are these feature detectors located? A Occipital cortex B Retina C Optic chiasm D Lens E Cornea

A Occipital cortex

A person with sight in only one eye lacks which of the following visual cues for seeing in depth? A Retinal disparity B Linear perspective C Motion parallax D Relative size E Texture gradient

A Retinal disparity

Luis constructed a flip-book with 30 different still images of a cartoon cat. When Luis quickly flipped through successive images of the cat, the cat appeared to move. Which of the following concepts does the example illustrate? A Stroboscopic movement, because the book is a series of images presented at separate time intervals. B Perceptual constancy, because Luis still views the cat as a cat even though it appears as a moving picture. C Depth perception, because Luis needs both eyes to view the movement. D Color constancy, because the cat does not appear to change color. E Interposition, because the pictures are in a sequence that is logical.

A Stroboscopic movement, because the book is a series of images presented at separate time intervals.

Which of the following explains transduction? A The process by which sensory stimuli are converted into neural signals B The degree of stimulation needed for a signal to be detected 50 percent of the time C The difference in signal strength needed for that difference to be detected D The process by which a person's eyes adapt to the dark E The process by which a false negative is identified

A The process by which sensory stimuli are converted into neural signals

The tendency of most people to identify a three-sided figure as a triangle, even when one of its sides is incomplete, is the result of a perceptual process known as A closure B proximity C similarity D feature analysis E shape constancy

A closure

While attending a concert, Anthony finds that he can clearly recognize the melody coming from the lead violin above all the other instruments playing in the orchestra, even though the other instruments may be louder. Gestalt psychologists would explain Anthony's ability using the principle of A figure-ground B closure C simplicity D constancy E proximity

A figure-ground

The psychological experience of pitch is related to a sound wave's A frequency B amplitude C complexity D timbre E power

A frequency

If Carmelita stares at a red spot for one minute and then shifts her gaze to a white piece of paper, she is likely to experience an afterimage that is A green B red C blue D violet E black

A green

Alice is shopping with her daughter when she hears the word "mom." Alice answers, only to realize that the sales clerk said "ma'am" to a customer. This inaccurate perception can be attributed to A perceptual expectancy B the Müller-Lyer illusion C Weber's law D figure-ground organization E sound constancy

A perceptual expectancy

The thalamus processes information for all of the following senses EXCEPT A smell B hearing C taste D vision E touch

A smell

Research has shown that a major reason for poor performance while multitasking is that while multitasking, people A switch their attention rapidly from task to task, so they miss critical information associated with a task that is not receiving their attention B confuse information in long-term memory associated with the various tasks they are trying to perform C have a heightened awareness of each task they are trying to perform, so it is difficult for them to ignore one task temporarily in order to complete another task D process information associated with the various tasks at a deep level, so they encode too much information to recall easily and therefore their performance deteriorates E encode information efficiently, but they have a difficult time retrieving it for use on a given task

A switch their attention rapidly from task to task, so they miss critical information associated with a task that is not receiving their attention

The process of converting incoming physical energy into a neural code that can be processed is called A transduction B sensory threshold C sensory adaptation D parallel processing E transferred excitation

A transduction

Which of the following statements about the perception of taste is true? A Infants are not able to perceive taste differences until they are at least twelve months old. B Older adults frequently experience decreases in the sense of smell that make it more difficult to perceive the flavor of food. C The basilar membrane is responsible for sending messages about tastes from the tongue to the brain. D The five primary taste qualities are spicy, sour, salty, bitter, and sweet. E Taste receptors are located exclusively on the tip of the tongue.

B Older adults frequently experience decreases in the sense of smell that make it more difficult to perceive the flavor of food.

Which of the following structures is part of the vestibular system? AA BB CC DD EE

B B

Which part of the brain receives messages from the hair-like receptors that are involved in the vestibular sense? A Frontal lobes B Cerebellum C Medulla D Hypothalamus E Amygdala

B Cerebellum

Even though it was nearly dark outside, Kaci could still tell that the basketball she was playing with was orange. Which of the following concepts is best illustrated in this example? A Shape constancy B Color constancy C Perceptual adaptation D Interposition E Absolute threshold

B Color constancy

The ability to see a cube in the diagram above is best explained by which of the following? A The resting potential of neurons in the optic nerve B Gestalt principles of closure and continuity C The inverted and reversed image that a visual stimulus produces on the retina D The opponent process theory of vision E The trichromatic theory of vision

B Gestalt principles of closure and continuity

John moves to a new job in a large urban area. For the first few days, John is continuously distracted by the sounds of traffic and street noise. By the end of the first week, John barely notices the sounds of the city. Which of the following has occurred? A Sensitization B Habituation C Accommodation D Signal detection E Conduction deafness

B Habituation

Damage to which of the following best explains conduction deafness? A Basilar membrane B Hammer, anvil, and stirrup C Auditory nerve D Temporal lobe E Central sulcus

B Hammer, anvil, and stirrup

Hyrum is at a concert when a flute player hits a very high note at the end of a song. Which of the following best explains why the pitch of the note sounds so high? A It has a long wavelength and high frequency. B It has a short wavelength and high frequency. C It has a long wavelength and low frequency. D It has a large amplitude. E It has a small amplitude.

B It has a short wavelength and high frequency.

After staring at a green, black, and orange "American flag" for about a minute, an individual will see a red, white, and blue flag afterimage. Which of the following explains this phenomenon? A Trichromatic theory B Opponent-process theory C Retinex theory D Color constancy E Convergence

B Opponent-process theory

After his friend said a new movie was the funniest he had seen in years, Willard found himself laughing throughout the viewing, even though the movie was not very funny. What concept is Willard demonstrating? A Functional fixedness B Perceptual set C Inattentional blindness D Bottom-up processing E Context-dependent memory

B Perceptual set

Jason is attending a parade that features the local high school band. Jason's friend Brent plays the trombone in the band. It is difficult for Jason to hear Brent play at the parade. Which of the following would best allow Jason to hear Brent's trombone? A Sensory adaptation B Selective attention C Perceptual constancy D Weber's law E Functional fixedness

B Selective attention

John walks into art class and is overwhelmed by the smell of paint. However, the longer he stays in the room, the less noticeable the smell becomes. Which of the following appears to be operating in this instance? A Subliminal perception B Sensory adaptation C Absolute threshold D Signal detection E Perceptual set

B Sensory adaptation

Laura arrives at a park that is located very close to a factory that produces cookies. She immediately notices the strong odor of chocolate chip cookies, but after a while she no longer detects the smell of the cookies. This can best be explained by which of the following? A Accommodation B Sensory adaptation C Weber's law D Assimilation E Phi phenomenon

B Sensory adaptation

Carlos sees the figure above as six unified columns, not four unified rows. Which of the following Gestalt principles is operating most strongly? A Proximity B Similarity C Closure D Good continuation E Common fate

B Similarity

People who are color blind most likely have deficiencies in their A rods B cones C lens D optic nerve E occipital lobe

B cones

A subliminal stimulus is a stimulus that A can be detected 5 percent of the time B falls below the threshold for conscious detection C activates unconscious associations that affect perceptions, memories, and responses D has been transformed into neural impulses E triggers a diminished response due to constant activation

B falls below the threshold for conscious detection

The reversible figure above illustrates the Gestalt organizing principle of A proximity B figure-ground C closure D common fate E simplicity

B figure-ground

To study the effects of smoking on sense of smell, a researcher would most likely conduct a A longitudinal study on 200 smokers to determine whether their sense of smell improved over time B longitudinal study on 100 smokers and a matched sample of 100 nonsmokers to determine whether the smokers' sense of smell declined more over time than the nonsmokers' did C cross-sectional study of 100 nonsmokers to determine whether nonsmokers' sense of smell improved with age D cross-sectional study on 200 smokers to determine whether smokers' sense of smell stayed the same over time E a survey asking 100 participants how long they have been smoking and how many packs of cigarettes a day they smoke

B longitudinal study on 100 smokers and a matched sample of 100 nonsmokers to determine whether the smokers' sense of smell declined more over time than the nonsmokers' did

While at a crowded gathering, Zach realized that his attention was being drawn away from his conversation every time a person nearby said the word "exactly." Zach's response is an example of A the Gestalt principle of closure B the cocktail party effect C sensory adaptation D bottom-up processing E the just-noticeable difference

B the cocktail party effect

When a pair of lights flashing in quick succession seems to an observer to be one light moving from place to place, the effect is referred to as A stroboscopic movement B the phi phenomenon C autokinetic motion D binocular vision E induced displacement

B the phi phenomenon

Dizziness is most closely associated with which of the following senses? A Kinesthetic B Auditory C Vestibular D Touch E Olfactory

C Vestibular

The Gestalt principle that refers to an individual's tendency to perceive an incomplete figure as whole is called A figure-ground B motion parallax C closure D proximity E shape constancy

C closure

A person is asked to listen to a series of tones presented in pairs, and asked to say whether the tones in each pair are the same or different in pitch. In this situation the experimenter is most likely measuring the individual's A sound localization ability B dichotic listening ability C difference threshold D echoic memory E attention span

C difference threshold

Receptors for olfaction are located A on the basilar membrane of the cochlea B in taste buds on the tongue C in the nasal cavity D in the esophagus E in the dermis

C in the nasal cavity

Convergence is a binocular depth cue that is based on the A change in the size of the pupil B muscular tension that leads to the lens changing shape C muscular tension that occurs when the eyes turn inward D fact that there are more rods on the periphery of the retina E fact that there are more cones in the fovea

C muscular tension that occurs when the eyes turn inward

The area labeled A contains the A auditory nerves B pinna C ossicles D cochlea E semi-circular canals

C ossicles

In vision, transduction occurs within the A optic nerve B visual cortex C retina D lens E cornea

C retina

Negative afterimages are explained by A the trichromatic theory B color detection by rods C the opponent-process theory D a lack of adaptation E dichromatic color perception

C the opponent-process theory

In the figure above, what letter corresponds to the light-sensitive surface of the eye that contains photoreceptors? A A B B C C D D E E

D D

Which of the following scenarios is most likely to result in impairment of the kinesthetic sense? A Severing of the corpus callosum B Destruction of part of the hypothalamus C Removal of a portion of the olfactory bulb D Damage to the cerebellum E A tumor in the somatosensory cortex

D Damage to the cerebellum

The pitch of a sound is analogous to which of the following features of light? A Brightness B Size C Saturation D Hue E Intensity

D Hue

Which of the following theories most accurately explains pitch perception? Opponent process Frequency Place A I only B II only C I and II only D II and III only E I, II, and III

D II and III only

The coiled tube in the inner ear that contains the auditory receptors is called the A semicircular canal B ossicle C pinna D cochlea E oval window

D cochlea

People who live in environments with buildings with square corners and right angles are more susceptible to the Müller-Lyer illusion than are people who live in environments without such angles and corners. The difference in perception between the two groups of people reveals that A a decrease in change blindness results from exposure to a carpentered world B a decrease in depth perception in illusions results from regular exposure to linear perspective C people in highly technological societies are generally less prone to visual illusions than are more primitive societies D people develop perceptual hypotheses based on experiences in their lives E people who are used to buildings with square corners are more likely to be affected by binocular depth cues

D people develop perceptual hypotheses based on experiences in their lives

In visual perception, size constancy occurs as an object comes closer to the viewer because the A image on the retina becomes smaller B image on the retina remains constant in size C perceived distance of the object becomes greater D perceived distance of the object becomes smaller E perceived distance of the object remains constant

D perceived distance of the object becomes smaller

Gustatory receptors are sensitive to all of the following taste qualities EXCEPT A bitter B sweet C salty D spicy E sour

D spicy

The general function of the bones in the middle ear is to A convert the incoming sound from pounds per square inch to decibels B protect the cochlea C regulate change in the air pressure of the inner ear D transfer sound information from the tympanic membrane to the oval window E provide information to the vestibular system

D transfer sound information from the tympanic membrane to the oval window

Makayla and Noah are listening to a song that ends with all the instruments playing the same note. Makayla can distinguish the various instruments playing the note, while Noah cannot. Which of the following best explains their perceptual differences? A Makayla has synesthesia while Noah does not. B Makayla has a lower absolute threshold for sound than Noah. C Makayla has a higher difference threshold for sound than Noah. D Makayla is better at discriminating amplitude than Noah. E Makayla is better at discriminating timbre than Noah.

E Makayla is better at discriminating timbre than Noah.

Ana is instructed by her doctor to wear a patch over one eye while an infection heals. While wearing the patch, Ana will lose her ability to use which of the following depth perception cues? A Relative size B Interposition C Texture gradient D Linear perspective E Retinal disparity

E Retinal disparity

Which study is a researcher who wants to draw correct cause-and-effect conclusions about the sense of smell likely to conduct? A A case study in which the researcher records a person's facial expressions when the person encounters different smells and then determines that when a person smells a good smell, the person smiles. B A case study in which the researcher asks a person to name the smells the person is experiencing and then finds that the person has a hard time naming smells that are offensive. C A study in which 50 participants are asked to rate the degree to which different smells evoke happy memories. The researcher then determines which smells are associated with happy memories. D A study in which the researcher randomly selects two groups of 30 people and exposes one group to the smell of roses and the other group to the smell of gasoline to determine whether members of the group that smelled roses act nicer to one another afterward. E A study in which the researcher randomly assigns 50 people to a group that is exposed to a strong smell of roses and 50 people to a group that experiences an odor-free environment to see whether the group exposed to the strong smell of roses reports experiencing more memories.

E A study in which the researcher randomly assigns 50 people to a group that is exposed to a strong smell of roses and 50 people to a group that experiences an odor-free environment to see whether the group exposed to the strong smell of roses reports experiencing more memories.

Which of the following phenomena can the opponent-process theory of color vision explain that the trichromatic theory cannot? A The presence of the blind spot B Accommodation of the lens C The detection of white light D Light and dark adaptation E Negative afterimages

E Negative afterimages

Which of the following is the correct path a neural impulse will follow through the different layers of the retina? A Ganglion cells, bipolar cells, rods and cones, optic nerve B Bipolar cells, ganglion cells, rods and cones, optic nerve C Optic nerve, ganglion cells, bipolar cells, rods and cones D Rods and cones, ganglion cells, bipolar cells, optic nerve E Rods and cones, bipolar cells, ganglion cells, optic nerve

E Rods and cones, bipolar cells, ganglion cells, optic nerve

Hearing the word "ocean" makes Alice think of waves, surfboards, bathing suits, sharks, swimmers, boats, and the beach. The associations she has to the word "ocean" represent which of the following concepts? A Procedural memory B Sensory memory C Accommodation D Functional fixedness E Schema

E Schema

When Rosa has a cold, she cannot taste the flavor of her pizza. Which of the following psychological terms describes Rosa's inability to taste? A Vestibular sense B Just-noticeable difference C Feature analysis D Optic chiasm E Sensory interaction

E Sensory interaction

The table above is most likely to be used in a study investigating which of the following? A Prisoner's dilemma B Systematic desensitization C Gene-environment interactions D The blind spot E Signal detection

E Signal detection

Domingo has just hit Play to begin listening to a new song he bought. Based on the structure of the ear, what will the sound waves contact first after moving through Domingo's auditory canal? A The cochlea B The auditory nerve C The anvil D The stirrup E The eardrum

E The eardrum

Consider the relationship between various body parts and the size of their corresponding somatosensory cortex areas in the brain. How does a body part relate to the devoted cortical area? A The larger the body part, the larger the area of the somatosensory cortex. B The closer the body part is to the brain, the smaller the area of the somatosensory cortex. C The closer the body part is to the trunk, the larger the area of the somatosensory cortex. D The more muscular the body part, the larger the area of the somatosensory cortex. E The more sensitive the body part, the larger the area of the somatosensory cortex.

E The more sensitive the body part, the larger the area of the somatosensory cortex.

The perceived pitch of a tone is largely determined by its A loudness B timbre C amplitude D complexity E frequency

E frequency

A sound is often detected by one ear more intensely and a fraction of a second earlier than it is detected by the other ear. These cues help individuals determine the A pitch of the sound wave B timbre of the sound wave C absolute threshold for sound perception D frequency of the sound wave E location of the source

E location of the source

Using cell phones while driving increases the number of accidents because use of the phones requires A perceptual constancy B feature detection C sensory adaptation D blindsight E selective attention

E selective attention

A reason that one typically does not notice a blind spot in the visual field is that A the blind spot is very small, and no visual stimuli are likely to be so small that the blind spot completely obscures them B most visual stimuli affect only one visual hemisphere, and one hemisphere can cover for the other C visual stimuli usually affect the occipital cortex in both hemispheres D the blind spot habituates to a stimulus when the head is held still E the brain fills in missing information so there is no awareness that the visual field is incomplete

E the brain fills in missing information so there is no awareness that the visual field is incomplete