Module 6

The reason people seem to change size as they change sides in the Ames room is that:

the room isn't actually rectangular.

We tend to perceive complex figures as divided into several simple figures. Why?

the simplicity rule which states that stimuli are organized in the simplest way possible.

You want to learn more about holistic thinking. Based on the study described in Module Six, which culture would you want to visit?

China

Julia says that she can see objects that no one else can see. This is an example of:

Clairvoyance

How is Perception is best defined?:

Combination and interpretation of sensations

An illusion is:

a perceptual experience in which you perceive an image as being so strangely distorted that, in reality, it cannot and does not exist.

Felipe claims to be able to move objects simply by concentrating on them. This psychic ability is known as:

psychokinesis

If two objects are the same size, yet one appears to be larger, you make the assumption that that object is closer. Why?

relative size.

Herb claims that he can read other people's thoughts. This ability is called:

telepathy

Textures can be used to create a sense of depth because:

texture gradient

Weber's law states that:

the increase in intensity of a stimulus needed to produce a just noticeable difference grows in proportion to the intensity of the initial stimulus

The group of psychic experiences that involve perceiving or sending information outside normal sensory process is called:

ESP ( Extrasensory perception)

What term describes our tendency to perceive sizes, shapes, and colors as remaining the same even though their physical characteristics keep changing?

Perceptual constancy

A subliminal stimulus is one that has:

an intensity that gives a person less than a 50% chance of detecting the stimulus.

In animated cartoons, movement is created by the rapid presentation of still images. This movement is known as:

apparent motion

What is a monocular depth cue?

are produced by signals from a single eye. Monocular cues most commonly arise from the way objects are arranged in the environment. Linear persect, relative size, motion parallax.

Which cue for depth relies on the fact that dust, smog, or water vapor give distant objects a hazy look?

atmospheric perspective

Brightness constancy results in the tendency to perceive:

brightness as remaining the same in changing illumination.

A green car looks like a green car, regardless of whether it is dawn or dusk, because of:

color constancy.

The perceptual rule that we tend to favor smooth or continuous paths when interpreting a series of points or lines is called:

continuity rule

The muscles that move the entire eye give cues to depth through

convergence.

Our first impression of other people is influenced by:

facial features.

Culture has very little effect on perception T or F

false

Our perceptions are typically exact replicas of the original stimuli. T or F

false

Recent research suggests that robotic surgery introduces too much error and is dangerous. T or F

false

The perceptual rule that makes important things stand out is called:

figure-ground rule

How did scientists conclude that fabric softeners worked on towels?

having subjects feel washed towel with and without fabric softeners and rate the softness of the towels on a scale from 1(hard) to 30(soft). The softness without softeners averaged ratings of 5 and towels with softeners averaged rating of 18. Subjects detected a JND in softness.

The principle of proximity states that:

in organizing stimuli, we group together objects that are physically close to one another.

The principle of closure states that:

in organizing stimuli, we tend to fill any missing parts of a figure and see the figure as complete.

The major difference between a sensation and a perception is that a sensation:

is that sensations are meaningless bits of information while perceptions are meaningful patterns, images, or sounds.

Why didn't Congress make subliminal advertising illegal?

it's ineffective

The smallest increase or decrease in the intensity of a stimulus that a person is able to detect is called a(n):

just noticeable difference or JND.

The convergence of parallel lines, giving the feeling of distance, is called:

linear perspective

The brain transforms the speed of moving objects into indicators of distance because of a depth cue called:

motion parallax

The example presented in your textbook about assuming that a body- builder is a large man, but in fact, he is a small man, represents the influence of:

perceptual set

Marta sets up a booth at a local fair and claims she can tell the future by looking at a person's palm. She is claiming to have which of the following abilities?

precognition

Because the eyes are separated by several inches, each eye receives a slightly different image. This is called:

retinal disparity.

The first awareness of some outside stimulus is called a(n):

sensation

Phi movement is now known as:

set movement

Gustav Fechner defined absolute threshold as:

smallest amount of stimulus energy (such as sound or light) that can be observed or experienced.

Impossible figures seem impossible because our previous experience with line drawings leads us to interpret figures as:

three dimensions

Objects projected on the retina are three dimensional T or F

true

The accuracy of mammogram tests increases by 20% when reviewed by two doctors. T or F

true

A computer-generated illusionary experience is called:

virtual reality.

When subjects in an experiment on subliminal perception were in happy moods, they:

were happier words than sad words