UNIT 4 AP PSYCH
Pitch
a tone's experienced highness or lowness; depends on frequency
Frequency theory relates to which element of the hearing process? 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 sound e. Number of hair cells in each cochlea
a. Rate at which the basilar membrane vibrates
Two monocular depth cues are most responsible for our ability to know that a jet flying overhead is at an elevation of several miles. One cue is relative size. What is the other? a. Relative motion b. Retinal disparity c. Interposition d. Light and shadow e. Linear perspective
a. Relative motion
What do we call the conversion of stimulus energies, like sights and sounds, into neural impulses? a. Transduction b. Perception c. Priming d. Signal detection theory e. Threshold
a. Transduction
Which of the following is most closely associated with hairlike receptors in the semicircular canals? a. Body position b. Smell c. Hearing d. Pain e. Touch
a. body position
Kimberly tells her brother to put on a suit on a warm summer day. Kimberly's brother knows to put on a swimsuit instead of a business suit because of a. context b. ESP c. precognition d. bottom-up processing e. clairvoyance
a. context
Bringing order and form to stimuli, which illustrates how the whole differs from the sum of its parts, is called a. grouping b. monocular cue c. binocular cue d. disparity e. motion
a. grouping
Sensing the position and movement of individual body parts is an example of which sense? a. Kinesthetic b. Vestibular c. Auditory d. Umami e. Olfactory
a. kinesthetic
A teacher used distortion goggles, which shifted the wearer's gaze 20 degrees, to demonstrate an altered perception. A student wearing the goggles initially bumped into numerous desks and chairs while walking around, but chose to wear goggles for a half hour. After 30 min, the student was able to smoothly avoid obstacles, illustrating the concept of a. perceptual adaption b. visual interpretation c. sensory restriction d. perceptual constancy e. binocular cues
a. perceptual adaption
Bottom-up processing
analysis that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain's integration of sensory information
Retinal disparity
a binocular cue for perceiving depth: By comparing images from the retinas in the 2 eyes, the brain computes distance - the greater the disparity (difference) between the 2 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 laboratory device for testing depth perception in infants and young animals
Perceptual Set
a mental predisposition to perceive one thing and not another
Iris
a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening
Frequency
the # of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time
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
Absolute threshold
the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time
Blind spot
the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
Optic Nerve
the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain
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
Sensory interaction
the principle that one sense may influence another, as when the smell of food influences its taste
Weber's law
the principle that, to be perceived as different, 2 stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage (rather than a constant amount)
Sensation
the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment
Accommodation
the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or fear objects on the retina
Perception
the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information, enabling us to recognize meaningful objects and events
Transduction
conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brain can interpret
Sensory adaption
diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation
Wavelength
distance from the peak of one light or sound wave to the peak of the next
Which of the following is the best example of kinesthesia? a. Awareness of the smell of freshly brewed coffee b. Ability to feel pressure on your arm c. Ability to hear a softly ticking clock d. Ability to calculate where a kicked soccer ball will land from the moment it leaves your foot e. Awareness of the position of your arms when swimming the backstroke
e. Awareness of the position of you arms when swimming the backstroke
Top-down processing
information processing guided by higher-level mental processes, as we construct perceptions drawing on our experience and expectations
Feature detectors
nerve cells in the brain that respond to specific features of the stimulus, such as shape, angle, or movement
Brightness constancy
our ability to perceive an object as having a constant lightness even when its illumination - the light cast upon it - changes
Shape constancy
our ability to perceive familiar objects (such as an opening door) as unchanging in shape
Signal detection theory
- a theory predicting how and when we detect the presence of a faint stimulus (signal) amid background stimulation (noise). - assumes that there is no single absolute threshold and that detection depends partly on a person's experience, expectations, motivation, and alertness
Cochlea
-a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear -sound waves traveling through the cochlear fluid trigger nerve impulses
Cones
-retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function on daylight or in well-lit conditions -the cones detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations
Difference threshold
-the minimum difference between 2 stimuli required for detection 50% of the time -we experience the difference threshold as a just noticeable difference
Parallel processing
-the processing of many aspects of a problem simultaneously ; the brain's natural mode of information processing for many functions, including vision -contrasts with the step-by-step (serial) processing of most computers and of conscious problem solving
Gate-control theory
-the theory 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
Perceptual constancy
Perceiving objects as unchanging (having consistent shapes, size, brightness, and color) even as illumination and retinal images change
What do we call the illusion of movement that results for 2 or more stationary, adjacent lights blinking on and off in quick succession? a. Phi phenomenon b. perceptual constancy c. binocular cues d. retinal disparity e. depth perception
a. phi phenomenon
The view from Narmeen's left eye is slightly different from the view from her right eye. This is due to which depth cue? a. Retinal disparity b. Relative size c. Linear perspective d. Relative motion e. Convergence
a. retinal disparity
Phi phenomenon
an illusion of movement created when 2 or more adjacent lights blink on and off in quick succession
Gestalt
an organized whole. Gestalt psychologist emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes
What do we call a mental predisposition that influences our interpretation of a stimulus? a. context b. ESP c. precognition d. bottom-up processing e. clairvoyance
b. ESP
Which of the following reflects the notion that pitch is related to the number of impulses traveling up the auditory nerve in a unit of time? a. Place theory b. Frequency theory c. Volley principle d. Sound localization e. Stereophonic hearing
b. Frequency theory
Which of the following phrases accurately describes top-down processing? a. The entry-level date 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 to process sound e. The fact that information is processed by the higher regions of the brain before it reaches the lower brain
b. The effect that our experiences and expectations have on perception
Which of the following is most likely to influence our memory of 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 scientific part of the body that experiences the pain
b. The intensity of pain at the end of the event
Which of the following is the best example of sensory interaction? a. Finding that despite its delicious aroma, a weird- looking meal tastes awful b. Finding that food tastes bland when you have a bad cold c. Finding it difficult to maintain your balance when you have an ear infection d. Finding that the cold pool water doesn't feel so cold after a while e. All of these are examples
b. finding that food tastes bland when you have a bad cold
Your best friend decides to paint her room an extremely bright electric blue. Which of the following best fits the physical properties of the color's light waves? a. No wavelength; large amplitude b. Short wavelength; large amplitude c. Short wavelength; small amplitude d. Long wavelength; large amplitude e. No wavelength; small amplitude
b. short wavelength; large amplitude
Light's________is the distance from one wave peak to the next. This dimension determines the __________we experience. a. hue; wavelength b. wavelength; hue c. hut; intensity d. wavelength; intensity e. intensity; wavelength
b. wavelength; hue
Subliminal
below one's absolute threshold for conscious awareness
Signal detection theory is most closely associated with which perception process? a. Vision b. Sensory adaption c. Absolute thresholds d. Smell e. Context effects
c. Absolute thresholds
What do we call the transparent, protective layer that light passes through as it enters the eye? a. Pupil b. Iris c. Cornea d. Lens e. Fovea
c. Cornea
Which of the following might result from a disruption of you vestibular sense? a. Inability to detect the position of your arm without looking at it b. Lost of ability to detect bitter taste c. Dizziness and a loss of balance d. An inability to detect pain e. Loss of color vision
c. Dizziness and a loss of balance
Which of the following explains reversed-color afterimages? a. Young-Helmholtz trichromatic theory b. The blind spot c. Hering's opponent-process theory d. Feature detectors e. Parallel processing
c. Hering's opponent-process theory
Which of the following describes a perception process that the Gestalt psychologists would have been 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. How an organized whole is formed out of its component pieces
Our tendency to see faces in clouds and other ambiguous stimuli is partly based on what perception principle? a. Selective attention b. ESP c. Perceptual set d. Share constancy e. Bottom-up processing
c. Perceptual set
Natalia is washing her hands and adjusts the faucet handle until the water feels just slightly hotter than it did before. Natalia's adjustment until she feels a difference is an example of
c. Signal detection
When we go to the movies, we see smooth continuous motion rather than a series of still images because of which process? a. The phi phenomenon b. Perceptual set c. Stroboscopic movement d. Relative motion e. Illusory effect
c. Stroboscopic movement
What is the purpose of the iris? a. To focus light on the retina b. To process color c. To allow light into the eye d. To enable night vision e. To detect specific shapes
c. To allow light into the eye
Which of the following represents perceptual constancy? a. We recognize the taste of McDonald's food each time we eat it. b. In photos of people, the people almost always are perceived as figure and everything else as ground. c. We know that the color of a printed page has not changed as it moves from sunlight into 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. We know that the color of a printed page has not changed as it moves from sunlight into shadow
What type of hearing loss is due to damage to the mechanism that transmits sound waves to the cochlea? a. Sensorineural b. Window-related c. Conduction d. Cochlear e. Basilar
c. conduction
The inner ear consists of
cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
Neurons that fire in response to specific edges,lines, angles, and movements are called what? a. Rods b. Cones c. Ganglion cells d. Feature detectors e. Bipolar cells
d. Feature detectors
What do we call the specialized neurons in the occipital lobe's visual cortex that respond to particular edges, lines, angles, and movements? a. Rods b. Cones c. Foveas d. Feature detectors e. Ganglion cells
d. Feature detectors
Pitch depends on which of the following? a. Amplitude of a sound wave b. Number of hair cells stimulated c. Strength of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve d. Number of sound waves that reach the ear in a given time e. Decibles of a sound wave
d. Number of sound waves that reach the ear in a given time
Which of the following is produced by perceptual set? a. Not noticing that the songs change in a restaurant b. Noticing a difference in the weight of a friend from one week to the next c. Moving an arm quickly so that a mosquito flies away d. Surprise at hearing an Oklahoma cowboy speak with a British accent e. Not noticing a watch on your wrist as the day goes on
d. Surprise at hearing an Oklahoma cowboy speak with a British accent
What occurs when experiences influence our interpretation of data? a. Selective attention b. Transduction c. Bottom-up processing d. Top-down processing e. Signal detection theory
d. Top-down processing
The process by which rods and cones change electromagnetic energy into neural messages is called what? a. Adaption b. Accommodation c. Parallel processing d. Transduction e. Perceptual setting
d. Transduction
Which perception process are the hammer, anvil, and stirrup involved in? a. Processing intense colors b. Processing information related to our sense of balance c. Supporting a structural frame to hold the eardrum d. Transmitting sound waves to the cochlea e. Holding hair cells that enable hearing
d. Transmitting sound waves to the cochlea
Which of the following best 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 friend 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
d. a cook can just barely taste the salt she has added to her soup
The 3 small bones of the ear are located in the a. cochlea b. outer ear c. inner ear d. middle ear e. auditory nerve
d. middle ear
Monocular cues
depth cues, such as interposition and linear perspective, available to either eye alone
Binocular cues
depth cues, such as retinal disparity, that depend on the use of 2 eyes
What principle states that to be perceived as different, two stimuli must differ by a minimum percentage rather than a constant amount? a. Absolute threshold b. Different threshold c. Signal detection theory d. Primimg e. Weber's law
e. Weber's law
Bryanna and Charles are in a dancing competition. It is easy for spectators to see them against the dance floor because of a. the visual cliff b. the phi phenomenon c. color constancy d. sensory restriction e. figure-ground relationships
e. figure-ground relationships
Tyshane went swimming with friends who did not want to get into the pool because the water felt cold. Tyshane jumped in and after a few minutes declared, "It was cold when I first got in, but now my body is used to it. Come on in!" Tyshane's body became accustomed to the water due to a. Perceptual set b. Absolute threshold c. Difference threshold d. selective attention e. sensory adaption
e. sensory adaption
Change blindness
failing to notice changes in the environment
Inattentional blindness
failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere
Sensorineural hearing loss
hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea's receptor cells or to the auditory nerves; also called nerve deafness
Conduction hearing loss
hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea
Place theory
in hearing, the theory that links the pitch we hear with the place where the cochlea's membrane is stimulated
Frequency theory
in hearing, the theory that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up to the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, thus enabling us to sense its pitch
Embodied cognition
in psychological science, the influence of bodily sensations, gestures, and other states on cognitive preferences and judgments
Perceptual adaption
in vision, the ability to adjust to adjust to an artificially displaced or even inverted visual field
Color constancy
perceiving familiar objects as having consistent color, even if changing illumination alters the wavelengths reflected by the object
Rods
retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray; necessary for peripheral and twilight vision, when cones don't respond
Depth perception
the ability to see objects in 3 dimensions although the images that strike the retina are 2-dimensional; allows us to judge distance
Priming
the activation, often unconsciously, of certain associations, thus predisposing one's perception, memory, or response
Pupil
the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters
Intensity
the amount of energy in a light or sound wave, which we perceive as brightness or loudness, as determined by the wave's amplitude
Fovea
the central focal point in the retina, around which the eye's cones cluster
Middle ear
the chamber between the eardrum and cochlea containing 3 tiny bones (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) that concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval impulses
Extrasensory Perception (ESP)
the controversial claim that perception can occur apart from sensory input; includes telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition
Hue
the dimension of color that is determined by the wavelength of light
Selective attention
the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus
Inner ear
the innermost part of the ear, containing the cochlea, semicircular canals, and vestibular sacs
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 psychokinesis
Psychophysics
the study of relationships between the physical characteristics of stimuli, such as their intensity, and our psychological experience of them
Kinesthesia
the system for sensing the position and movement of individual body parts
Opponent-process theory
the theory that opposing retinal processes (red-green, yellow-blue, white-black) enable color vision
Young-Helmholtz trichromatic (three-color) therapy
the theory that the retina contains 3 different color receptors - one more sensitive to red, one to green, one to blue - which, when stimulated in combination, can produce the perception of any color
Lens
the transparent structure behind the pupil that changes shape to help focus images on the retina
