Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

1. Which of the following is true about rods and cones?

a. Rods facilitate black and white vision and cones facilitate color vision.

b. Both rods and cones are mostly concentrated at the periphery of the retina.

c. Both rods and cones are concentrated mostly at the blind spot of the retina.

d. Rods and cones are distributed evenly throughout the retina.

e. Rods are more useful than cones for perception in well-lit areas.

2. After constant exposure to a stimulus, our nerve cells fire less frequently. This can be explained by which of the following?

a. Weber’s lawb. Sensory adaptationc. Signal detectiond. Absolute threshold sensitivitye. The phi phenomenon

3. Keisha recently lost sight in her left eye. In which of the following situations would Keisha not be able to judge depth?

a. Looking down a railroad track as it disappears in the distance.

b. Looking at a train window at passing scenery.

c. Throwing a ball to a friend.d. Watching two people approach from

different distances.e. Watching a crowd of children play in a

school yard.

4. The ability of the human visual system to barely detect a candle flame at a distance of about 30 miles on a clear, dark night is an example of

a. An absolute thresholdb. A difference thresholdc. A just noticeable differenced. Weber’s lawe. Fechner’s law

5. The gate control theory attempts to explain how

a. The brain analyzes patterns by analyzing changes in brightness over broad areas.

b. Filtering of excess information results in reduced response to constant stimulation.

c. The nervous system blocks or allows pain signals to pass to the brain.

d. Differing regions of the tongue are more sensitive to different tastes

e. Chemicals released by one animal can shape the behaviors of a second animal of the same species.

6. Our sense of smell may be a powerful trigger for memories because

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

a. We are conditioned at bight to make strong connections between smells and events.

b. The never connecting the olfactory bulb sends impulses directly to the limbic system.

c. The receptors at the top of each nostril connect with the cortex.

d. Smell is a powerful cue for encoding memories into long term memory.

e. Strong smells encourage us to process events deeply so they will most likely be remembered.

7. The cochlea is responsible for

a. Protecting the surface of the eye.b. Transmitting vibrations received by the

eardrum to the hammer, anvil and stirrup.

c. Transforming vibrations to neural impulses.

d. Coordinating impulses from the rods and cones in the retina.

e. Sending messages to the brain about orientation of the head and body.

8. In a perception research lab, you are asked to describe the shape of the top of a box as the box is slowly rotated. Which concepts are researchers most likely investigating?

a. Feature detection in the retinab. Feature detection in the occipital lobec. Placement of rods and cones in the

retinad. Binocular depth cues e. Shape constancy

9. The blind spot in our eye results from

a. The lack of receptors at the spot where the optic nerve connects to the retina.

b. The shadow the pupil makes on the retina.

c. Competing process between the visual cortices in the left and right hemisphere.

d. Floating debris in the space between the lens and the retina.

e. Retinal damage from bright light.

10. Smell and taste are called ________ because

a. Energy senses; they send impulses to the brain in the form of electric energy.

b. Chemical senses; they detect chemicals in what we taste and smell.

c. Flavor senses; smell and taste combine to create flavor.

d. Chemical senses; they send impulses in the form of chemical senses.

e. Memory senses; they both have powerful connections to memory.

11. What is the principal difference between amplitude and frequency in the context of sound waves?

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

a. Amplitude is the tone of timbre of a sound, whereas frequency is the pitch.

b. Amplitude is detected in the cochlea, whereas frequency is detected in the auditory cortex.

c. Amplitude is the height of the sound wave; whereas frequency is a measure of how frequently sound waves pass a given point.

d. Both measure qualities of sounds, but frequency is a more accurate measure since it measures the shape of the waves rather than the strength of the waves.

e. Frequency is a measure for light waves, whereas amplitude is a measure for sound waves.

12. Weber’s law determines

a. Absolute thresholdb. Focal length of the eyec. Level of subliminal messagesd. Amplitude of sound wavese. Just noticeable difference

13. Gate-control theory refers to

a. Which sensory impulses are transmitted first from each sense.

b. Which pain messages are perceived.c. Interfering sounds waves, causing some

waves to be undetected.d. The date at the optic chiasm controlling

the destination hemisphere for the visual information from each eye.

e. How our minds choose to use either bottom-up or top-down processing.

14. If you had sight in only one eye, which of the following depth cues could you NOT use?

a. Texture gradientb. Convergencec. Linear perspectived. Interpositione. Shading

15. Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between sensation and perception?

a. Sensation is a strictly mechanical process, whereas perception is a cognitive process.

b. Perception is an advanced form of sensation.

c. Sensation happens in the brain, whereas perception happens in the neurons.

d. Sensation is detecting stimuli, perception is interpreting stimuli.

e. Sensation involves learning and expectations, perception does not.

16. What function does the retina serve?

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

a. The retina contains the visual receptor cells.

b. The retina focuses light coming in the eye through the lens.

c. The retina determines how much light comes into the eye.

d. The retina determines which rods and cones will be activated by incoming light.

e. The retina connects the two optic nerves and sends impulses to the left and right visual cortices.

17. Color blindness and color afterimages are best explained by what theory of color vision?

a. The Young-Helmhotz trichromatic theory

b. Visible hue theoryc. Opponent-process theoryd. Dichromatic theorye. Binocular disparity theory

18. You are shown a picture of your grandfather’s face, but the eyes and mouth are blocked out. You still recognize the picture of your grandfather. Which type of processing best explains this example of perception?

a. Bottom-up processingb. Signal detection theoryc. Top-down processingd. Opponent-process theorye. Gestalt replacement theory

19. What behavior would be difficult without our vestibular sense?

a. Integrating what we see and hearb. Writing our namesc. Repeating a list of digitsd. Walking a straight line with our eyes

closede. Reporting to a researching the exact

position and orientation of our limbs.

20. Which of the following best describes the relationship between culture and perception?

a. Our perceptual cues are inborn and not affected by culture.

b. Perceptual rules are culturally based, so rules that apply to one culture rarely apply to another.

c. Most perceptual cues apply in all cultures, but some perceptual rules are learned and vary between cultures.

d. Slight variations in sensory apparatuses among cultures create slight differences in perception.

e. The process involved in perception are genetically based, so genetic differences among cultures affect perception.

21. Feature detectors

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

a. Are retinal cells that allow you to see in dim light and are located in the periphery of the eye.

b. Combine to form the optic nerve, which sends visual information to the brain.

c. Are primarily located in the fovea.d. Are nerve cells in the brain's visual

cortex that fire in response to specific edges, lines, and angles.

e. Cause the lens to change its curvature in response to incoming light waves.

22. The ability to simultaneously recognize the color, shape, size, and speed of an oncoming automobile best illustrates

a. Sensory interaction.b. Kinesthesis.c. Parallel processing.d. Subliminal perception.e. Blind sight.

23. Evidence that some cones are especially sensitive to red light, others to green light, and still others to blue light is most directly supportive of the ________ theory.

a. frequencyb. Young-Helmholtzc. gate-controld. opponent-processe. signal detection

24. When most people stare at a red square and then shift their eyes to a white surface, the afterimage of the square is

a. Yellowb. Redc. Greend. Bluee. White

25. The area of the retina where the optic nerve leaves the eye is called the

a. Blind spot.b. Pupil.c. Visual cortex.d. Cornea.e. Lens.

26. The most light-sensitive receptor cells in the eye are the

a. Ganglion cells.b. Cones.c. Bipolar cells.d. Rods.e. Iris.

27. The process by which our sensory systems convert stimulus energies into neural messages is called

a. Priming.b. Sensory adaptation.c. Transduction.d. Parallel processing.e. Sensory interaction.

28. A subliminal message is one that is presented

a. While an individual is under hypnosis.

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

b. Below one's absolute threshold for awareness.

c. In a manner that is unconsciously persuasive.

d. With very soft background music.e. Repetitiously.

29. During a hearing test, many sounds were presented at such a low level of intensity that Mr. Antall could hardly detect them. These sounds were below Mr. Antall's

a. Subliminal threshold.b. Absolute threshold.c. Adaptation threshold.d. Difference threshold.e. Auditory threshold.

30. While playing tennis you need to know where your limbs are located so you can move them into the right positions to run or swing your racket. Which of the following senses provides this information?

a. auditionb. vestibularc. kinesthesisd. gustatione. olfaction

31. Which of the following play the biggest role in our feeling dizzy and unbalanced after a thrilling roller coaster ride?

a. olfactory receptors

b. feature detectorsc. basilar membranesd. semicircular canalse. eardrum

32. The ability to pay attention to only one voice at a time is called

a. Gestalt.b. Change blindness.c. Frequency.d. The cocktail party effect.e. Sensory interaction

33. The light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the rods and cones, is the

a. fovea.b. optic nerve.c. cornea.d. retina.e. iris.

34. After listening to your high-volume car stereo for 15 minutes, you fail to realize how loudly the music is blasting. This best illustrates

a. Weber's law.b. Accommodation.c. Sensory adaptation.d. The volley principle.e. Transduction.

35. With her eyes closed, Sierra can accurately touch her mouth, nose, and chin with her index finger. Sierra's accuracy illustrates the importance of

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

a. Accommodation.b. Kinesthesis.c. Sensory interaction.d. Sensory adaptation.e. Feature detectors.

36. Figures tend to be perceived as whole, complete objects, even if spaces or gaps exist in the representation, thus demonstrating the principle of:

a. Connectedness.b. Similarity.c. Continuity.d. Proximity.e. Closure.

37. When we stare at an object, each eye receives a slightly different image, providing a depth cue known as:

a. Convergence.b. Linear perspective.c. Relative motion.d. Retinal disparity.e. Proximity

38. As your teacher dims the lights to show a movie clip, you still perceive your friend's shirt as red. Which of the following best explains this phenomenon?

a. Lightness constancyb. Perceptual adaptationc. Color constancyd. Context effectse. Perceptual set

39. Color constancy refers to the fact that

a. Light waves reflected by an object remain constant despite changes in lighting.

b. Objects are perceived to be the same color even if the light they reflect changes.

c. The perceived color of an object has a constant relation to its brightness.

d. The frequency of light waves is directly proportional to the light's wavelength.

e. Colors remain the same hue even when the tint changes under our difference threshold.

40. The sequentially flashing Christmas tree lights appeared to generate pulsating waves of motion. This best illustrates

a. Relative motion.b. Retinal disparity.c. The phi phenomenon.d. Frequency theory.e. Perceptual adaptation.

41. Which theory emphasizes that personal expectations and motivations influence the level of absolute thresholds?

a. Signal detection theoryb. Frequency theoryc. Opponent-process theory

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

d. Place theorye. Bottom-up theory

42. Because she was listening to the news on the radio, Mrs. Schultz didn't perceive a word her husband was saying. Her experience best illustrates

a. Gate-control theory.b. Choice blindness.c. Gestalt.d. Selective attention.e. Opponent-process theory.

43. As the retinal image of a horse galloping toward you becomes larger, it is unlikely that the horse will appear to grow larger. This best illustrates the phenomenon of

a. Binocular cues.b. Size constancy.c. Closure.d. Convergence.e. Linear perspective.

44. Which structure is found in the middle ear?

a. Stirrupb. Auditory nervec. Cochlead. Organ of Cortie. Pinna

45. Five-year-old Oliva has never been outside her neighborhood in New York City. Walking home from school one day, Olivia saw a cow standing in the middle of a cement baseball field. To recognize the cow, Olivia most likely had to rely on

a. Signal detection theoryb. Perceptual set c. Top-down processingd. Brightness constancye. Bottom- up processing

46. After staring at a painting of a red and yellow parrot in a birdcage for a full minute, Sarah turns her gaze to an empty birdcage painted on a white wall. What will she see in the empty cage?

a. Nothing, just an empty cage.b. The red and yellow parrot.c. A green and blue parrot.d. A green and blue parrot.e. A red and green parrot.

47. Pumpkins appear orange because they

a. Reflect orange lightb. Absorb orange lightc. Transduce orange lightd. Reflect red light and absorb yellow lighte. Reflect yellow light and absorb red light

48. In humans, the most dominating sense is

a. Hearingb. Tastec. Smelld. Touch

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

e. Vision

49. Information from the optic nerve first processes in what part of the brain?

a. Occipital lobeb. Temporal lobec. Hypothalamusd. Thalamuse. Cerebral cortex

50. A research study establishes that most people can taste one gram of salt in one quart of water. Which of the following concepts is most closely related to the goal of this study?

a. Difference thresholdb. Absolute thresholdc. Taste constancyd. Sensory adaptatione. Perceptual adaptation

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

 Free Response Question

A soldier is assigned to keep watch over his base camp at night. If he detects any signs of trouble he is to report it to his commanding officer. If he does not detect an intruder in time, he and his fellow soldiers may be attacked. Define each of the following structures / concepts and describe how each would affect the soldier’s ability to do his job.

Sensory AdaptationSignal detection theory Rods Occipital lobeCochleaConductive deafnessRetinal disparityAbsolute threshold