Deck 18: A: Vision and Perceptual Organization and Interpretation

Question 1

The receptor cells that convert light energy into neural signals are called

A) bipolar cells.
B) ganglion cells.
C) rods and cones.
D) feature detectors.

Answer 1

rods and cones.

Question 2

The most light-sensitive receptor cells are the

A) ganglion cells.
B) cones.
C) bipolar cells.
D) rods.

Answer 2

rods.

Question 3

Compared with rods, cones are

A) more sensitive to dim light and more sensitive to fine detail.
B) less sensitive to dim light and less sensitive to fine detail.
C) more sensitive to dim light and less sensitive to fine detail.
D) less sensitive to dim light and more sensitive to fine detail.

Answer 3

less sensitive to dim light and more sensitive to fine detail.

Question 4

The nerve cells that respond to specific aspects of a visual stimulus, such as its shape or its movement, are

A) bipolar cells.
B) rods and cones.
C) ganglion cells.
D) feature detectors.

Question 5

The iris constricts in response to visible ________ light waves.

A) low-frequency
B) low-amplitude
C) high-frequency
D) high-amplitude

Question 6

Green light is

A) longer in wavelength than yellow light.
B) shorter in wavelength than blue light.
C) longer in wavelength than orange light.
D) shorter in wavelength than red light.

Question 7

Intensity is to brightness as wavelength is to

A) accommodation.
B) frequency.
C) amplitude.
D) hue.

Question 8

The amplitude of electromagnetic waves determines the ________ of light.

A) absolute threshold
B) brightness
C) hue
D) wavelength

Question 9

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

A) pupil.
B) cornea.
C) retina.
D) iris.

Question 10

Any given area of the retina relays its information to a corresponding location in the

A) hypothalamus.
B) oval window.
C) occipital lobe.
D) cerebellum.

Question 11

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

A) blind spot.
B) visual cortex.
C) cornea.
D) lens.

Question 12

Bipolar cells are located in the

A) optic nerve.
B) retina.
C) blind spot.
D) lens.

Question 13

Damage to the fovea would have the GREATEST effect on

A) night vision.
B) peripheral vision.
C) detecting fine detail.
D) sensory adaptation.

Question 14

Feature detectors in the visual cortex pass visual information received from ganglion cells to other cortical areas where complex patterns are processed by

A) bipolar cells.
B) supercell clusters.
C) the optic nerve.
D) opponent-process cells.

Question 15

The adjustable opening in the center of the eye is the

A) fovea.
B) iris.
C) cornea.
D) pupil.

Question 16

Dilation and constriction of the pupil are controlled by the

A) optic nerve.
B) lens.
C) retina.
D) iris.

Question 17

The iris is a doughnut-shaped ring of muscle that adjusts the size of the

A) cochlea.
B) cornea.
C) pupil.
D) lens.

Question 18

The roll of feature detector cells in the processing of visual information was first demonstrated by

A) Young and Helmholtz.
B) Melzack and Wall.
C) Hubel and Wiesel.
D) Gibson and Walk.

Question 19

Under very dim levels of illumination

A) rods reach their maximum light sensitivity more rapidly than do cones.
B) rods are more light sensitive than cones.
C) it is particularly important to look straight at the objects we want to see.
D) all of these statements are true.

Question 20

The process by which the lens changes shape to focus the image of an object on the retina is called

A) interposition.
B) accommodation.
C) transduction.
D) feature detection.

Question 21

When you look at a vertical line, you are probably activating different ________ than when you look at a horizontal line.

A) feature detectors
B) opponent processes
C) sensory thresholds
D) hair cells

Question 22

A floating ship is to the ocean water as ________ is to ________.

A) closure; continuity
B) brightness constancy; relative height
C) figure; ground
D) proximity; interposition

Question 23

Who best illustrated that the perceived whole differs from the sum of its parts?

A) evolutionary psychologists
B) parapsychologists
C) behaviorists
D) Gestalt psychologists

Question 24

People are more likely to perceive a figure and ground illustration as reversible if they are told it is reversible. This best illustrates the importance of

A) interposition.
B) retinal disparity.
C) perceptual adaptation.
D) top-down processing.

Question 25

The perceptual tendency to group together stimuli that are near each other is called

A) interposition.
B) continuity.
C) proximity.
D) closure.

Question 26

The importance of parallel processing is best illustrated by

A) sensory adaptation.
B) Weber's law.
C) blindsight.
D) accommodation.

Question 27

Because the football game was interrupted by a long half-time, 5-year-old Mark mistakenly concluded that the first and second halves of play were two different games. His experience best illustrates the organizational principle of

A) continuity.
B) proximity.
C) interposition.
D) closure.

Question 28

Gestalt psychologists emphasized that

A) perception is independent of sensation.
B) we learn to perceive the world through experience.
C) sensation and perception are identical processes.
D) we organize sensory information into meaningful forms.

Question 29

The ability to almost instantly recognize a familiar face best illustrates the value of

A) the phi phenomenon.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) parallel processing.
D) sensory interaction.

Question 30

Experiencing a green afterimage of a red object is most easily explained by

A) the opponent-process theory.
B) signal detection theory.
C) the Young-Helmholtz theory.
D) frequency theory.

Question 31

Which psychologists focused on principles of perceptual organization?

A) behaviorists
B) psychoanalysts
C) Gestalt psychologists
D) parapsychologists

Question 32

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

A) yellow.
B) red.
C) green.
D) blue.

Question 33

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

A) kinesthesis.
B) parallel processing.
C) subliminal perception.
D) blindsight.

Question 34

According to the Young-Helmholtz theory

A) the retina contains three kinds of color receptors.
B) color vision depends on pairs of opposing retinal processes.
C) the size of the difference threshold is proportional to the intensity of the stimulus.
D) certain nerve cells in the brain respond to specific features of a stimulus.

Question 35

Although several students in the classroom are talking loudly, Jim's attention is focused on what his girlfriend is saying. In this instance, the girlfriend's voice is a

A) figure.
B) gestalt.
C) perceptual set.
D) perceptual adaptation.

Question 36

The Gestalt principle of proximity refers to way in which we

A) adapt to perceptual changes.
B) activate meaningful perceptual sets.
C) organize stimuli into coherent groups.
D) see objects in three dimensions.

Question 37

According to the opponent-process theory, cells that are turned "on" by ________ light are turned "off" by ________ light.

A) red; blue
B) blue; green
C) yellow; green
D) yellow; blue

Question 38

The principles of continuity and closure best illustrate the importance of

A) perceptual adaptation.
B) retinal disparity.
C) perceptual constancy.
D) top-down processing.

Question 39

After suffering stroke damage to specific areas of her brain, Mrs. M. cannot visually perceive the motion of objects, though she can visually perceive their form, color, and depth. Her experience best illustrates the role of ________ in visual perception.

A) sensory adaptation
B) retinal disparity
C) parallel processing
D) kinesthesis

Question 40

People who lack color receptors for the wavelengths of red are most likely to experience

A) prosopagnosia.
B) blindsight.
C) dichromatic vision.
D) tinnitus.

Question 41

When viewing an object, we typically assume that the light originates from ________ the object.

A) behind
B) in front of
C) above
D) below

Question 42

The perception that a cartoon character is hopping across a movie screen best illustrates

A) the McGurk effect.
B) retinal disparity.
C) the volley principle.
D) stroboscopic movement.

Question 43

Distant trees were located closer to the top of the artist's canvas than were the nearby flowers. The artist was clearly using the distance known as

A) linear perspective.
B) closure.
C) relative height.
D) interposition.

Question 44

The organization of two-dimensional retinal images into three-dimensional perceptions is called

A) retinal disparity.
B) depth perception.
C) perceptual constancy.
D) sensory interaction.

Question 45

Relative motion provides a cue for perceiving the ________ of objects.

A) weight
B) speed
C) distance
D) shape

Question 46

The tendency to see complete letters on a neon sign, even though some of the bulbs are burned out, illustrates the principle of

A) closure.
B) relative luminance.
C) proximity.
D) continuity.

Question 47

The seeming convergence of parallel lines provides the distance cue known as

A) interposition.
B) closure.
C) linear perspective.
D) continuity.

Question 48

Infants are especially likely to avoid crawling over the edge of a visual cliff if they

A) have a lot of previous crawling experience.
B) have little previous experience with heights.
C) lack a capacity for psychokinesis.
D) lack vision in one eye.

Question 49

If all the following oncoming vehicles were traveling at the same speed, which would most likely be perceived as moving the most slowly?

A) a car
B) a train
C) a bus
D) a motorcycle

Question 50

Interposition is a cue for depth perception in which closer objects

A) create larger retinal images than do distant objects.
B) obstruct our view of distant objects.
C) reflect more light to our eyes than do distant objects.
D) appear lower in the horizontal plane than do distant objects.

Question 51

During a radio ad, listeners are repeatedly asked, "What would life be without Fletchers Ice Cream?" At the end of the ad, the same question is cleverly interrupted immediately after the word "without." At that point, many listeners mentally respond with the words "Fletchers Ice Cream." Their response best illustrates the principle of

A) closure.
B) proximity.
C) interposition.
D) perceptual adaptation.

Question 52

We compute motion based on the assumption that shrinking objects are

A) schemas.
B) retreating.
C) binocular cues.
D) fixation points.

Question 53

The apparent narrowing of a river as it flows directly away from you into the distance best illustrates the depth cue known as

A) interposition.
B) closure.
C) relative motion.
D) linear perspective.

Question 54

Renny knew the red tulip was closer to her than the yellow tulip because the red one cast a larger retinal image than the yellow one. This illustrates the importance of the distance cue known as

A) relative size.
B) interposition.
C) proximity.
D) relative height.

Question 55

A 3D movie enhances our sense of depth perception by exaggerating normal

A) interposition.
B) retinal disparity.
C) linear perspective.
D) perceptual constancy.

Question 56

Depth perception that uses information transmitted to only one eye depends on

A) relative luminance.
B) stroboscopic movement.
C) brightness constancy.
D) monocular cues.

Question 57

The illusion of movement in animated neon signs is known as

A) interposition.
B) relative motion.
C) the McGurk effect.
D) the phi phenomenon.

Question 58

Experiments with the visual cliff suggest that

A) newborn chicks cannot recognize depth.
B) binocular cues are more important than monocular cues.
C) biological maturation predisposes us to be wary of height.
D) unlike other animals, humans do not perceive depth until about 8 months of age.

Question 59

The principle of continuity refers to the perceptual tendency to

A) group things that are near each other.
B) group stimuli into smooth, uninterrupted patterns.
C) fill in gaps so as to perceive a complete, whole object.
D) generate reversible figure-ground patterns.

Question 60

Which of the following is a binocular cue for the perception of distance?

A) relative size
B) retinal disparity
C) relative motion
D) linear perspective

Question 61

Relative luminance most clearly contributes to

A) the phi phenomenon.
B) brightness constancy.
C) the Moon illusion.
D) the McGurk effect.

Question 62

Perceiving a dinner plate as having consistent shape, size, and color regardless of the angle, distance, and lighting conditions from which we view it is known as

A) the phi phenomenon.
B) interposition.
C) shape constancy.
D) retinal disparity.

Question 63

Mr. Watkins had been blind from birth. While corrective eye surgery enabled him to see, he was unable to visually distinguish a spoon from a key. This fact would serve to support the position advanced by

A) Kant.
B) Gestalt psychologists.
C) Locke.
D) parapsychologists.

Question 64

Shape constancy refers to our perception of an object as unchanging in shape regardless of changes in the

A) angle from which we view the object.
B) distance from which we view the object.
C) color of the object.
D) luminance of the object.

Question 65

In the historical controversy over the dynamics of perception, ________ was to nature as ________ was to nurture.

A) continuity; closure
B) Helmholtz; Hering
C) linear perspective; interposition
D) Kant; Locke

Question 66

After corrective eye surgery, adults blind from birth are likely to have the greatest difficulty in visually distinguishing between stimuli that differ in

A) color.
B) brightness.
C) shape.
D) size.

Question 67

If two different stars cast retinal images of the same size, the star that appears to be

A) brighter is likely to be perceived as larger than the one that appears to be dimmer.
B) moving is likely to be perceived as larger than the one that appears to be stationary.
C) farther away is likely to be perceived as larger than the one that appears to be closer.
D) high in the sky is likely to be perceived as larger than the one that appears to be near the horizon.

Question 68

The philosopher Immanuel Kant emphasized that

A) perception is the same as sensation.
B) we learn to perceive the world through experience.
C) the whole is equal to the sum of its parts.
D) perception depends on innate ways of organizing sensory experience.

Question 69

Perceptual adaptation refers to the

A) grouping of stimuli into smooth, uninterrupted patterns.
B) processing of information without conscious awareness.
C) perception of an object as unchanging in shape regardless of our own viewing angle.
D) perceptual adjustment to an artificially displaced visual field.

Question 70

Who emphasized that perceptions are learned through experience?

A) Immanuel Kant
B) Gestalt psychologists
C) John Locke
D) Ernst Weber

Question 71

Brightness constancy refers to the fact that

A) the frequency of light waves has a fixed relationship to the brightness of the light.
B) objects are perceived to have consistent lightness even if the amount of light they reflect changes.
C) light waves reflected by an object remain constant despite changes in illumination levels.
D) the perceived whiteness of an object has a constant relation to its lightness.

Question 72

The Moon just above the horizon typically appears to be unusually

A) large because we perceive it as unusually close to ourselves.
B) bright because we perceive it as unusually close to ourselves.
C) large because we perceive it as unusually far away from ourselves.
D) bright because we perceive it as unusually far away from ourselves.

Question 73

The distorted room illusion involving two girls who are perceived as very different in size can best be explained in terms of

A) shape constancy.
B) retinal disparity.
C) the principle of continuity.
D) the misperception of distance.

Question 74

We automatically perceive distinct words when listening to a flow of conversation in our own language. This best illustrates

A) telekinesis.
B) interposition.
C) the phi phenomenon.
D) perceptual organization.

Question 75

The phenomenon of color constancy best demonstrates that

A) an object's perceived color is influenced by its surrounding objects.
B) the brain processes information about color and shape simultaneously.
C) quivering eye movements help to maintain the perception of color.
D) color vision depends on pairs of opposing retinal processes.

Question 76

As Sherod walked away from the camera, the image of his body filled a smaller area of the television screen. Nevertheless, viewers did not perceive Sherod as suddenly shrinking. This illustrates

A) perceptual adaptation.
B) size constancy.
C) closure.
D) interposition.

Question 77

The visually perceived distance between ourselves and an object provides an important cue for our perception of the object's

A) brightness.
B) shape.
C) color.
D) size.

Question 78

When visually restricted infant monkeys were first allowed to see, they could not visually distinguish

A) between dim and bright lights.
B) between different-colored objects.
C) figures from backgrounds.
D) circles from squares.

Question 79

On a cloudy day, a yellow flower is likely to appear ________ it does on a bright sunny day.

A) less yellow than
B) equally as yellow as
C) more yellow than
D) whiter than

Question 80

The Moon illusion can best be explained in terms of the relationship between

A) relative motion and relative height.
B) perceived distance and perceived size.
C) proximity and closure.
D) atmospheric air pressure and diffusion of light waves.