Deck 6: Perception

Question 1

Grass seen through sunglasses appears equally as green as it does without glasses. This best illustrates

A) Weber's law.
B) sensory interaction.
C) accommodation.
D) color constancy.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Holding a heavy rather than a light clipboard leads people to perceive job candidates as more important. This best illustrates

A) Weber's law.
B) telekinesis.
C) embodied cognition.
D) the McGurk effect.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The distance between our right and left eyes functions to provide us with a cue for depth perception known as

A) proximity.
B) interposition.
C) retinal disparity.
D) linear perspective.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Rules for organizing stimuli into coherent groups were first identified by

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

Question 5

Which of the following types of cells are located in the brain's visual cortex?

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

Question 6

Psychics are unable to make millions of dollars betting on horse races. This undermines their claims to possess the power of

A) clairvoyance.
B) interposition.
C) precognition.
D) telepathy.

Question 7

After some practice, Carol was able to read books while holding them upside down. This best illustrates

A) perceptual adaptation.
B) perceptual constancy.
C) interposition.
D) sensory interaction.

Question 8

Damage to the basilar membrane is most likely to affect one's

A) vision.
B) audition.
C) sense of smell.
D) vestibular sense.

Question 9

Railroad tracks appear to converge in the distance. This provides a cue for depth perception known as

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

Question 10

Interpreting new sensory information within the framework of a past memory illustrates

A) accommodation.
B) top-down processing.
C) Weber's law.
D) sensory adaptation.

Question 11

A door casts an increasingly trapezoidal image on our retinas as it opens, yet we still perceive it as rectangular. This illustrates

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

Question 12

The sensory experience of bending one's knees or raising one's arms exemplifies

A) the vestibular sense.
B) top-down processing.
C) sensory interaction.
D) kinesthesis.

Question 13

The central focal point in the retina where cones are heavily concentrated is known as the

A) lens.
B) optic nerve.
C) cornea.
D) fovea.

Question 14

Multiple ________ send combined messages to a bipolar cell, whereas a single ________ may link directly to a single bipolar cell.

A) rods; cone
B) cones; rod
C) hair cells; basilar membrane
D) basilar membranes; hair cell

Question 15

A subliminal message is one that is presented

A) below one's absolute threshold for awareness.
B) in a manner that is unconsciously persuasive.
C) with very soft background music.
D) repetitiously.

Question 16

The cochlea is a

A) fluid-filled tube in which sound waves trigger nerve impulses.
B) fluid-filled tube that provides a sense of upright body position.
C) fluid-filled tube that provides a sense of body movement.
D) set of three tiny bones that amplify the vibrations of the earndrum.

Question 17

If you move your watchband up your wrist an inch or so, you will feel it for only a few moments. This best illustrates

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

Question 18

Nociceptors initiate the sensation of

A) color.
B) pitch.
C) taste.
D) pain.

Question 19

Immanuel Kant and John Locke would have been most likely to disagree about the extent to which perception is influenced by

A) cultural experience.
B) retinal disparity.
C) accommodation.
D) relative luminance.

Question 20

The size of the difference threshold is greater for heavier objects than for lighter ones. This best illustrates

A) sensory interaction.
B) the volley principle.
C) Weber's law.
D) the opponent-process theory.

Question 21

According to the philosopher ________, we learn to perceive the world.

A) Locke
B) Kant
C) Gibson
D) Walk

Question 22

The opponent-process theory is most useful for explaining a characteristic of

A) phantom limb sensations.
B) Weber's law.
C) accommodation.
D) afterimages.

Question 23

The depth cue that occurs when we watch stable objects at different distances as we are moving is

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

Question 24

The way in which you quickly group the individual letters in this test item into separate words best illustrates the principle of

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

Question 25

The inner ear contains receptors for

A) audition and kinesthesis.
B) kinesthesis and the vestibular sense.
C) audition and the vestibular sense.
D) audition, kinesthesis, and the vestibular sense.

Question 26

The wavelength of light determines its

A) retinal disparity.
B) brightness.
C) amplitude.
D) hue.

Question 27

The Moon illusion refers to our tendency to perceive the Moon as unusually

A) large when it is near the horizon.
B) large when it is high in the sky.
C) bright when it is near the horizon.
D) bright when it is high in the sky.

Question 28

All of the following are laws of perceptual organization EXCEPT

A) proximity.
B) closure.
C) continuity.
D) retinal disparity.

Question 29

Concerning the evidence for subliminal stimulation, which of the following is the best answer?

A) The brain processes some information without our awareness.
B) Stimuli too weak to cross our thresholds for awareness may trigger a response in our sense receptors.
C) Because the absolute threshold is a statistical average, we are able to detect weaker stimuli some of the time.
D) All of these statements are true.

Question 30

Some stroke victims lose the capacity to perceive motion but retain the capacity to perceive shapes and colors. Others lose the capacity to perceive colors but retain the capacity to perceive movement and form. These peculiar visual disabilities best illustrate our normal capacity for

A) sensory adaptation.
B) parallel processing.
C) sensory interaction.
D) accommodation.

Question 31

The fact that we recognize objects as having a consistent form regardless of changing viewing angles illustrates

A) interposition.
B) the phi phenomenon.
C) perceptual constancy.
D) the McGurk effect.

Question 32

In the opponent-process theory, the three pairs of processes are

A) red-green, blue-yellow, black-white.
B) red-blue, green-yellow, black-white.
C) red-yellow, blue-green, black-white.
D) dependent upon the individual's experience.

Question 33

Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by

A) wax buildup in the outer ear.
B) damage to the eardrum.
C) blockage in the middle ear because of infection.
D) damage to the cochlea.

Question 34

Given normal sensory ability, a person standing atop a mountain on a dark, clear night can see a candle flame atop a mountain 30 miles away. This is a description of vision's

A) difference threshold.
B) jnd.
C) absolute threshold.
D) feature detection.

Question 35

Studies of the visual cliff have provided evidence that much of depth perception is

A) innate.
B) learned.
C) innate in lower animals, learned in humans.
D) innate in humans, learned in lower animals.

Question 36

Hubel and Wiesel discovered feature detectors in the visual

A) fovea.
B) optic nerve.
C) iris.
D) cortex.

Question 37

According to the opponent-process theory

A) there are three types of color-sensitive cones.
B) the process of color vision begins in the cortex.
C) neurons involved in color vision are stimulated by one color's wavelength andinhibited by another's.
D) All of these statements are true.

Question 38

Receptor cells for the vestibular sense send messages to the

A) fovea.
B) cerebellum.
C) olfactory cortex.
D) frontal lobes.

Question 39

Each time you see your car, it projects a different image on the retinas of your eyes, yet you do not perceive it as changing. This is because of

A) perceptual set.
B) retinal disparity.
C) perceptual constancy.
D) figure-ground.

Question 40

The local fire department sounds the 12 o'clock whistle. The process by which your ears transform the sound waves from the siren into neural impulses is an example of

A) interposition.
B) parallel processing.
C) transduction.
D) sensory interaction.

Question 41

As we move, viewed objects cast changing shapes on our retinas, although we do not perceive the objects as changing. This is part of the phenomenon of

A) perceptual constancy.
B) relative motion.
C) linear perspective.
D) continuity.

Question 42

Weber's law states that

A) the absolute threshold for any stimulus is a constant.
B) the jnd for any stimulus is a constant.
C) the absolute threshold for any stimulus is a constant proportion.
D) the jnd for any stimulus is a constant proportion.

Question 43

The phenomenon that refers to the ways in which an individual's expectations influence perception is called

A) perceptual set.
B) retinal disparity.
C) interposition.
D) kinesthesis.

Question 44

Adults who are born blind but later have their vision restored

A) are almost immediately able to recognize familiar objects.
B) typically fail to recognize familiar objects.
C) are unable to follow moving objects with their eyes.
D) have excellent eye-hand coordination.

Question 45

The tendency to organize stimuli into smooth, uninterrupted patterns is called

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

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT one of the basic tastes?

A) Sweet
B) Salty
C) Umami
D) bland

Question 47

Figure is to ground as ________ is to ________.

A) night; day
B) top; bottom
C) cloud; sky
D) sensation; perception

Question 48

Wavelength is to ________ as ________ is to brightness.

A) hue; intensity
B) intensity; hue
C) frequency; amplitude
D) brightness; hue

Question 49

The process by which sensory information is converted into neural energy is

A) sensory adaptation.
B) feature detection.
C) sensory interaction.
D) transduction.

Question 50

Which of the following statements concerning ESP is true?

A) Most ESP researchers are quacks.
B) There have been a large number of reliable demonstrations of ESP.
C) Most research psychologists are skeptical of the claims of defenders of ESP.
D) There have been reliable laboratory demonstrations of ESP, but the results are no different from those that would occur by chance.

Question 51

Frequency is to pitch as ________ is to ________.

A) wavelength; loudness
B) amplitude; loudness
C) wavelength; intensity
D) amplitude; intensity

Question 52

Jack claims that he often has dreams that predict future events. He claims to have the power of

A) telepathy.
B) clairvoyance.
C) precognition.
D) psychokinesis.

Question 53

The phenomenon of size constancy is based on the close connection between an object's perceived ________ and its perceived ________.

A) size; shape
B) size; distance
C) size; brightness
D) shape; distance

Question 54

If you can just notice the difference between 10- and 11-pound weights, which of the following weights could you differentiate from a 100-pound weight?

A) 101-pound weight
B) 105-pound weight
C) 110-pound weight
D) There is no basis for prediction.

Question 55

A decrease in sensory responsiveness accompanying an unchanging stimulus is called

A) sensory fatigue.
B) accommodation.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) sensory interaction.

Question 56

The place theory of pitch perception cannot account for how we hear

A) low-pitched sounds.
B) middle-pitched sounds.
C) high-pitched sounds.
D) chords (three or more pitches simultaneously).

Question 57

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

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

Question 58

Which of the following is the most accurate description of how we process color?

A) Throughout the visual system, color processing is divided into separate red, green, and blue systems.
B) Red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white opponent processes operate throughout the visual system.
C) Color processing occurs in two stages: (1) a three-color system in the retina and (2) opponent-process cells en route to the visual cortex.
D) Color processing occurs in two stages: (1) an opponent-process system in the retina and (2) a three-color system en route to the visual cortex.

Question 59

According to the gate-control theory, a way to alleviate chronic pain would be to stimulate the ________ nerve fibers that ________ the spinal gate.

A) small; open
B) small; close
C) large; open
D) large; close

Question 60

The receptors for taste are located in the

A) taste buds.
B) cochlea.
C) fovea.
D) cortex.

Question 61

The frequency theory of hearing is better than the place theory at explaining our sensation of

A) the lowest pitches.
B) pitches of intermediate range.
C) the highest pitches.
D) all these pitches.

Question 62

The process by which the lens changes its curvature is

A) accommodation.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) feature detection.
D) transduction.

Question 63

The Moon illusion occurs in part because distance cues at the horizon make the Moon seem

A) farther away and therefore larger.
B) closer and therefore larger.
C) farther away and therefore smaller.
D) closer and therefore smaller.

Question 64

Kittens and monkeys reared seeing only diffuse, unpatterned light

A) later had difficulty distinguishing color and brightness.
B) later had difficulty perceiving color and brightness, but eventually regained normal sensitivity.
C) later had difficulty perceiving the shape of objects.
D) showed no impairment in perception, indicating that neural feature detectors

Question 65

The receptor of the eye that functions best in dim light is the

A) fovea.
B) cone.
C) bipolar cell.
D) rod.

Question 66

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

A) interposition.
B) linear perspective.
C) relative motion.
D) retinal disparity.

Question 67

One light may appear reddish and another greenish if they differ in

A) wavelength.
B) amplitude.
C) opponent processes.
D) brightness.

Question 68

Which philosopher maintained that knowledge comes from inborn ways of organizing our sensory experiences?

A) Locke
B) Kant
C) Gibson
D) Walk

Question 69

Which of the following is true?

A) The absolute threshold for any stimulus is a constant.
B) The absolute threshold for any stimulus varies somewhat.
C) The absolute threshold is defined as the minimum amount of stimulation necessary for a stimulus to be detected 75 percent of the time.
D) The absolute threshold is defined as the minimum amount of stimulation necessary for a stimulus to be detected 60 percent of the time.

Question 70

The study of perception is primarily concerned with how we

A) detect sights, sounds, and other stimuli.
B) sense environmental stimuli.
C) develop sensitivity to illusions.
D) interpret sensory stimuli.

Question 71

The transduction of light energy into nerve impulses takes place in the

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

Question 72

The size of the pupil is controlled by the

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

Question 73

Which of the following explains why a rose appears equally red in bright and dim light?

A) the Young-Helmholtz theory
B) the opponent-process theory
C) feature detection
D) color constancy

Question 74

Which of the following is NOT a monocular depth cue?

A) light and shadow
B) relative height
C) retinal disparity
D) interposition

Question 75

________ processing refers to how the physical characteristics of stimuli influence their interpretation.

A) Top-down
B) Bottom-up
C) Parapsychological
D) Psychophysical

Question 76

Which of the following influences perception?

A) biological maturation
B) the context in which stimuli are perceived
C) expectations
D) all of these factors

Question 77

Which of the following is an example of sensory adaptation?

A) finding the cold water of a swimming pool warmer after you have been in it for awhile
B) developing an increased sensitivity to salt the more you use it in foods
C) becoming very irritated at the continuing sound of a dripping faucet
D) All of these are examples.

Question 78

Most color-deficient people will probably

A) lack functioning red- or green-sensitive cones.
B) see the world in only black and white.
C) also suffer from poor vision.
D) have above-average vision to compensate for the deficit.

Question 79

Which of the following is true regarding scientific investigations of precognition?

A) A growing body of research demonstrates that some people are truly "psychic."
B) Studies that seem to provide evidence of precognitive ability have beencriticized for being badly flawed.
C) The search for a valid test of ESP has resulted in only a handful of studies.
D) All of these statements are true.

Question 80

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

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