Deck 5: The Perceiving Mind Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Top-down processing involves the

A) brain's use of incoming signals to construct perceptions.
B) brain tuning into select information.
C) brain's ability to integrate several stimuli simultaneously.
D) brain imposing its own structure on incoming information based on previous experience.

Answer 1

brain imposing its own structure on incoming information based on previous experience.

Question 2

How do sensory systems differ for humans versus nonhuman animals?

A) Because of a highly developed cerebral cortex, humans have highly diverse sensory systems in comparison to most other animals.
B) In contrast to contemporary humans, nonhuman animals use their sensory systems to enhance survival.
C) Industrialization has had a negative effect on the sensory systems of humans; as human sensory systems declined, the sensory systems of other animals became more efficient.
D) Developed out of natural selection, sensory systems are used in unique ways by individual species (human or nonhuman) and work to maximize the survival of that species.

Answer 2

Developed out of natural selection, sensory systems are used in unique ways by individual species (human or nonhuman) and work to maximize the survival of that species.

Question 3

What is true of light detection across species?

A) For all known species, the eye has evolved to see only visible light.
B) Visible, infrared, and ultraviolet rays are detected by most species, including humans.
C) Humans can see visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light; many nonmammalian species, such as insects and snakes, can see only in the visible light range.
D) Some insects can see in the ultraviolet range and snakes can see in the infrared range, but humans can only detect "visible" light.

Answer 3

Some insects can see in the ultraviolet range and snakes can see in the infrared range, but humans can only detect "visible" light.

Question 4

Devinder, a participant in a research study. She is asked to look at a series of images of black dots scattered in a random order and then identify which images contain at least one gray dot. She ends up greatly underestimating the number of "gray dot" images, illustrating a high number of

A) cautious picks.
B) false alarms.
C) defeats.
D) misses.

Question 5

Bottom-up processing involves the

A) brain's use of incoming signals to construct perceptions.
B) brain tuning into select information.
C) brain's ability to integrate several stimuli simultaneously.
D) brain imposing its own structure on incoming information based on previous experience.

Question 6

The process of transduction is analogous to

A) a person using social media to communicate with friends.
B) a rocket ship breaking through the Earth's atmosphere.
C) a computer changing a variety of inputs into a programming language for further processing.
D) a sailboat utilizing the wind's energy to glide along the water.

Question 7

College roommates Michelle, Renee, and Kecia are shopping for new phone cases. Michelle finds the perfect phone case at a kiosk in the mall, but there is no agreement as to the actual color of the phone case. Michelle states that it is jade; Renee is leaning toward teal; and Kecia insists that it is turquoise. What causes each roommate to have a different interpretation of the color of the phone case?

A) Transduction
B) Perception
C) Sensory adaptation
D) Sensation

Question 8

We are more able to use bottom-up processing to respond appropriately to

A) subliminal stimuli.
B) below threshold stimuli.
C) complex stimuli.
D) simple stimuli.

Question 9

Which scenario is most likely to result in many hits and a high rate of false alarms?

A) Avery is a police officer looking for a suspect with a red hat mingled into a crowd of people outside the St. Louis Cardinals baseball stadium.
B) Tanner is shopping for diamond earrings at Toys-r-Us.
C) Wilbur, who is six feet 10 inches tall, is searching a dating site for a prospective date exactly his height.
D) Homer is birding for a snowy owl.

Question 10

Saul, a cytotechnologist in training, is asked to screen a series of tissue samples for precancerous cells. His supervisor checks his work and determines that it has overestimated the number of samples containing precancerous cells. This may be due to the  fact that Saul lost his mother to cancer at a young age, making Saul extra cautious about missing indications of cancerous cells in the samples. This scenario illustrates

A) false alarms.
B) sham hits.
C) loss aversion.
D) erroneous judgment.

Question 11

Noreen gazes out at the city lights from her 23rd floor apartment; Jonah feels a stinging pain after falling from his bike and scraping his elbow; Maher hears the loud wail of sirens outside his dorm room window. The process that allows Noreen, Jonah, and Maher to detect these external or internal stimuli is termed

A) transduction.
B) perception.
C) adaptation.
D) sensation.

Question 12

Defined as a narrow focus of consciousness, the process of _____ is an important gateway to perception.

A) interpretation
B) cognition
C) adaptation
D) attention

Question 13

Thad returns home from class on a hot summer's evening, turns on the air conditioner full blast, and sits down to watch television. His roommate Sean returns home an hour later and wonders how Thad can hear the television above the loud noise of the air conditioner. Thad remarks that he doesn't even notice the sound. Which process causes the air conditioner to seem louder to Sean than to Thad?

A) Transduction
B) Perception
C) Sensory adaptation
D) Sensation

Question 14

Seven-year-old Sangram is not allowed to touch the television remote. Nevertheless, he uses the remote to change the volume from level 15 to 17. His parents, who are in the next room, seem unaware. The next day, Sangram becomes bold and turns the volume from level 15 to 30. His father yells at him, "Stop playing with the remote!" What prevented Sangram's father from noticing the volume change on the previous day?

A) The change on the first day failed to exceed his father's difference threshold.
B) The change on the second day failed to exceed his father's fixed threshold.
C) The change on the first day exceeded his father's absolute threshold.
D) The change on the second day was higher than his father's distinct threshold.

Question 15

Professor Radcliffe prepares an exam for her Sensation and Perception class. In a rush, she writes: Proivde the corrcet answres for the following questoins . While quickly proofreading the exam, she misses her mistakes. What caused this oversight?

A) Bottom-up processing
B) Top-down processing
C) Outward-in processing
D) Inward-out processing

Question 16

In the most general terms, the study of sensation and perception is called psychophysics , a term that was first coined by

A) Hermann von Helmholtz.
B) Gustav Fechner.
C) Ernst Weber.
D) Thomas Young.

Question 17

Celeste moved into her college dorm room today. She turns off her light before going to bed and notices glow-in-the-dark stickers on the ceiling, presumably left behind from the previous occupant. What process best exemplifies her recognition of the light generated by these stickers?

A) Bottom-up processing
B) Top-down processing
C) Outward-in processing
D) Inward-out processing

Question 18

Manu suffers from a rare genetic disorder that does not allow incoming light from her eyes to be transmitted to her brain. Because of Manu's disorder, which process is directly disrupted?

A) Transduction
B) Perception
C) Sensory adaptation
D) Sensation

Question 19

What are the two steps of signal detection?

A) The category of stimulus and the observer's criteria
B) The category of stimulus and the conduction velocity
C) The intensity of stimulus and the observer's criteria
D) The intensity of stimulus and the conduction velocity

Question 20

The smallest amount of stimulus that can be detected at least 50% of the time is known as the _____ threshold.

A) difference
B) fixed
C) absolute
D) distinct

Question 21

In what orientation are images projected onto the retina?

A) Mirrored but right side up
B) Upside down and reversed
C) Upside down but not reversed
D) Tilted left in the right eye, and tilted right in the left eye

Question 22

About _____% of the axons in the optic tracts synapse in the thalamus.

A) 30
B) 50
C) 70
D) 90

Question 23

Which feature of the eye is analogous to a hole in the center of a donut?

A) Pupil
B) Iris
C) Retina
D) Cornea

Question 24

The best analogy for light energy is

A) a rabbit hoping along a path.
B) a plane flying through the air.
C) raindrops falling from the sky.
D) waves in the ocean.

Question 25

Of the following, who is likely to have the most rods activated in the retina?

A) Blake, who is reading a book while sunbathing at the park
B) Yasmeen, who is searching for her keys under the bed
C) Gray, who is painting a mural as part of a community outreach program
D) Dale, who is working on a detailed pen-and-ink drawing

Question 26

After suffering an eye injury during a lacrosse match, Gregg is forced to wear an eye patch. In addition to problems with depth perception, Gregg's ophthalmologist tells him that his blind spot will be more evident. Which structure of the eye has been affected with regard to his blind spot?

A) Fovea
B) Lens
C) Optic disk
D) Cornea

Question 27

The clear surface at the front of the eye that begins the process of directing light to the retina is the

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

Question 28

Where does the optic nerve cross the midline?

A) In the corpus callosum
B) In the primary visual cortex
C) At the optic chiasm
D) Midbrain

Question 29

Seth is involved in an automobile accident and suffers damage to his parietal lobe. How may this affect his ability to process visual information?

A) He may have difficulty seeing low contrast objects.
B) He may have difficulty processing movement.
C) He may have difficulty recognizing faces.
D) He may have difficulty distinguishing colors.

Question 30

Maria is the victim of an armed robbery. She is called into the police station to identify her assailant from a line-up of men. She accurately reports that none of the men were her attacker. This scenario illustrates the concept of a(n)

A) nonchoice.
B) elimination.
C) correct rejection.
D) precise refusal.

Question 31

What important fact supports the idea that vision is one of the most important sensory systems in humans?

A) From an evolutionary perspective, the eyeball was one of the last sense organs to develop.
B) The eyeball is controlled by more muscles than any other body part.
C) About 15% of our body's oxygen is utilized by our eyes.
D) Approximately 50% of our cerebral cortex processes visual information.

Question 32

Adele is planning to paint the walls in her room. She studies several color samples to try to decide between yellow, green, and blue hues. What light wave attribute allows Adele to differentiate between these colors?

A) The types of waves
B) The number of waves
C) The amplitude of waves
D) The wavelength of the waves

Question 33

Hugo is running an experiment to determine whether a specific DNA allele is present in a new transgenic mouse line. After glancing through numerous data sets, Hugo identifies the correct DNA "band" in the majority of the experiments. This scenario illustrates the concept of a

A) hit.
B) random result.
C) target.
D) correct assumption.

Question 34

Visible light is a type of

A) radiation.
B) molecule.
C) potential energy.
D) chemical.

Question 35

Adele picked out a specific sample of green to paint her room. What attribute of the light wave allows Adele to differentiate between the light intensities among the versions of this green shade from bright to pastel?

A) The types of waves
B) The number of waves
C) The amplitude of waves
D) The wavelength of the waves

Question 36

Blue-eyed Marcella gets up early, turns on the light in the bathroom, and watches herself in the mirror as the blue ring of her eyes constrict. What is this blue ring called?

A) Pupil
B) Iris
C) Retina
D) Cornea

Question 37

Which structure of the eye is responsible for processing light?

A) Pupil
B) Iris
C) Retina
D) Cornea

Question 38

An area of the retina that is specialized for fine detailed vision is referred to as the

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

Question 39

How do rods differ from cones in the retina?

A) Rods are less sensitive to light than cones.
B) In contrast to cones, rods are optimally activated by light entering the center of the eye.
C) Unlike cones, rods cannot detect color.
D) Rods provide the ability to see sharper images than cones.

Question 40

What is the role of the amygdala in processing visual information?

A) It decodes the color of the stimulus.
B) It makes quick emotional judgments about visual stimuli.
C) It perceives the intensity of the stimulus.
D) It interprets the contours of an object.

Question 41

At the House of Reptiles, 3-year-old Sinead is intrigued by a motionless python snake in a large cage with three parallel viewing windows. Sinead cries out, "Look mommy, a snake!" According to Gestalt psychology, how does Sinead know that the snake is not broken into individual segments?

A) The principle of continuity
B) The principle of familiarity
C) The principle of order
D) The principle of fragmentation

Question 42

One of the most powerful monocular depth cues is _____ in which closer objects block the image of distant objects.

A) occlusion
B) proximity
C) simplicity
D) continuity

Question 43

Based on opponent process theory, if you stare at a red, white, and blue flag and then look at a blank sheet of paper you will see

A) the after image of a purple and white flag.
B) the after image of a faint red, white, and blue flag.
C) the after image of a black, white, and blue flag.
D) the after image of a green, black, and yellow flag.

Question 44

Leo works tirelessly on a new logo for his flower shop. He decides on a simple pattern: five petal shapes (set in a circular path) and a long stem. Despite the fact that Leo does not include a center circle and his shapes are disconnected, the logo is easily recognizable as a flower with a large center disk. What Gestalt principle best explains this phenomenon?

A) The principle of aggregation
B) The principle of absoluteness
C) The principle of closure
D) The principle of familiarity

Question 45

What anatomical feature of the retina supports the opponent theory of color recognition?

A) Groups of cells that process yellow and blue or red and green are located together.
B) Cells that process red and green occupy different clusters within the center of the retina; blue and yellow cells occupy different clusters within the periphery of the retina.
C) Cones are more efficient at processing yellow and blue; rods are more efficient at processing red and green.
D) Cells responsible for detecting yellow, blue, red, or green are located in opposing clusters within the retina.

Question 46

To construct a three-dimensional image, we

A) integrate trinomial inputs.
B) make assumptions about the continuity of objects.
C) use monocular and binocular cues.
D) divide scenes into figure and ground.

Question 47

In terms of object recognition, the simplest patterns of lines are gratings, which can vary in two dimensions:

A) frequency and depth.
B) frequency and contrast.
C) hue and depth.
D) hue and contrast.

Question 48

The world perceived by Matteo is different from the world perceived by most; he can only see black, white, or shades of gray. What can we conclude about Matteo?

A) His retina is void of at least one type of rod.
B) His retina is void of at least two types of rods.
C) His retina is void of at least one type of cone.
D) His retina is void of at least two types of cones.

Question 49

The primary colors of light are

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

Question 50

As a young child, Terrence struggled in school. After being diagnosed with "colorblindness"-in which colors are perceived differently-his teachers were able to address his learning difficulties. Which of the following can we conclude about Terrence?

A) His retina is void of at least one type of rod.
B) His retina is void of at least two types of rods.
C) His retina is void of at least one type of cone.
D) His retina is void of at least two types of cones.

Question 51

Which statement is most consistent with the Gestalt psychology point of view?

A) The whole is something else than the sum of its parts.
B) The world is best understood by breaking it down into individual elements.
C) We perceive our environment through separate but equal senses.
D) Where one sense is lost, another is gained.

Question 52

Pamela watches her cat, Mr. Big, swat his paw at the wall. Pamela calls out, "Crazy Big, what are you swatting at; nothing is there." How would you explain the fact that Mr. Big can see something that Pamela cannot?

A) Cats see low-frequency, low-contrast objects better than humans.
B) Cats see low-frequency, high-contrast objects better than humans.
C) Cats see high-frequency, low-contrast objects better than humans.
D) Cats see high-frequency, high-contrast objects better than humans.

Question 53

Constructed by Adelbert Ames, the Ames room illustrates vulnerabilities in our perception of

A) color.
B) depth.
C) contrast.
D) motion.

Question 54

While standing at the bus stop Gordon notices two children sitting near each other in school uniforms. As the bus approaches, Gordon politely hints to the children that the bus stopping at the nearest school is arriving. Gordon is surprised and puzzled when only one child gets up and readies to board the bus. Which of the following can explain Gordon's surprise, according to Gestalt psychology?

A) Differentiation and allocation
B) Proximity and allocation
C) Differentiation and similarity
D) Proximity and similarity

Question 55

The mathematical approach to object recognition suggests that we

A) consolidate hues and saturation.
B) subtract background images.
C) analyze patterns of lines.
D) integrate gradients of light.

Question 56

Our perception of color is best described by which of the following processes?

A) The response of individual cones to either red, green, blue, yellow, purple, or white light
B) A comparison of the responses of the red, green, and blue cones to light
C) The transmission of information from the primary red, green, or blue cones to secondary yellow, purple, or white cones
D) The sensation and transmission of light by rods to more specialized red, green, or blue cones

Question 57

While attempting to overcome writer's block, Devin stares at her yellow, green, and white striped journal on the table. When she finally returns to her blank computer screen, she sees a blue, red, and black striped afterimage. Which theory best explains the afterimage that Devin sees?

A) Negative illusion theory
B) Excitation emission theory
C) Trichromatic theory
D) Opponent process theory

Question 58

Persis is a summer intern at a new video game software company, Generation Z Gamers. She is working on three-dimensional landscapes for a new role-playing video game Submarine Adventures . As her supervisor, what advice can you give Persis to help her create the illusion of three dimensions?

A) Reds and blues make objects appear closer than yellows and greens.
B) Use more texture on background rather than foreground objects.
C) Continuous lines should only be used for distant objects.
D) Converge parallel lines at the horizon to create a linear perspective.

Question 59

One theory of color vision is based on the existence of different types of cones for the detection of short, medium, and long wavelengths. What is this theory?

A) The tricolor detection scheme
B) The primary paradigm
C) The trichromatic theory
D) The tiered wavelength model

Question 60

According to Gestalt psychologists, we recognize objects in part by

A) understanding the function of an object.
B) integrating visual input with our other sense.
C) differentiating the gratings of an object.
D) dividing a scene into figure and ground.

Question 61

Which structure of the ear contains the auditory receptors?

A) Cochlea
B) Tympanic membrane
C) Pinna
D) Auditory nerve

Question 62

What type of sound is particularly effective for many marine mammals because it allows sound to travel for long distances in water?

A) Ultrasound
B) Infrasound
C) Parasound
D) Durasound

Question 63

Tarik is designing a new race car video game. To create the illusion of depth, how should Tarik design the backdrop in relationship to the first-person driver?

A) Show distant objects traveling in the opposite direction of the first-person driver; show closer objects moving with the driver.
B) Show distant objects traveling with the first-person driver; show closer objects moving in the opposite direction of the driver.
C) Show peripheral objects traveling with the first-person driver; show central objects moving in the opposite direction of the driver.
D) Show central objects traveling with the first-person driver; show peripheral objects moving in the opposite direction of the driver.

Question 64

For his creative writing class, Dorian writes a short story about the adventures and perils of space travel. As he describes an epic space battle between two enemy ships, Dorian portrays the battle fought in an eerie silence. Why is Dorian correct that an otherwise noisy battle would produce no sound in space?

A) Sound waves cannot be generated in a vacuum.
B) Sound waves are too diffuse in the absence of gravity.
C) In the absence of matter, sounds waves travel in a multipath direction.
D) Sound waves are readily absorbed by gamma particles.

Question 65

Why is the binocular depth system advantageous for predators?

A) It helps with the perception of continuity, even when an animal is well hidden.
B) It helps an animal stand out against its background, even when it is well camouflaged.
C) It helps colors appear more vibrant, even in low light.
D) It helps with motion detection, even for the slightest of movements.

Question 66

What aspect of the organ of Corti transduces sound energy into neural signals?

A) Ossicles
B) Hair cells
C) Flagella
D) Microvilli

Question 67

Before entering the auditory canal, sound waves are funneled into the outer ear via the

A) cochlea.
B) eustachian tube.
C) oval window.
D) pinna.

Question 68

As people age, what alters their ability to adjust to changes in brightness?

A) Rods begin to outnumber cones.
B) The iris loses elasticity.
C) The lens begins to turn yellow.
D) The shape of the cornea becomes distorted.

Question 69

Juliet is only 2 days old. She is shown several different pictures. Which of the following pictures would she be most likely to stare at longest?

A) A picture of her mother's face
B) A picture of random shapes
C) A picture of a spiral
D) A picture of herself

Question 70

Why does the moon appear to be much larger when it is just above the hills on the horizon than when it is straight overhead?

A) This is primarily due to the curve of the earth.
B) This is primarily due to the change in brightness.
C) This is primarily due to comparisons with the sizes of familiar objects.
D) This is primarily due to the refractory index.

Question 71

The purpose of three tiny bones located in the middle ear is to

A) buffer sound waves before entering the inner ear.
B) decode the frequency and amplitude of sounds waves.
C) transfer sound energy to the fluid of the inner ear.
D) directly stimulate the auditory nerve.

Question 72

According to the Müller-Lyer illusion, we tend to see lines with outward-pointing arrowheads as

A) the focal point of an image.
B) the secondary object of an image.
C) being farther away from us.
D) being closer to us.

Question 73

The ability of an infant to use a binocular depth cue to use the relative size of objects to determine their distance first appears around _____ months of age.

A) 1 to 3
B) 4
C) 5 to 7
D) 10

Question 74

The best term to describe how the monocular depth cue of occlusion works would be

A) continuity.
B) parallel.
C) overlapping.
D) perpendicularity.

Question 75

Which of the following vision changes occurs in older adults?

A) Accommodation of the lens becomes quicker .
B) The elasticity of the iris muscles becomes firmer .
C) The lens of the eye begins to yellow.
D) The eyes respond more quickly to changes in brightness .

Question 76

A high-amplitude, high-frequency sound wave is perceived as

A) loud and high-pitched.
B) loud and low-pitched.
C) soft and high-pitched.
D) soft and low-pitched.

Question 77

Cavin recently began wearing prescription glasses after her ophthalmologist informed her that she is affected by astigmatism. She learns that this is caused by

A) the loss of elasticity of the lens.
B) the degeneration of the retina.
C) an irregular eyeball shape.
D) an uneven surface of the cornea.

Question 78

The difference between the images projected onto each eye is referred to as

A) planar overlap.
B) three-dimensional subtraction.
C) binocular differential.
D) retinal disparity.

Question 79

Ruth is 78 years of age, and recently reports to her ophthalmologist changes in the way colors appear. Which of the following age-related changes to the eye might best explain her experience?

A) The corneas in her eyes are changing in their thickness.
B) The lenses in her eyes are beginning to yellow.
C) The irises in her eyes are losing their elasticity.
D) The retinas of her eyes are losing photoreceptors.

Question 80

Ginger examines a painting of a stone path extending into the horizon of a field. Two sticks lie horizontally across the path: one in the beginning of the path and the other near the horizon. Each stick measures 10 centimeter in length, but the stick near the horizon appears much larger than the stick at the beginning of the path. Which illusion explains this phenomenon?

A) Roger Shepard parallelogram illusion
B) Munker illusion
C) Müller-Lyer illusion
D) Ponzo illusion