Deck 4: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

Which type of signal-detection error becomes more likely when the expectation of a stimulus is weak?

A) a miss
B) a false alarm
C) a correct rejection
D) an accurate hit

Answer 1

a miss

Question 2

According to ____,the ability to detect a stimulus depends not only on the intensity of the stimulus but also on other variables such as the level of noise in the system and your expectations.

A) Weber's Law
B) Gustav Fechner
C) signal detection theory
D) subliminal perception

Answer 2

signal detection theory

Question 3

Evelyn turned the thermostat up from 68 degrees to 70 degrees; however,she doesn't think it feels any warmer and she wants to turn it up even higher.Her roommate thinks that it is now too hot,and she wants to turn the thermostat back down.Apparently Evelyn has

A) a smaller just noticeable difference for temperature than her roommate does.
B) a lower absolute threshold for temperature than her roommate does.
C) a larger just noticeable difference for temperature than her roommate does.
D) a higher absolute threshold for temperature, compared to her roommate.

Answer 3

a larger just noticeable difference for temperature than her roommate does.

Question 4

According to the signal-detection theory performance will also depend on all of the following EXCEPT

A) the criterion you set for how sure you must be before reacting.
B) the level of noise in the system.
C) whether the stimulus is a visual or auditory stimulus.
D) the stimulus intensity.

Question 5

Joan was sitting talking with some friends when she suddenly left the room to check on her baby.She was sure she heard little Emily cry out,but when she checked,Emily was sleeping peacefully.Based on signal detection theory,the fact that Joan thought she detected a baby's cry would be considered

A) a false alarm.
B) a correct rejection.
C) a hit.
D) a miss.

Question 6

While ____ involves the stimulation of sense organs,____ involves the selection,organization,and interpretation of sensory input.

A) perception; sensation
B) sensation; perception
C) activation; sensation
D) activation; perception

Question 7

When Celeste was playing her stereo at 40 decibels and she turned it up to 44 decibels,she could notice that it was louder.Based on this information you could predict that if Celeste has her stereo playing at 80 decibels,her just noticeable difference for loudness would be

A) 4 decibels, the same as it was at 40 decibels.
B) 2 decibels, half as much as it was at 40 decibels.
C) impossible to determine without more information.
D) 8 decibels, twice as much as it was at 40 decibels.

Question 8

The stronger your expectation that a signal is present,the greater the likelihood that you will

A) miss a signal.
B) report a false alarm.
C) correctly reject a signal when it appears.
D) be aware of background noise.

Question 9

According to psychologists,the smallest difference in stimulus intensity that a specific sense can detect is

A) its sensory memory.
B) subject to sensory adaptation.
C) the absolute threshold.
D) the just noticeable difference (JND).

Question 10

In the signal-detection method,if a subject detects a stimulus when no stimulus is actually present,this would be a

A) hit.
B) miss.
C) false alarm.
D) correct rejection.

Question 11

The absolute threshold is defined as the stimulus intensity that an organism can detect

A) 1% of the time.
B) 25% of the time.
C) 50% of the time.
D) 100% of the time.

Question 12

If your roommate slowly and carefully turns up the volume on the stereo until you can determine "now it's louder than it was before," it would be MOST accurate to say the volume increased by a

A) perceivable difference.
B) just noticeable difference.
C) fractional difference.
D) proportional difference.

Question 13

Giovanni was watching the night sky on a clear evening in November.He noticed that sometimes when he looked directly overhead he could detect a very faint star.A few minutes later it seemed that the star had disappeared,and then it "appeared" again.In this case,it is very likely that the light from the star was

A) just below Giovanni's level for perceptual invariance.
B) producing action potentials that were too weak to reach the terminal buttons.
C) just at Giovanni's absolute threshold for light.
D) producing inhibitory synapses rather than excitatory synapses.

Question 14

Juanita was drinking some warm punch and she thought she could just detect a faint taste of nutmeg in the punch.However when she took another sip the taste wasn't there.On the third sip she could just make out the taste of nutmeg again.It is very likely that the amount of nutmeg in the punch was

A) just below her taste constancy level.
B) producing inhibitory synapses rather than excitatory synapses.
C) producing action potentials that were too weak to reach the terminal buttons.
D) just at her absolute threshold for taste.

Question 15

Jerry,a nuclear operator,must monitor 50 different gauges that keep track of various aspects of the nuclear reactor.According to ____,Jerry's detection of any problems will be influenced by the probability of any problem occurring in conjunction with the payoff associated with detecting the problem.

A) signal-detection theory
B) Frazier Kannard
C) sensory conversion theory
D) the Gestaltists

Question 16

According to psychologists,the minimum stimulus intensity of any sensory input that an organism can detect is

A) its sensory memory.
B) subject to sensory adaptation.
C) the absolute threshold.
D) the just noticeable difference (JND).

Question 17

Ron is making potato soup.His roommate tastes it and tells Ron it is great,but Ron thinks it needs more salt.He adds just a little salt,and thinks the soup now tastes perfect.However,his roommate tastes it again and tells Ron that the soup is ruined because it is too salty.Apparently,for the taste of salt

A) Ron can detect a smaller just noticeable difference than his roommate.
B) Ron's roommate can detect a smaller just noticeable difference than Ron can.
C) Ron has a higher absolute threshold than his roommate does.
D) Ron has a lower absolute threshold than his roommate does.

Question 18

If a 100-Hz tone had to be increased to 110 Hz for a subject to just notice the difference,you would predict that a 1000-Hz tone would have to be increased to

A) 1010 to be noticed.
B) 1050 to be noticed.
C) 1100 to be noticed.
D) 1200 to be noticed.

Question 19

Research into absolute thresholds has found that

A) there is a fixed point where the probability of detecting a stimulus jumps from 0% to 100%.
B) absolute thresholds vary between 25% detection rates and 75% detection rates, depending on the individual.
C) there are significant cross-cultural differences in absolute thresholds for light and sound.
D) the chances of detecting a stimulus increase as the stimulus intensity increases.

Question 20

In the signal-detection method,if a subject fails to detects a stimulus when a stimulus is actually present,this would be a

A) hit.
B) miss.
C) false alarm.
D) correct rejection.

Question 21

Jacob has been working at his computer for the past 2 hours,and the hum that he found so annoying when he started no longer bothers him.The change in Jacob's sensitivity to the noise from the computer illustrates the process known as

A) perceptual invariance.
B) perceptual assimilation.
C) adjusting just noticeable differences.
D) sensory adaptation.

Question 22

In psychophysics the approach that examines the influence of probability and decision-making processes as well as sensory processes in explaining the detection of stimuli is

A) signal-detection theory.
B) just noticeable difference law.
C) Gestalt theory.
D) Fechner's theory.

Question 23

Our perception of the richness,or saturation of a color is affected mainly by

A) the wavelength of light waves.
B) the amplitude of light waves.
C) the purity of light waves.
D) the saturation of light waves.

Question 24

Light,the stimulus for vision,is

A) a form of chemical energy.
B) a form of mechanical energy.
C) a form of electromagnetic energy.
D) the result of vibrations of molecules.

Question 25

The fact that your criterion for "hearing" mysterious noises at night may change after a rash of burglaries in your neighborhood can best be explained by

A) Weber's law.
B) Fechner's law.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) signal-detection theory.

Question 26

Our perception of the brightness of a color is affected mainly by

A) the wavelength of light waves.
B) the amplitude of light waves.
C) the purity of light waves.
D) the saturation of light waves.

Question 27

The registration of sensory input without conscious awareness refers to

A) a false alarm.
B) subliminal perception.
C) a just noticeable difference.
D) a superimposed stimulus.

Question 28

If the human eye was not responsive to differences in the amplitude of light waves,we would not be able to perceive differences in

A) saturation.
B) purity.
C) color.
D) brightness.

Question 29

Subliminal means

A) below threshold.
B) barely perceptible.
C) deceptive.
D) superimposed.

Question 30

Sensory adaptation can explain all of the following EXCEPT

A) getting used to the smell of the perfume you are wearing.
B) hearing your name spoken in a noisy room.
C) feeling comfortable in a cold swimming pool after being in for a few minutes.
D) getting used to the touch of your clothes on your skin.

Question 31

A red light,green light,and blue light differ in

A) amplitude.
B) complexity.
C) wavelength.
D) purity.

Question 32

If one is subjected to prolonged stimulation,eventually

A) sensory overload will occur.
B) sensory adaptation will occur.
C) perceptual agnosia will occur.
D) perceptual inversion will occur.

Question 33

If the human eye was not responsive to differences in the wavelength of light,we would not be able to perceive differences in

A) brightness.
B) saturation.
C) color.
D) purity.

Question 34

Recent research indicates that subliminal exposure to ____________ can affect a person's political opinions.

A) an attractive candidate
B) the flag of one's own country
C) an unattractive candidate
D) religious icons

Question 35

Overall,it appears that we perceive

A) changing stimuli better than constant ones.
B) constant stimuli better than changing ones.
C) long-acting better than short-acting stimuli.
D) stimuli that are steady in the environment.

Question 36

Which of the following BEST summarizes researchers' views concerning subliminal perception?

A) subliminal perception has no demonstrated effect on behavior
B) subliminal perception does not influence behavior, but it appears likely to have practical importance
C) while subliminal perception may influence behavior, it appears unlikely to have much practical importance
D) subliminal perception may influence behavior and it appears likely to have practical importance

Question 37

The wavelength of light mainly affects our perception of

A) color.
B) brightness.
C) saturation.
D) light purity.

Question 38

Sensory adaptation is probably a behavioral adaptation that allows people to

A) notice changes in their environment that may signal threats.
B) notice changes in their environment that many signal safety.
C) notice constants in their environment that may signal threats.
D) notice constants in their environment that may signal safety.

Question 39

If a person views three lights that differ only in amplitude,the person would perceive the lights as

A) differing in brightness.
B) different colors.
C) differing in brightness and color.
D) different shades of the same color.

Question 40

Which of the following statements is MOST accurate?

A) Although subliminal perception was once dismissed by scientists as preposterous, recent data have made the notion less implausible.
B) Scientists have conclusively demonstrated that perception simply cannot take place without conscious awareness.
C) Recent research suggests that subliminal messages can be quite persuasive in convincing us to buy products we don't want and promoting satanic rituals.
D) Subliminal perception is only possible if sensory adaptation has taken place.

Question 41

Imagine that biologists have discovered an animal that has eyes very similar to human eyes,but that the only receptor cells in the retina are rods; there are no cones.Based on what is known about human vision you might expect that this animal would

A) have poor vision in low illumination.
B) have no color vision.
C) have poor peripheral vision.
D) be able to detect extremely fine details.

Question 42

As people age,the lens of the eye loses its ability to accommodate,and it tends to remain flat instead of becoming fat and round.This suggests that as people age they will

A) lose their ability to focus on objects in the distance.
B) be less likely to detect differences in light purity.
C) be more likely to detect differences in brightness and hue.
D) lose their ability to focus on objects that are close.

Question 43

The receptive field of a visual cell refers to the

A) range of wavelengths of light the cell reacts to.
B) length of time necessary for the cell to integrate information at the ganglion level of the retina.
C) cell's degree of sensitivity or receptivity.
D) collection of rod and cone receptors that funnel signals to a particular visual cell in the retina.

Question 44

An animal species normally active at night (or nocturnal)would be expected to have a visual system that consists primarily of

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

Question 45

Light first enters the eye through a transparent structure on the surface of the eye called

A) the pupil.
B) the cornea.
C) the retina.
D) the lens.

Question 46

The optic disk is

A) where the optic nerve exits the retina.
B) the brain structure responsible for the merging of visual fields from both eyes.
C) where light enters the eye.
D) another term for the lens.

Question 47

The structure of the eye that absorbs light,processes images and sends visual information to the brain is the

A) fovea.
B) lens.
C) rods and cones.
D) retina.

Question 48

In dim light,the pupil of the eye is

A) dilated, producing a sharper image.
B) constricted, producing a sharper image.
C) constricted, producing an image that is not as sharp.
D) dilated, producing an image that is not as sharp.

Question 49

The center-surround arrangement of visual fields contributes to the eye being

A) an absolute-intensity detector.
B) insensitive at low illumination.
C) a contrast detector.
D) insensitive to low amplitude light waves.

Question 50

In order to maximize visual acuity at night,you should

A) look directly at the object you wish to see.
B) turn your head at a slight angle to the object.
C) close one eye.
D) blink your eyes several times to hasten dark adaptation.

Question 51

The process in which the lens adjusts its shape depending on the distance between the eye and the object viewed in order to project a clear image onto the retina is

A) accommodation.
B) focusing.
C) constriction.
D) dilation.

Question 52

Courtney wears glasses to correct the far-sightedness in her left eye.If she were not wearing her glasses,

A) the lens would focus images in front of the retina in her left eye.
B) the pupil in her left eye would dilate and let in too much light energy.
C) the lens would focus images behind the retina in her left eye.
D) the pupil in her left eye would constrict and not let in sufficient light energy.

Question 53

The structure that controls the size of the pupil is the

A) lens.
B) iris.
C) cornea.
D) vitreous humor.

Question 54

Sally woke up in the middle of the night and turned on the light in her bedroom,as a result she had to squint to ward off the bright light.Sally is experiencing

A) dark adaptation.
B) sensory adaptation.
C) light adaptation.
D) lateral antagonism.

Question 55

Devin looked directly into a very bright light and damaged his retina.The ophthalmologist has told him that he has sustained massive damage to his rods,but for the most part his cones have not been affected.One change that you could predict for Devin's vision is that he will now have

A) no color vision.
B) poor vision in bright illumination.
C) poor peripheral vision.
D) more accurate depth perception.

Question 56

The lens in the eye

A) converts light energy into neural energy.
B) controls the amount of light entering the eye.
C) bends entering light rays and focuses them onto the retina.
D) is the part of the eye that gives it its color.

Question 57

The amount of light entering the eye is regulated by changes in the size of the

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

Question 58

The fovea is the area of the retina where ____ is best in large part because the fovea contains only ____.

A) peripheral vision; cones
B) peripheral vision; rods
C) visual acuity; cones
D) visual acuity; rods

Question 59

The blind spot in the eye is

A) where photoreceptor cells do not "bleach."
B) the point at which ganglion cells synapse with bipolar cells.
C) where the optic nerve exits the back of the eye.
D) what leads to color blindness.

Question 60

Night and peripheral vision depend mainly on ____,while daylight and acute vision depend mainly on ____.

A) rod cells; cone cells
B) cone cells; rod cells
C) rod cells; bipolar cells
D) bipolar cells; cone cells

Question 61

The cells in the visual cortex that respond to a line of the correct width,oriented at the correct angle,and located in the correct position in its receptive field are called

A) hypercomplex cells.
B) triarchic cells.
C) simple cells.
D) binary cells.

Question 62

Charlie's eyes function normally but he is unable to recognize familiar faces.Charlie is suffering from

A) gustatory agnosia.
B) retinal lesioning.
C) colliculitis.
D) prosopagnosia.

Question 63

Researchers investigating feature detectors have found individual neurons that are activated by images of specific individuals.These neurons may be adaptive primarily because they allow us to

A) distinguide friends from foes.
B) distinguish people from animals.
C) distinguish animals from plants.
D) distinguish animals from food.

Question 64

While finger painting,Chris mixed yellow paint and blue paint and ended up with green,an example of

A) trichromatic theory.
B) additive color mixing.
C) subtractive color mixing.
D) multiplicative color mixing.

Question 65

Cells in the visual cortex that respond selectively to specific features of complex stimuli are called

A) ganglion cells.
B) feature detectors.
C) selective detectors.
D) hypocomplex cells.

Question 66

If you mix red,green,and blue paint,you will get

A) purple.
B) white.
C) orange.
D) black.

Question 67

The retinal area that,when stimulated,affects the firing of a visual cell is referred to as the

A) cell's focal point.
B) fovea for that cell.
C) visual field.
D) cell's receptive field.

Question 68

At the musical he attended over the weekend,Andrew noticed that whenever the red and green spotlights overlapped,they seemed to change to a yellow spotlight.This can be explained using the principles of

A) additive color mixing.
B) subtractive color mixing.
C) hypercomplex feature detection.
D) opponent-processing of colors.

Question 69

As a result of the pathway through which visual information travels from the eye to the visual cortex,images seen in the left visual field are received in

A) both the left and right visual cortex.
B) only the right visual cortex.
C) only the left visual cortex.
D) only half of the right visual cortex and half of the left visual cortex.

Question 70

Charlie's eyes function normally but he is unable to recognize objects.Charlie is suffering from

A) visual agnosia.
B) inattention.
C) inattentional blindness.
D) prosopagnosia.

Question 71

After visual information is processed in the primary visual cortex,it is often routed to other cortical areas for additional processing through two pathways characterized as the

A) form and color pathways.
B) what and when pathways.
C) what and where pathways.
D) motion and depth pathways.

Question 72

The main pathway visual signals travel from the eye to the visual cortex is

A) optic nerve - optic chiasm - thalamus - temporal lobe.
B) optic nerve - optic chiasm - thalamus - occipital lobe.
C) optic nerve - thalamus - optic chiasm - temporal lobe.
D) optic nerve - thalamus - optic chiasm - occipital lobe.

Question 73

After visual input has been processed in the primary visual cortex,signals are processed further along a number of pathways.Information about form and color is processed by the

A) ventral stream.
B) dorsal stream.
C) medial stream.
D) lateral stream.

Question 74

Simple and complex cells in the visual cortex,that respond selectively to very specific features of more complex stimuli have been characterized

A) hypercomplex processors.
B) triarchic cells.
C) feature detectors.
D) binary cells.

Question 75

If you project a red,a green,and a blue light into space,the point at which the three lights cross will lead to the perception of

A) black light.
B) ultraviolet light.
C) white light.
D) infrared light.

Question 76

After visual input has been processed in the primary visual cortex,signals are processed further along a number of pathways.The dorsal stream processes information about

A) form and color.
B) motion and depth.
C) brightness and contours.
D) complexity and contrast.

Question 77

Charley has visual agnosia and is unable to recognize common,everyday objects.This condition MOST likely results from damage to the

A) lateral geniculate nucleus.
B) superior colliculus.
C) dorsal stream.
D) ventral stream.

Question 78

Which of the following statements MOST accurately describes how visual information is transmitted to the brain?

A) signals from each eye only go to the corresponding (same) hemisphere of the brain.
B) signals from both eyes go to both hemispheres of the brain.
C) signals from each eye only go to the opposite hemisphere of the brain.
D) signals from the fovea of each eye go to the left hemisphere and signals from the remaining areas of the retina go to the right hemisphere.

Question 79

Complex cells in the visual cortex respond to

A) circles of light anywhere in their receptive field.
B) specific widths and orientation of lines anywhere in their receptive field.
C) figure-ground disparity in their receptive field.
D) different colors in their receptive field.

Question 80

Pairs of colors that produce gray tones when mixed together are known as

A) sedentary colors.
B) gray scale colors.
C) complex colors.
D) complementary colors.