Deck 3: Section 1: Sensation and Perception

Question 1

What properties of a sound wave correspond to our perception of sound?

Answer 1

The answer should include the following information: There are three properties that we can perceive when a sound is generated. 1) Loudness is determined by the amplitude or intensity of a sound wave. This property is measured in decibels. As the decibels associated with a sound increase, our perception of that sound also increases.
2) Pitch refers to the relative highness or lowness of a sound. Pitch is determined by the frequency or overall rate of vibration. Pitch is measured in hertz or the number of waves per second that are perceived. The faster rate of vibration, the closer the waves are together and the higher the perceived frequency.
3) Timbre refers to the distinctive quality of a sound. Most of the sounds we hear do not consist of a single frequency but are often rather complex with many sound-wave frequencies. Human voices have their own distinctive timbre allowing us to identify the voice of family and friends on the telephone.

Question 2

How do frequency theory and place theory explain the perception of pitch?

Answer 2

The answer should include the following information: Pitch is determined by the frequency of a sound wave, and the basilar membrane is essential for the perception of pitch. Two complementary theories describe how we perceive pitch. The frequency theory suggests that the basilar membrane vibrates at the same frequency as the sound wave. There is a limit to how fast neurons can fire and so frequencies above 1,000 are not transmitted well in this theoretical framework. The volley principle suggests that hair cells fire in volleys. Groups of neurons take turns firing at a rate above 1,000 hertz. Each group fires in rapid succession, while other groups are in the resting state. In this way, impulses can be sent to the brain at rates higher than 1,000 impulses per second. The alterative theory, known as place theory, describes how we hear higher-pitched sounds above 3,000 hertz. This theory suggests that different frequencies cause larger vibrations at different locations along the basilar membrane. Higher-frequency sounds cause maximum vibration near the stirrup end of the basilar membrane, while low-frequency sounds cause maximum vibration at the opposite end. Thus, different pitches excite different hair cell populations along the basilar membrane. Higher-pitched sounds are interpreted according to the place where the hair cells are most active. Taken together, frequency theory and place theory together allow us to discriminate pitch of a sound. Frequency theory explains our discrimination of low frequencies, while place theory helps explain our ability to hear higher pitched sounds. Intermediate frequencies involve both place and frequency.

Question 3

Describe Weber's law and give an example to illustrate it.

Answer 3

The answer should include the following information: Weber's law holds that for each sense, the size of a just noticeable difference is a constant proportion of the size of the initial stimulus. This means that our ability to detect a change in the strength of a stimulus depends on the intensity of the original stimulus. This law indicates that our psychological experience of sensation is relative; sensation is not a simple, one-to-one relationship between the objective characteristics of a physical stimulus and our psychological experience of it. An example that is given in the text is of a pebble as the original stimulus). If a second pebble is placed in your hand, you will notice an increase in weight. But if you start off holding a very heavy rock (the original stimulus), you probably won't detect an increase in weight when the same pebble is balanced on it.

Question 4

How do airborne molecules result in the sensation of an odor?

Question 5

What is the basic pathway for information transmission from the eye to the brain?

Question 6

What is the blind spot and why don't we notice it under normal circumstances?

Question 7

Describe the series of events that culminate in visual perception including the structure of the eye and/or brain area involved in each step.

Question 8

What is sensory adaptation and why is it important?

Question 9

Describe the functions of each of the key structures involved in hearing.

Question 10

Your roommate, Ben, believes that subliminal stimuli are embedded in all forms of electronic media-movies, television shows, YouTube, commercials, and music videos. He gets upset every time he comes home and finds you watching television in the living room, as he does not want to be influenced by these messages. Is Ben correct that subliminal stimuli can affect your thoughts and behavior? Explain your answer.

Question 11

How do rods and cones differ?

Question 12

What is subliminal perception and what are its effects?

Question 13

Describe the electromagnetic spectrum. Distinguish between the visible and invisible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Question 14

Briefly describe the key structures of the eye including the function of each structure.

Question 15

How are ganglion cells different from bipolar cells?

Question 16

Describe and contrast the trichromatic and the opponent-process theories of color vision.

Question 17

Describe the two types of sensory thresholds and give an example of each.

Question 18

Define and describe the process of transduction. Explain how transduction takes place in at least two different senses with specific examples.

Question 19

According to the Focus on Neuroscience box: Vision, Experience, and the Brain, what do Mike's visual abilities reveal about the development of visual pathways in the brain?

Question 20

Distinguish between sensation and perception.

Question 21

What sensory receptors and pathways are associated with painful sensations? How are these sensations produced?

Question 22

Discuss the basic assumptions of Gestalt psychology. Explain their contributions to psychological studies of visual perception.

Question 23

Distinguish the fast and slow pain pathways in terms of the sequence of nervous system structures to which pain signals are transmitted.

Question 24

What are pheromones and what evidence is there for the existence of human pheromones?

Question 25

What is the moon illusion and how has it been explained?

Question 26

How does the gate-control theory explain the perception of pain?

Question 27

Provide an example of perceptual set and explain how it influences perceptual experiences.

Question 28

How does the sensation of taste occur?

Question 29

Discuss the sense of touch including the nature and location of sensory receptor cells.

Question 30

Explain what is meant by bottom-up processing and top-down processing. Provide examples of each.

Question 31

What is the kinesthetic sense and where are its sensory receptors located?

Question 32

Define ESP and parapsychology. Identify four different forms of ESP and summarize the research findings on ESP claims.