Deck 6: Vision

Question 1

Damage to the muscles that connect the orbits with the sclera would be expected to

A) reduce the diameter of the pupil.
B) impair movements of an eye.
C) change the rate of eye-blinking.
D) impair the ability of a person to blink to an air puff.
E) increase the diameter of the pupil.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Variation in the ________ of a light will result in variation in the perception of ________.

A) wavelength; brightness
B) saturation; brightness
C) wavelength; saturation
D) intensity; purity
E) wavelength; hue

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Which of the following is true of the process of sensory transduction?

A) Receptors show action potentials to external stimuli.
B) The intensity of an external stimulus is related to the firing rate of the receptor.
C) An external stimulus is converted into changes in receptor membrane potential.
D) Most receptors show an action potential when stimulated with an external stimulus.
E) Transduction refers to the speed at which a sensory message travels toward the brain.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Hue is to wavelength as saturation is to

A) brightness.
B) intensity.
C) concentration.
D) purity.
E) threshold.

Question 5

Which of the following attributes corresponds to the purity of the dominant wavelength of light?

A) saturation
B) brightness
C) hue
D) threshold
E) contrast

Question 6

The perceptual attribute of ________ best corresponds to that of the dominant wavelength of light.

A) saturation
B) brightness
C) hue
D) threshold
E) contrast

Question 7

The human visual system is specialized to detect

A) infrared radiation.
B) electromagnetic radiation between 380 and 760 nm.
C) ultraviolet radiation.
D) all wavelengths of light.
E) electrical charges associated with light particles.

Question 8

The perceptual attribute of ________ best corresponds to the relative purity of a light stimulus.

A) saturation
B) brightness
C) hue
D) threshold
E) contrast

Question 9

The term ________ refers to the bony skull cavities that house our eyes.

A) orbit
B) optic disk
C) optic sinus
D) conjunctiva
E) optic ossicle

Question 10

If a light stimulus that contains an equal number of all wavelengths is presented to a human, they will report a perception of

A) a black color.
B) a rainbow of colors.
C) mostly purple.
D) white.
E) a fuzzy set of alternating black and white bars.

Question 11

The process of accommodation involves

A) the lens becoming smaller as one ages.
B) contraction of the ciliary muscles to constrict the pupil.
C) contraction of the ciliary muscles to dilate the pupil.
D) hardening of the lens as one ages.
E) the lens becoming more rounded to focus on near objects.

Question 12

The attribute of ________ best corresponds to the intensity of a light.

A) brightness
B) saturation
C) hue
D) color
E) threshold

Question 13

The rods and cones are collectively referred to as

A) photoreceptors.
B) the hemiretina.
C) the fovea.
D) ganglion cells.
E) vitreous humor.

Question 14

A unique feature of the fovea is that it

A) mediates vision in dim light.
B) contains mostly cone photoreceptors.
C) is devoid of photoreceptors.
D) contains mostly rods.
E) is unable to distinguish fine detail.

Question 15

Visible light includes electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 600

A) meters.
B) decimeters.
C) millimeters.
D) micrometers.
E) nanometers.

Question 16

In the opening vignette of this chapter, Mrs. R. suffered a stroke that impaired her ability to

A) read and to write.
B) recognize objects via the sense of touch.
C) speak.
D) recognize objects via the sense of vision.
E) walk up stairs.

Question 17

A sensory receptor is specialized for the

A) detection of physical events.
B) coordination of movement of the hands and fingers.
C) detection of specific chemicals released from other neurons.
D) detection of neurohormones in the blood.
E) detection of electrical changes in nearby neurons.

Question 18

A sensory receptor is a variant of a(n)

A) axon terminal.
B) neuron.
C) motor cell.
D) muscle fiber.
E) skin cell.

Question 19

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

A) optic orbits.
B) lens.
C) sclera.
D) pupil.
E) conjunctiva.

Question 20

The ________ is the membrane that prevents a contact lens from slipping into the space behind the eyeball.

A) iris
B) cornea
C) conjunctiva
D) vitreous humor
E) sclera

Question 21

Which of the following neuron types transmit information in a plane parallel to the surface of the retina?

A) amacrine
B) multipolar
C) bipolar
D) unipolar
E) nociceptor

Question 22

Action potentials can be first observed in the ________ of the visual system.

A) bipolar cells
B) horizontal cells
C) ganglion cells
D) photoreceptors
E) amacrine cells

Question 23

Photopigments are located within the

A) lamellae of rods and cones.
B) inner membrane of bipolar cells.
C) ganglion cells.
D) amacrine cells.
E) outer membrane of the horizontal cells.

Question 24

Which of the following is true of the thalamic dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)?

A) The LGN is comprised of six similar layers.
B) Each LGN layer receives information from one eye.
C) The inner four layers of the LGN are termed the parvocellular layers.
D) The outer four layers of the LGN are termed the magnocellular layers.
E) The cell bodies of the inner two layers of the LGN are larger than those of the outer four layers.

Question 25

Visual information from the retina is carried by ________ to the ________.

A) bipolar cell axons; thalamic medial geniculate nucleus
B) ganglion cell axons; thalamic medial geniculate nucleus
C) short axon fibers; optic chiasma
D) ganglion cell axons; thalamic dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus
E) ganglion cell axons; striate cortex

Question 26

The retinal optic disk is

A) a region within retina that has the best visual acuity.
B) where the rods are most densely packed.
C) where the cones are most densely packed.
D) where axons leave the eye and join the optic nerve.
E) where visual signals begin to diverge laterally.

Question 27

The membrane of a retinal photoreceptor is ________ in the dark, whereas exposure to light ________ the membrane.

A) depolarized; further depolarizes
B) hyperpolarized; inactivates
C) inactive; depolarizes
D) hyperpolarized; further hyperpolarizes
E) depolarized; hyperpolarizes

Question 28

A unique feature of the retinal circuitry is that

A) there are more cones than rods in the retina.
B) light must pass through the circuitry in order to stimulate the photoreceptors.
C) the rods are packed together at the center of the retina.
D) rods send signals through cones, which then activate the ganglion cells.
E) photoreceptors do not influence the activity of surrounding nerve cells.

Question 29

Rods in the retina

A) allow us to detect colors.
B) are good at detecting fine details in the visual field.
C) are more sensitive to light than are cones.
D) are most numerous at the optic disk.
E) are fewer in number than are cones.

Question 30

When light strikes a molecule of photopigment, the membrane potential undergoes a(n) ________, which in turn ________.

A) action potential; releases an excitatory transmitter onto the ganglion cell
B) hyperpolarization; reduces release of an inhibitory transmitter onto the bipolar cell
C) depolarization; releases an excitatory transmitter onto the ganglion cell
D) action potential; releases an inhibitory transmitter onto the ganglion cell
E) hyperpolarization; increases the release of an inhibitory transmitter onto the bipolar cell

Question 31

The ________ cells receive information from the photoreceptors and pass it on to the ganglion cells.

A) amacrine
B) horizontal
C) bipolar
D) cones.
E) photopigments.

Question 32

When the photopigment rhodopsin is exposed to light, it

A) joins an opsin with a retinal.
B) is released from the axon terminal.
C) breaks into an opsin and a retinal.
D) turns a deep shade of purple.
E) undergoes a change in electrical charge.

Question 33

Axons that arise from the ________ cells form the optic nerve.

A) horizontal
B) bipolar
C) ganglion
D) amacrine
E) photoreceptors

Question 34

The explanation for our "blind spot" in our visual field is that

A) the lens cannot focus all of the visual field onto the retina.
B) blood vessels collect together and enter the eye at the blind spot.
C) rods are less sensitive to light than are cones.
D) retinal cells die with age and overuse, resulting in blind spots.
E) there are no photoreceptors in the retina where the axons exit the eye.

Question 35

The cell membrane of a retinal photoreceptor contains sodium channels that at rest (in the dark) are normally ________ and have a resting potential that is ________ compared to other neurons.

A) open; hyperpolarized
B) open; depolarized
C) closed; hyperpolarized
D) closed; depolarized
E) inactivated; normal

Question 36

Which of the following is true of the visual transduction process?

A) In the dark, the photoreceptor releases a transmitter that inhibits the bipolar cell.
B) Light depolarizes the photoreceptor.
C) Action potentials are recorded from the bipolar cell after light exposure.
D) Action potentials are recorded from the photoreceptors after light exposure.
E) In the dark, the photoreceptor releases a transmitter that excites the bipolar cell.

Question 37

Rods are to low light levels as cones are to

A) the retinal periphery.
B) poor visual acuity.
C) color vision.
D) least prevalent in the central retina.
E) the retinal blind spot.

Question 38

Which of the following is true of the primate retina?

A) There are three different rod types within the retina.
B) The ganglion cells comprise the greatest number of neuron types in the retina.
C) The retina contains one type of cone.
D) Photoreceptors directly form synapses with ganglion cells.
E) The retina contains about 55 different neuron types.

Question 39

The parvocellular and magnocellular layers of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus

A) may represent different visual systems.
B) analyze the same kind of information from the visual field.
C) are connected to the nasal and temporal halves of the retina, respectively.
D) receive input from the contralateral and ipsilateral halves of the visual field, respectively.
E) send inhibitory signals back to the retina.

Question 40

Photopigments are molecules found in rods and cones that consist of

A) two peptides and a sugar molecule.
B) a carbon ring.
C) a steroid ring.
D) two fatty acid chains.
E) an opsin and a retinal.

Question 41

________ colors form white (or gray) when mixed together.

A) Pastel
B) Afterimage
C) Opponent-process
D) Earth-toned
E) Complementary

Question 42

A person who suffers from deuteranopia would be said to

A) have "green" cones filled with "red" photopigment.
B) have poor visual acuity.
C) lack "red" cones.
D) confuse yellow with blue.
E) have color pigments within the rods.

Question 43

Various stimuli are presented to the eyes, and changes in firing rate are recorded from this visual system neuron. Those aspects of the visual field to which this neuron responds with a change in firing rate are termed the

A) parvocellular visual system.
B) striate response field.
C) magnocellular visual system.
D) tuning curve.
E) receptive field.

Question 44

The capacity of retinal photoreceptors to code for a hue relates to the

A) particular opsin contained by the photoreceptor.
B) amount of rhodopsin in each receptor.
C) ability of the lens to focus colored light onto the retina.
D) capacity of the photoreceptor to depolarize in response to light.
E) type of 11-cis-retinal.

Question 45

The color green will result when a combination of yellow and blue ________ are mixed together.

A) dyes
B) lights
C) positive afterimages
D) pigments
E) negative afterimage

Question 46

A person who suffers from protanopia would be said to

A) have "red" cones filled with "green" photopigment.
B) have poor visual acuity.
C) lack "blue" cones.
D) confuse yellow with blue.
E) perceive a blue sky as green in color.

Question 47

Young's trichromatic color theory has difficulty explaining why

A) a mixture of yellow and blue lights will form the color green.
B) some persons are color blind.
C) any color can be produced by the appropriate mixture of three colors.
D) color is a useful aspect of primate vision.
E) yellow is a primary color.

Question 48

Which of the following is true of the manner in which visual information is carried from the retina to the cortex?

A) Information from the temporal ganglion cells projects to the opposite hemisphere.
B) Information from the nasal ganglion cells projects to the ipsilateral hemisphere.
C) Information from one side of the visual field is transmitted to the opposite hemisphere.
D) Visual information remains on the same side of the brain as it moves from retina to cortex.
E) The left hemisphere receives information from the left half of the visual field.

Question 49

Which of the following is an explanation for the higher acuity of the visual system at the fovea, relative to the periphery of the retina?

A) A foveal ganglion cell may receive information from a single photoreceptor, whereas a peripheral ganglion cell may receive information from multiple photoreceptors.
B) The fovea contains only rods, which are directly connected to the ganglion cells.
C) Peripheral photoreceptors are more likely to be damaged by prolonged light exposure.
D) The foveal photoreceptor cells contain more photopigment per cell.
E) Peripheral photoreceptors are more isolated from bipolar cells and thus require greater activation in order to provoke a visual response.

Question 50

Select the correct sequence for processing of information in the primary visual pathway:

A) retina - > dorsal lateral geniculate (LGN) -> striate cortex
B) retina -> striate cortex -> extrastriate cortex -> inferior temporal cortex
C) LGN -> retina -> striate cortex -> primary visual cortex
D) retina -> LGN -> inferior temporal cortex -> amygdala
E) LGN-> frontal cortex -> amygdala -> extrastriate cortex

Question 51

Which of the following is true of most color-sensitive ganglion cells?

A) Ganglion cells are not organized in a center-surround fashion.
B) These cells also code for movement of objects at the periphery of the visual field.
C) These ganglion cells receive information from certain rods in the periphery of the retina.
D) The ganglion cells respond to pairs of primary colors such as red-green or blue-yellow.
E) There are more "blue" bipolar cells than "blue" cones in the retina.

Question 52

A microelectrode inserted into a cat retinal ganglion cell of the "ON" cell type described by Kuffler would

A) show a change in response rate to rapid movements of a dark spot.
B) record an excitatory burst of potentials to a light placed within a circular center.
C) record a decreased number of potentials to a light placed within a circular center.
D) show an increased number of potentials when a light was placed onto a ring surrounding the center.
E) result in random action potentials.

Question 53

The fact that we experience negative afterimages is taken as support for the

A) notion that the retina contains three types of photopigments.
B) importance of color mixing in the visual system.
C) opponent-process theory of color vision.
D) idea that the visual system performs an algebraic summation of lights to generate a color perception.
E) trichromatic theory of color vision.

Question 54

The ________ pathways are important for the synchronization of behavioral activity to that of the light-dark cycle.

A) retino-pretectal
B) retino-spinal
C) retino-geniculo-cortical
D) retino-hypothalamic
E) retino-cerebellar

Question 55

A mixture of blue and yellow pigments will form the color

A) pink.
B) mauve.
C) white.
D) green.
E) cyan.

Question 56

A mixture of blue and yellow lights will form the color

A) pink.
B) mauve.
C) white.
D) green.
E) cyan.

Question 57

Another term for the primary visual cortex is

A) visuospatial cortex.
B) striate cortex.
C) optic cortex.
D) calcarine cortex.
E) superior visual cortex.

Question 58

Which of the following statements is true of color processing in the retina?

A) Blue light inhibits the activity of yellow-blue ganglion cells.
B) Green light excites the activity of red-green ganglion cells.
C) Red light inhibits the activity of red-green ganglion cells.
D) Blue light excites the activity of yellow-blue ganglion cells.
E) Yellow light inhibits the activity of both red and yellow ganglion cells.

Question 59

The primate retina

A) contains four photopigments.
B) contains five photopigments.
C) has one type of cone and three types of rods.
D) uses rods to make fine acuity distinctions.
E) is composed of alternating layers of rods and cones.

Question 60

Which of the following is true of "ON" and OFF" retinal cells?

A) ON cells decrease their firing rate to a light placed onto the center of the field.
B) OFF cells increase their firing rate to a light placed onto the center of the field.
C) Rod bipolar cells are of the ON type.
D) Rod bipolar cells are of the OFF type.
E) ON cells help to detect a dark spot against a light background.

Question 61

The receptive fields of neurons of the primate inferior temporal cortex

A) are activated by novel complex stimuli.
B) play a role in light/dark adaptation.
C) are small and diffuse.
D) are sensitive to color but not form.
E) are activated by familiar complex stimuli.

Question 62

Tasks that involve identification of an object form would be expected to activate neurons of ________, while tasks that identify the location of an object would activate ________.

A) the dorsal stream; the ventral stream
B) the frontal cortex; the parietal cortex
C) the ventral stream; the dorsal stream
D) the parietal cortex; the frontal cortex
E) area V5; area V1

Question 63

The dorsal visual stream projects to the ________ and is involved in ________.

A) parietal association cortex; the analysis of spatial location
B) temporal association cortex; object form
C) primary motor cortex; object texture
D) parietal association cortex; the analysis of object identity
E) inferior temporal cortex; the analysis of where an object is located in space

Question 64

Which of the following is a depth cue that requires input from both eyes?

A) perspective
B) relative retinal size
C) loss of detail due to atmospheric haze
D) relative apparent movement of retinal images as we shift our heads
E) retinal disparity

Question 65

Neurons within "blob" regions of each cortical module

A) are insensitive to brightness.
B) respond to low spatial frequencies.
C) are insensitive to color.
D) respond to high spatial frequencies.
E) respond to texture gradients.

Question 66

Which of the following is true of cerebral achromatopsia?

A) It is produced by unilateral damage to the medial frontal lobe.
B) The blindness is complete for object form as well as object color.
C) The condition impairs current color perception, but not color recall.
D) It is produced by bilateral damage to the medial occipital lobe.
E) It is caused by damage to the ganglion cells connected to rods.

Question 67

Which of the following is true of "complex" cells within the visual cortex?

A) These cells appear to code for line movement across the visual field.
B) These cells respond to a stationary line placed at the edge of the field.
C) These cells respond to a dark, stationary circle.
D) These cells respond to a black dot that moves erratically around the visual field.
E) These cells respond to a set of fuzzy parallel lines of low spatial frequency.

Question 68

The primary deficit noted in cerebral achromatopsia refers to

A) a difficulty in scanning the visual scene.
B) a symptom of Balint's syndrome.
C) a loss of color vision.
D) seeing the world as shades of red and green.
E) seeing the world as shades of one color.

Question 69

A column of neurons that lie within the blob region of striate cortex modules can be selectively destroyed by an intracolumn injection of a neurotoxin. You would expect that ________ would be profoundly impaired by this toxin.

A) high spatial frequency sensitivity
B) orientation sensitivity
C) color vision
D) movement sensitivity
E) binocular disparity

Question 70

Retinal disparity is necessary for the process of

A) brightness sensitivity.
B) perception of negative afterimages.
C) relative retinal size.
D) stereopsis.
E) blue-yellow color vision.

Question 71

The modules of primary visual cortex project their information mostly to the

A) amygdala.
B) frontal cortex.
C) auditory association cortex.
D) primary motor cortex.
E) extrastriate cortex.

Question 72

Area ________ of the primate extrastriate cortex is critical for the analysis of ________.

A) V5; form
B) V4; color constancy
C) V8; movement
D) V3; form
E) V8; form

Question 73

The depth cue of ________ requires the combination of input from both eyes.

A) apparent movement
B) relative retinal size
C) atmospheric haze
D) stereopsis
E) perspective

Question 74

Cells that lie within the blob regions of Area V1 project to

A) thick stripes within area V2.
B) pale stripes in area V8.
C) thin stripes within area V2.
D) the LGN.
E) area V5.

Question 75

Research by Hubel and colleagues indicate that cortical neurons of the ________ show responses to ________ of the visual field.

A) striate cortex; points of light and darkness
B) retinal periphery; color stimuli
C) retina; points of light and darkness
D) lateral geniculate nucleus; moving bars of light in the center
E) striate cortex; specific features

Question 76

Which pair below is a correct match between a visual system and visual function?

A) magnocellular visual system; sensitivity to color
B) parvocellular visual system; insensitive to fine detail
C) koniocellular visual system; input from red-green cones
D) magnocellular visual system; sensitivity to movement
E) koniocellular visual system; sensitivity to fine detail

Question 77

Color information from the blue cones is transmitted through the ________ system(s).

A) magnocellular
B) parvocellular
C) inter-blob
D) koniocellular
E) extrapyramidal

Question 78

Imagine that you are looking at a bronze cast depicting the face of Mick Jagger and a second cast showing the face of Casper the Ghost. Which of the following statements would be true of the spatial frequencies represented in these casts?

A) Casper's face contains much high-frequency information.
B) Mick's face contains high-frequency information.
C) Casper's face would be an example of an image made fuzzy because it lacks low-frequency information.
D) Mick's face contains mostly low-frequency information.
E) Mick's wrinkles represent low-frequency features.

Question 79

The ventral visual stream projects to the ________ and is involved in ________.

A) primary motor cortex; object texture
B) temporal association cortex; object color
C) parietal association cortex; the analysis of "where" an object is located in space
D) parietal association cortex; the analysis of object identity
E) inferior temporal cortex; he perception of form

Question 80

The neurons from the parvocellular and magnocellular layers of the primate lateral geniculate send their information to layer(s) ________ of the striate cortex.

A) 1
B) 2A
C) 3B
D) 4C
E) 5-6