Deck 4: Multiple Choice

Question 1

Sensation occurs:

A)when the brain interprets a perception.
B)at the level of the cortex.
C)as the body interacts with the physical world.
D)at the same time as perception.

Answer 1

as the body interacts with the physical world.

Question 2

As you read this question,your brain gives meaning to the lines and curves on this page.This activity of your brain represents:

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

Answer 2

perception.

Question 3

When you are pinched by your significant other,neurons embedded in the skin sensitive to pressure fire and send a neural signal to the spinal cord and brain.The detection of pressure by these neurons represents:

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

Answer 3

sensation.

Question 4

All the senses rely on the process of:

A)synesthesia.
B)transduction.
C)accommodation.
D)motion parallax.

Question 5

When you are pinched by your significant other,neurons embedded in the skin sensitive to pressure fire and send a neural signal to the spinal cord and brain.The brain may interpret the same stimulation as annoying or stimulating,indicating the interpretative role of:

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

Question 6

Which sense involves transducing changes in light?

A)vision
B)hearing
C)smell
D)taste

Question 7

The process of organization,identification,and interpretation of a sensation in order to form a mental representation is called:

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

Question 8

Damage to the occipital lobe can interfere with the processing of information coming in through the eyes,indicating that:

A)sensation occurs in the brain.
B)sensation occurs at the same time as perception.
C)sensation and perception are different but related processes.
D)the eyes will not sense if cortical areas in the occipital lobe are damaged.

Question 9

As you read this question,your eyeballs are registering different patterns of light reflecting off the page.This information is converted into a neural code in a process termed:

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

Question 10

Simple awareness due to the stimulation of a sense organ is called:

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

Question 11

Which sense involves transducing chemicals dispersed in air?

A)vision
B)hearing
C)smell
D)touch

Question 12

Sensation and perception:

A)are basically the same process.
B)are two completely different and unrelated processes.
C)are related but separate processes.
D)feel like two distinct processes.

Question 13

Which sense involves transducing changes in the pressure,temperature,or vibration of a surface?

A)vision
B)hearing
C)smell
D)touch

Question 14

The process of converting physical signals from the environment into neural signals sent to the central nervous system is called:

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

Question 15

When you are pinched by your significant other,neurons embedded in the skin sensitive to pressure fire and send a neural signal to the spinal cord and brain.This neural signal represents:

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

Question 16

Which sense involves transducing changes in air pressure?

A)vision
B)hearing
C)smell
D)taste

Question 17

Transduction involves converting _____ signals from the environment to _____ signals sent to the central nervous system.

A)light-wave;chemical
B)sensory;perceptual
C)chemical;electrical
D)physical;neural

Question 18

Early _____ psychologists attempted to study perception using introspective techniques.

A)functionalist
B)structuralist
C)behavioral
D)Gestalt

Question 19

As you read this question,your eyeballs are registering different patterns of light reflecting off the page.This activity of your eyes represents:

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

Question 20

Perception takes place at the level of the:

A)brain.
B)spinal cord.
C)sensory neurons.
D)specific sensory organs such as eyes.

Question 21

A mother tells her teenage son to turn down his music.The son tells his mom that he will do so and turns the volume down slightly.A minute later,the mother cannot tell that her son complied with her request,so she yells at him.Apparently,the decrease in volume did not meet the mother's:

A)absolute threshold.
B)correct rejection criteria.
C)difference threshold.
D)sensory adaptation.

Question 22

Which study would constitute one that is psychophysical?

A)studying the mechanisms by which auditory receptors transduce sound
B)studying the differences in the physical properties of the sound waves produced by a guitar and a violin
C)determining the smallest amount of sugar to add to a glass of water such that a person will report tasting something sweet
D)asking participants to report on their feelings as they stare at an abstract painting

Question 23

The minimal intensity needed to just barely detect a stimulus is called the:

A)just noticeable difference.
B)receptive field.
C)absolute threshold.
D)difference threshold.

Question 24

Methods that measure the strength of a stimulus and the observer's sensitivity to the stimulus are called:

A)psychophysics.
B)psychometrics.
C)perceptual constancies.
D)signal detections.

Question 25

Stimuli that are presented at the absolute threshold will be detected _____% of the time.

A)1
B)10
C)50
D)100

Question 26

The just noticeable difference (JND)is the:

A)decreasing sensitivity to a stimulus over time.
B)minimal change in a stimulus that can just barely be detected.
C)minimal intensity needed to just barely detect a stimulus.
D)ability to detect a stimulus in the presence of noise.

Question 27

The approximate absolute threshold for taste is being able to detect a teaspoon of sugar dissolved in two gallons of water.Given that information,which statements is TRUE?

A)All people with normal taste will be able to detect the sugar.
B)Fifty percent of people will be able to detect the sugar 100% of the time.
C)Weber's law predicts that the same amount of sugar dissolved in 1 gallon of water would not be detected.
D)A person will not detect the sugar 50% of the time.

Question 28

Stimuli that are presented slightly below the absolute threshold will:

A)never be detected.
B)be detected less than 10% of the time.
C)be detected less than 50% of the time.
D)be detected between 50 and 99% of the time.

Question 29

Robert lightly taps the student sitting in front of him on the shoulder.The student doesn't notice,so Robert taps harder.The minimum pressure Robert must tap such that the other student notices half of the time is called:

A)the absolute threshold.
B)the just noticeable difference.
C)Weber's law.
D)the relative threshold.

Question 30

Early structuralist psychologists attempted to study perception using:

A)introspection.
B)free association.
C)intelligence tests.
D)illusions.

Question 31

Fifty percent of the time,a person with normal hearing will be able to detect a clock's ticking 20 feet away when all is quiet.This illustrates the approximate _____ for hearing.

A)just noticeable difference
B)relative threshold
C)psychophysical boundary
D)absolute threshold

Question 32

The field of psychophysics was FIRST developed by:

A)Wilhelm Wundt.
B)Edward Titchener.
C)Ernst Weber.
D)Gustav Fechner.

Question 33

Tammy and Chad sent their toddler to time-out 10 minutes ago,and ever since,the boy has been crying.Tammy notes that the crying just decreased in volume ever so slightly and comments that perhaps he is beginning to settle down.From Chad's perspective,however,the boy is crying just as loudly as before.Tammy and Chad differ in the _____ threshold for detecting a sound.

A)absolute
B)minimal
C)difference
D)auditory

Question 34

The absolute threshold is the:

A)minimal change in a stimulus that can just barely be detected.
B)minimal intensity needed to just barely detect a stimulus.
C)intensity of a stimulus that can be detected in the presence of noise.
D)decreasing sensitivity to a stimulus over time.

Question 35

The approximate absolute threshold for hearing is a clock's tick from 20 feet away when all is quiet.Given that information,which statements is TRUE?

A)All people with normal hearing will be able to detect the clock tick.
B)Fifty percent of people will be able to detect the clock tick 100% of the time.
C)Weber's law predicts that the tick will not be heard from 40 feet away.
D)A person will not hear the clock tick 50% of the time.

Question 36

On a clear,dark night,a person with normal vision can detect a candle flame 30 miles away 50% of the time.This illustrates the approximate _____ for vision.

A)just noticeable difference
B)relative threshold
C)psychophysical boundary
D)absolute threshold

Question 37

Noel wants to measure her cat's auditory threshold.She quietly whispers Ernie's name and slowly increases her volume until the cat turns and looks at her.Over the course of several days,she whispers ten times at each volume.The volume at which Ernie responds five times is called:

A)the absolute threshold.
B)the just noticeable difference.
C)Weber's law.
D)the relative threshold.

Question 38

People are MOST sensitive to the range of tones corresponding to:

A)the lowest notes on a pipe organ.
B)high-frequency dog whistles.
C)human conversation.
D)the sound made by striking a tuning fork.

Question 39

_____ states that the just noticeable difference of a stimulus is a constant proportion despite variations in intensity.

A)Signal detection theory
B)Fechner's postulate
C)Weber's law
D)Gate-control theory

Question 40

Which study would constitute one that is psychophysical?

A)studying the mechanisms by which rods and cones in the eye transduce light
B)determining the lowest-decibel sound that can be reliably detected in humans
C)determining if people prefer to drink sweetened or unsweetened tea
D)asking participants to report on their conscious experience as they listen to a metronome

Question 41

In signal detection research,not detecting a signal in noise when it is actually present is classified as a:

A)negation.
B)rejection.
C)false alarm.
D)miss.

Question 42

Which activity is LEAST distracting when you are driving?

A)talking on a hand-held phone
B)talking on a hands-free phone
C)listening to the radio
D)texting

Question 43

In the wake of intelligence information,the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)orders that almost all people flying receive a "pat down" as they go through security at the airport.In terms of detecting terrorist activity,the TSA is using a(n)_____ decision criterion.

A)extremely liberal
B)slightly liberal
C)slightly conservative
D)extremely conservative

Question 44

In signal detection research,detecting a signal in noise when it is NOT there is classified as a false:

A)hit.
B)memory.
C)alarm.
D)identification.

Question 45

If the law required that there must be overwhelming evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt in order to convict a person of a crime,in signal detection terminology,jurors would be making many:

A)hits.
B)misses.
C)false alarms.
D)misses and false alarms.

Question 46

Dr.Gonzalez,a radiologist,uses a very liberal criterion when she reads mammograms.She recommends a biopsy for every possible case of cancer.This decision strategy _____ the chances of missing a true cancer and _____ false alarms.

A)maximizes;leads to many
B)minimizes;minimizes
C)minimizes;leads to many
D)maximizes;minimizes

Question 47

In signal detection research,failing to detect a signal in noise is classified as a(n):

A)below-threshold response.
B)loss.
C)incorrect rejection.
D)miss.

Question 48

If the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)orders that almost all people flying receive a "pat down" as they go through security at the airport,the TSA would be making a large number of _____ in their screening for terrorists.

A)hits and misses
B)misses
C)false alarms
D)misses and false alarms

Question 49

In a signal detection experiment,Shawna uses a very conservative decision criterion,saying "Yes" only when the stimulus is clear,strong,and unambiguous.She will produce:

A)many false alarms and many misses.
B)few false alarms and few misses.
C)many false alarms and few misses.
D)few false alarms and many misses.

Question 50

According to _____,our response to a stimulus depends both on our sensitivity to the stimulus in the presence of noise and on our decision criterion.

A)the just noticeable difference theory
B)Weber's law
C)the absolute threshold theory
D)signal detection theory

Question 51

Juggling two independent sources of sensory input at the same time is an example of:

A)selective attention.
B)multitasking.
C)sensory adaptation.
D)the just noticeable difference.

Question 52

Perceiving only what is relevant to you is called:

A)perceptual sensitivity.
B)sensory adaptation.
C)multitasking.
D)selective attention.

Question 53

In signal detection research,signals of various intensities are presented in the presence of constant noise,and the participant must determine if the signal was presented or not.Each decision can be classified into one of _____ categories.

A)2
B)4
C)50
D)100

Question 54

If the law required that there must be overwhelming evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt in order to convict a person of a crime,jurors would be required to adopt a(n)_____ decision criterion.

A)extremely liberal
B)slightly liberal
C)slightly conservative
D)extremely conservative

Question 55

_____ predicts that a power lifter cannot detect the difference between 300 and 301 pounds but can easily detect the difference between 3 and 4 pounds.

A)Weber's law
B)Signal detection theory
C)Size constancy
D)Gestalt theory

Question 56

Weber's law states that the just noticeable difference of a stimulus is a(n)_____ proportion,despite variations in intensity.

A)inverse
B)increasing
C)decreasing
D)constant

Question 57

In signal detection research,correctly detecting a signal in noise is classified as a:

A)just noticeable difference.
B)hit.
C)correct rejection.
D)win.

Question 58

Signal detection studies allow for the determination of perceptual sensitivity separately from the observer's:

A)decision-making strategy.
B)absolute threshold.
C)difference threshold.
D)background noise.

Question 59

According to _____,the level of stimulation required to detect a stimulus changes based on our expectancies,mood,and current environment.

A)the just noticeable difference theory
B)Weber's law
C)the absolute threshold theory
D)signal detection theory

Question 60

You probably can detect a weight difference between a 1-ounce and a 2-ounce envelope.But if you pick up a 20-pound package,you'd probably need another package that weighs at least 20.5 pounds before detecting a difference between them.This description illustrates:

A)Weber's law.
B)signal detection theory.
C)absolute thresholds.
D)perceptual constancy.

Question 61

Janet's new neighbors play loud music late at night that wakes her up.According to sensory adaptation theory,over time,Janet would be MOST likely to sleep through the music if the neighbors:

A)play the same type of music every night.
B)play the same time of music but only on weekends.
C)play different types of music on unpredictable days.
D)constantly change the volume of the music from song to song.

Question 62

Wavelength is to wave amplitude as:

A)color is to saturation.
B)color is to brightness.
C)brightness is to color.
D)brightness is to saturation.

Question 63

The longest wavelengths in the visible spectrum will be perceived as:

A)red.
B)green.
C)blue.
D)violet.

Question 64

Which type of emission has the LONGEST wavelength?

A)gamma rays
B)radio waves
C)ultraviolet waves
D)infrared waves

Question 65

The perceptual system adapts to:

A)constant levels of stimulation faster than it does to variable levels of stimulation.
B)changing levels of stimulation faster than it does to constant levels of stimulation.
C)unpredictable levels of stimulation faster than it does to predictable levels of stimulation.
D)rare occurrences of stimulation faster than it does to frequent occurrences of stimulation.

Question 66

The ability to see fine detail is known as:

A)visual form agnosia.
B)accommodation.
C)visual acuity.
D)parts-based object recognition.

Question 67

A person who has 20/20 vision can read:

A)letters that are 1/20 of an inch high from a distance of 20 inches away.
B)20 letters in 20 seconds.
C)letters that are 0.20 inches high from a distance of 20 yards.
D)the smallest line of letters on the Snellen chart from a distance of 20 feet.

Question 68

If you forget to take out the trash for 2 weeks,it will probably stink.After 30 minutes of being around it,you don't notice the smell.This is an example of:

A)signal detection.
B)accommodation.
C)Weber's law.
D)sensory adaptation.

Question 69

The brightness of light is determined by the _____ of light waves.

A)amplitude
B)length
C)purity
D)width

Question 70

Which statement is NOT a reason why sensory adaptation is a useful process?

A)An unchanging stimulus is less likely to require immediate action.
B)Constantly sensing stimuli that are always in our environment would be highly distracting.
C)Stimuli that change frequently usually are of no consequence and therefore not important to sense.
D)Sensory adaptation better allows our senses to selectively respond to important changes in stimulation.

Question 71

Light waves corresponding to colors in the visual spectrum are typically measured in terms of:

A)millimeters.
B)micrometers.
C)nanometers.
D)picometers.

Question 72

The length of a light wave determines its:

A)brightness.
B)saturation,or richness of color.
C)hue,or color.
D)acuity.

Question 73

Wavelength is to purity as:

A)color is to saturation.
B)color is to brightness.
C)brightness is to color.
D)brightness is to saturation.

Question 74

The perceptual system is:

A)more sensitive to constant levels of stimulation than it is to changes in stimulation.
B)more sensitive to changes in stimulation than it is to constant levels of stimulation.
C)highly sensitive to both constant and changing stimulation.
D)quite insensitive to both constant and changing stimulation.

Question 75

Which type of emission has the SHORTEST wavelength?

A)gamma rays
B)radio waves
C)ultraviolet waves
D)infrared waves

Question 76

The number of wavelengths that make up light determines its:

A)hue,or color.
B)brightness.
C)saturation,or richness of color.
D)spectrum.

Question 77

The shortest wavelengths in the visible spectrum will be perceived as:

A)red.
B)green.
C)blue.
D)violet.

Question 78

When you wake up at night for a drink of water,the light from the bathroom momentarily blinds you.After a minute,however,you no longer squint.This is an example of:

A)retinal disparity.
B)accommodation.
C)sensory adaptation.
D)sensitization.

Question 79

Compared with that of hawks and other raptors,the visual acuity of humans is:

A)about the same.
B)much greater.
C)much lower.
D)slightly lower.

Question 80

Someone wearing night-vision goggles can detect:

A)gamma rays.
B)radio waves.
C)ultraviolet waves.
D)infrared waves.