Chapter 3: Quiz

Question 1

the minimum amount of energy in a sensory stimulus detected 50 percent of the time.

Answer 1

absolute threshold

Question 2

A theory that assumes that the detection of faint sensory stimuli depends not only upon a person’s physiological sensitivity to a stimulus but also upon his decision criterion for detection, which is based on non sensory factors.

Answer 2

signal detection theory

Question 3

The minimum difference between two sensory stimuli detected 50 % of the time.

Answer 3

difference threshold

Question 4

for each type of sensory judgement that we can make, the measured difference threshold is a constant fraction of the standard stimulus value used to measure it. This constant fraction is different for each type of sensory judgement.

Answer 4

Weber’s Law

Question 5

The perceived magnitude of a stimulus is equal to its actual physical intensity raised to some constant power. The constant power is different for each type of sensory judgement.

Answer 5

Stevens’s power law

Question 6

Our sensitivity to unchanging and repetitious stimuli disappears over time.

Answer 6

sensory adaptation

Question 7

The conversion of physical energy into neural signals that the brain can understand.

Answer 7

transduction

Question 8

the focusing of light waves from objects of different distances directly on the retina

Answer 8

accommodation

Question 9

the light sensitive layer of the eye that is composed of three layers of cells- ganglion, bipolar, and receptor (rod and cones)

Answer 9

retina

Question 10

Receptor cells in the retina that are principally responsible for dim light and achromatic vision.

Answer 10

rods

Question 11

Receptors cells in the retina that are principally responsible for bright light and color vision.

Answer 11

cones

Question 12

A condition in which a blind person has some spared visual capacities in the absence of any visual awareness.

Answer 12

blindsight

Question 13

The receptor cells for hearing. They line the basilar membrane inside the cochlea.

Answer 13

hair cells

Question 14

The interpretation by the brain of sensory information.

Answer 14

sensation

Question 15

The processing of incoming sensory information as it travels up from the sensory structures to the brain.

Answer 15

bottom-up processing

Question 16

The brain’s use of knowledge, beliefs, and expectations to interpret sensory information.

Answer 16

top-down processing

Question 17

the interpretation of ambiguous sensory information in terms of how our past experiences have set us to perceive it.

Answer 17

perceptual set

Question 18

The use of the present context of sensory information to determine its meaning

Answer 18

contextual effect

Question 19

the Gestalt perceptual organizational principle that the brain organizes sensory information into the center of attention and the less distinct background

Answer 19

figure-and-ground principle

Question 20

the Gestalt perceptual organizational principle that the brain completes (closes) incomplete figures to form meaningful objects.

Answer 20

closure

Question 21

a line or shape that is perceived to be present but does not really exist. The brain creates it during perception.

Answer 21

subjective contour

Question 22

The perceptual stability of the size, shape, brightness, and color for familiar objects seen at varying distances, different angles, and under different lighting conditions.

Answer 22

perceptual constancy

Question 23

Our ability to perceive the distance of objects from us.

Answer 23

depth perception

Question 24

What does psychophysical research focus on?

Answer 24

the relationship between the physical and psychological world

Question 25

The ______ are the ways we receive information.

Answer 25

5 senses

Question 26

means below threshold

Answer 26

subliminal

Question 27

the stimulus that stayed the same in a difference threshold test

Answer 27

standard stimulus

Question 28

the stimulus that changes in a difference threshold test

Answer 28

comparison stimulus

Question 29

We notice _______ differences and not absolute differences.

Answer 29

proportional

Question 30

For almost all types of _______ judgements is that our perception of stimulus magnitude does not match the actual physical world.

Answer 30

sensory

Question 31

When we first put our watch on our wrist, we are aware of it, but that sensitivity disappears quickly. This is an example of what?

Answer 31

Sensory Adaptation

Question 32

We experience sensory adaptation with ______, ______, ______, &_______ senses, but not with our _______ sense.

Answer 32

smell, touch, taste, & hearing; sight

Question 33

What is our 2 most dominant senses?

Answer 33

vision and hearing

Question 34

The _____ lens is responsible for accommodation.

Answer 34

transparent

Question 35

The axons of the ganglion cells bundled together, exits the eye carrying the information along the visual pathways to the brain.

Answer 35

optic nerve

Question 36

a mechanical (vibratory) system with the receptor cells located in the inner portion of each ear.

Answer 36

auditory sensory system

Question 37

Marks the boundary between the inner ear and the outer ear

Answer 37

eardrum

Question 38

The major ______ cue is retinal disparity (the fact that as the difference between the two retinal images of an object increases, the distance of the object from us decreases.)

Answer 38

binocular

Question 39

meaning one eye

Answer 39

monocular

Question 40

We are not born with _______. We get it at about 8 or 9 months old.

Answer 40

depth perception