Sensation & Perception Flashcards
1
Q
Describe how a sensation occurs and what happens during a sensation.
A
It occurs when special receptors in the sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, skin and taste buds) are activated.
It allows stimuli outside to become neural signals in the brain.
1
Q
What is the name of the process of converting outside stimuli into neural activity?
A
Transduction.
2
Q
What are sensory receptors and what are they stimulated by? Provide some examples.
A
Specialised forms of neutrons which are stimulated by different kinds of energy.
For example, receptors in the eyes are stimulated by light, receptors in the ears are activated by vibrations.
3
Q
What is the condition synesthesia?
A
A condition in which signals from the sensory organs are processed differently, resulting in the sense information being interpreted as more than one sensation.
4
Q
What is a just noticeable difference threshold in sensations?
A
It is the smallest difference between two stimuli that is detectable 50 percent of the time.
Whatever the difference between stimuli might be, it is always a constant.
5
Q
What is an absolute threshold in sensations?
A
An absolute threshold is the lowest level of stimulation that a person can consciously detect 50 percent of the time the stimulation is present.
6
Q
What is Weber’s law in relation to sensations?
A
Under Weber’s law, the size of the JND is proportional to the initial (or reference) intensity of the stimulus. The more intense the stimulus, the higher the JND.
7
Q
What is habituation in regards to sensations?
A
Habituation is when some of the lower centres of the brain filter sensory stimulation (not sending signals from the sense receptors to the cortex) and “ignore” or prevent conscious attention to constant, unchanging information.
8
Q
What is sensory adaptation?
A
Sensory adaptation is when the tendency of sensory receptor cells becomes less responsive to a stimulus that is unchanging.
9
Q
What is light and what are the 3 aspects to the perception of light?
A
Light contain tiny packets of waves called photons which have specific wavelengths associated with them.
The 3 aspects to the perception of light is brightness, colour and saturation.
10
Q
How is brightness determined in sight perception?
A
It is determined by the amplitude of the wave, the higher the wave, the brighter the light appears to be.
11
Q
How is colour determined in sight perception, what is the difference between the colours blue or red?
A
Colour is largely determined by the length of the wave.
Shorter wavelengths are found at the blue end of the visible spectrum (the portion of the whole spectrum of light visible to the human eye), whereas longer wavelengths are found at the red end of the visible spectrum.
12
Q
How is saturation determined in sight perception?
A
Saturation refers to the purity of the colour people perceive.
For example, a highly saturated red would contain only red wavelengths, whereas a less-saturated red might contain a mixture of wavelengths.
13
Q
Where does transduction of sight happen?
A
The retina of the eye.
14
Q
What are the three layers of the retina?
A
Photoreceptors (rod and cones, back layer)
Bipolar cells (middle layer, type of interneuron)
Ganglion cells
15
Q
What is the cornea and what is its function?
A
The surface of the eye is covered in a clear membrane called the cornea, it protects the eye but also focuses most of the light coming into the eye.
16
Q
In general, how does light travel into the eye to make sure an object appears clearly?
A
Light enters the eye directly from a source or indirectly by reflecting off an object.
Light must travel through the structures of the eye and end up on the retina as a single point.
17
Q
What is the aqueous humour and what is its function?
A
A clear, watery fluid, and is the next visual layer after the cornea.
This fluid is continually replenished and supplies nourishment to the eye.
18
Q
What is the iris and what is its function?
A
A colored area on the eye containing muscles that control the pupil.
It can change the size of the pupil, letting more or less light into the eye.
19
Q
What are lens in the eye, where are they located and what are their function?
A
The lens is a clear structure suspended by muscles located behind the iris.
It finishes the focusing process by the cornea by visual accommodation, where the lens changes its thickness as the eye focuses on objects that are far or close.
20
Q
What is the vitreous humour, where is it located and what is its function?
A
A clear, jelly-like fluid which nourishes the eye and gives it shape. It is located past the lens.
21
Q
What is the visual pathway for light for the eye?
A
Cornea > Aqueous humour > Iris > Pupil > Lens > Vitreous humour > Retina
22
Q
What are the 3 most common eye diseases?
A
Presbyopia (Hardening of lens due to age)
Myopia/nearsightedness (Focal point falls short of the retina due to the eyeball too long)
Hyperopia/farsightedness (Focal point falls beyond the retina due to eyeball being too short)
23
Q
How does the transduction of light occur in the retina?
A
The rods and cones of the retina receive the photons of light, and turn them into neural signals for the brain.
The bipolar cells in the middle layer then collects the neural signals from the rod and cone cells and integrates the information.
It then passes the information to the ganglion cells, which axons form the optic nerve.
24
What are the functions of cones in the retina and where are they located?
Cones are visual sensory receptors also found at the back of the retina, it is responsible for colour vision and sharpness of vision.
The cones are more concentrated at the centre of the retina, the area called the fovea.
25
What are the functions rods in the retina and where are they located?
Rods are visual sensory receptors found at the back of the retina, it is responsible for non-colour sensitivity to low levels of light.
Rods are located all over the retina except the fovea. They are more focused on periphery and peripheral vision.
26
What is the visual pathway of neural information about light from the eyes to the brain?
Retina → optic nerve → optic chiasm → optic tract → lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of thalamus → primary visual cortex
27
How does light from the right visual field travel from the eye to the brain?
Light from the right visual field falls on the left side of each eye’s retina, then to the left visual cortex.
28
How does light from the left visual field travel from the retina to the brain?
Light from the left visual field falls on the right side of each retina, then to the right visual cortex.
29
As light from an object travels through the cornea and lens, what is the resulting image projecting on the retina?
The image is projected upside down and reversed left to right.
30
What are the two theories about how people see and perceive colours?
Trichromatic theory and opponent-process theory.
31
Explain the trichromatic theory of colour sensation and perception.
The trichromatic theory proposed that there are three types of cones: red, blue and green. One for each of the three primary colours of light.
Different shades of colour correspond to different amounts of light received by the three types of cones, the cones then fire their message to the brain’s vision centres.
The combination of cones and the rate at which they are firing determines the colour that will be seen.
32
Order these colours based on their wavelength (shortest to longest) with regards to the trichromatic theory of colour perception: green, cyan, yellow, red, violet, blue, orange
1. Violet (Shortest)
2. Blue
3. Cyan
4. Green
5. Yellow
6. Orange
7. Red (Longest)
33
Explain the opponent-process theory of colour sensation and perception.
The opponent-process theory proposed that visual neurons (or groups of neurons) are stimulated by light of one colour and inhibited by light of another colour.
In opponent-process theory, there are four primary colours: red, green, blue, and yellow. The colours are arranged in pairs, with each member of the pair as opponents. Red is paired with green, and blue is paired with yellow.
If one member of a pair is strongly stimulated, the other member is inhibited and cannot be working.
34
What are afterimages?
When an image occurs when a visual sensation persists for a brief time even after the original stimulus is removed.
35
Which theory best explains the phenomenon of afterimages?
Opponent-process theory.
36
What is colour-deficient vision and how does it occur?
It is colour blindness and is caused by defective cones in the retina of the eye.
37
What are the different types of colour deficient-vision?
Achromatopsia or monochromatic vision (black-white vision) and dichromatic vision.
38
What are the different types of dichromatic vision for colour deficient-vision?
Protanopia and protanomaly (Red colour blindness & red-weak vision)
Deuteranopia or deuteranomaly (Green colour blindness & green-weak vision)
Tritanopia or tritanomaly (Blue colour blindness & blue-weak vision)
39
What is monochromatic vision?
A condition in which two or three cones do not work properly as the result of genetic mutations.
40
What is dichromatic vision?
Condition in which one cone does not work properly, with resulting colors being determined by combination of
only two cones.
41
What are soundwaves and what are the properties of the waves?
Sound waves are vibrations of molecules of air that surround us.
Sound waves have the same properties of light waves: wavelength, amplitude, and purity.
42
What is wavelength, amplitude and purity of soundwaves interpreted as?
Frequency or pitch, volume and timbre respectively.
43
What are the three main categories of the ear?
Outer ear, middle ear and inner ear.
44
What does the outer ear consist of?
Pinna and the auditory canal.
45
What is the pinna of the ear and what is its function?
Visible external part of the ear and the entrance to the auditory canal.
It funnels & concentrates sound waves from the outside into the structure of the ear.
46
What is the auditory canal of the ear?
A short tunnel that runs down to the tympanic membrane, or eardrum.
47
What does the middle ear consist of?
The tympanic membrane (eardrum) and the middle ear bones (hammer, anvil & stirrup).
48
What is the tympanic membrane (eardum) and what is its function?
Thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear, when hit with sound waves, causes the middle ear bones (hammer, anvil and stirrup) to vibrate.
49
What does the inner ear consist of?
Oval window, cochlea (snail), basilar membrane and Organ of Corti.
50
What are the functions of the middle ear bones?
It amplifies the vibrations from the ear drum, the stirrup causes the oval window in the inner ear to vibrate.
51
What is the oval window of the inner ear?
A connective tissue membrane-covered opening from the middle ear to the cochlea of the inner ear.
52
What is the cochlea of the inner ear?
A snail-shaped structure of the inner ear filled with fluid.
When the oval window vibrates, the fluid (which surrounds the basilar membrane) also vibrates.
53
What is the basilar membrane of the inner ear?
It is the resting place of the organ of Corti, it vibrates the organ of Corti when the membrane is vibrating.
54
What is the organ of Corti and what is its function?
The organ of Corti contains hair cells or receptor cells for sense of hearing.
When vibrating, it causes the hair cells to bend against another membrane, which causes a neural message to be sent through the auditory nerve, into the brain, through the thalamus, and into the auditory cortex to interpret the sounds.
55
How does the transduction of sound occur?
Transduction of sound occurs when the basilar membrane converts vibrations into neural impulses.
The hair cells or receptor cells on the organ of Corti sway due to the vibrations, which stimulates the sensory nerve endings and generates electrical impulses.
56
What is the neural signal pathway for sound?
Cochlea > Auditory Nerve > Thalamus > Auditory Cortex
57
What are the three primary theories of how the brain processes information about pitch in sound?
Place theory, frequency theory and volley principle.
58
Describe the place theory for pitch in sound.
States that different pitches are experienced by stimulation of hair cells in different locations on the organ of Corti.
For example, in hearing a high-pitched sound, all of the hair cells near the oval window are stimulated.
In a low-pitched sound, hair cells further away on the organ of Corti are stimulated.
59
Describe the frequency theory for pitch in sound.
States that pitch is related to the speed of vibrations in the basilar membrane.
The faster the membrane vibrates, the higher the pitch.
*(note: does not account for frequencies above 1000 Hz)*
60
Describe the volley principle theory for pitch in sound.
States that frequencies from about 400 Hz to 4,000 Hz cause the hair cells to fire in a volley pattern, or taking turns to fire.
For example, if a person hears a tone of about 3,000 Hz, it means that three groups have taken turns sending the message to the brain - first group for first 1,000 Hz, second group for the next 1,000 Hz, etc.
61
What are taste buds or taste receptor cells and what are their functions?
Special kinds of neurons, also called gustatory cells, found in the mouth that are responsible for the sense of taste, or gustation.
They transmit signals to the brain when stimulated by food molecules.
62
Where are taste buds located?
Most taste buds are located on the tongue, but there are a few on the roof of the mouth, cheeks, under the tongue, and in the throat.
63
What are the small bumps on the tongue called and what do they contain?
Papillae, they contain numerous taste buds.
64
What are the 5 primary tastes and 1 proposed taste which gustatory cells are able to detect?
Sweet, sour, bitter, salty & umami (savoury flavour in protein rich foods)
Oleogustus is the proposed taste which is the taste of fatty acids.
65
Which part of the brain receives and processes information about taste?
The gustatory cortex.
66
What is olfaction or the olfactory sense?
The ability to smell odours.
67
What are cilia and what are their functions?
Hair cells that are on olfactory receptor cells.
The receptor sites on the cilia send neural signals to the brain when stimulated by the molecules of substances in the air.
68
What are olfactory bulbs, where are they located and what are their functions?
Bulb-like projects of the brain located just above the sinus cavity and below the frontal lobes.
It receives neural signals from olfactory receptor and sends it to higher cortical areas, such as the primary olfactory cortex (the piriform cortex).
69
What are somesthetic senses?
Somesthetic senses (or sense of touch) are body senses consisting of skin senses, the kinesthetic sense, and the vestibular senses.
70
How does the sense of touch or somesthetic senses get transmitted or transduced?
The skin receives and transmits information from the outside world to the central nervous system (specifically, to the somatosensory cortex).
71
What are the 4 types of touch senses that can be transduced?
Touch, pressure, temperature and pain.
72
What are the 3 layers of skin?
Epidermis, dermis and hypodermis.
73
What is the neural signals pathway for somesthetic senses?
Touch Receptor Cells > Spinal Cord > Somatosensory Cortex & Other cortical areas (e.g., limbic system)
74
What is visceral pain?
Pain and pressure in the organs.
75
What is somatic pain?
Pain sensations in the skin, muscles, tendons and joints which are carried on large nerve fibres.
76
What is the gate-control theory on the sensation of pain?
In this theory, pain signals must pass through a “gate” located in the spinal cord.
The gate can be closed by non-pain signals coming into the spinal cord from the brain and by signals coming from the brain.
77
What neurotransmitter is released when pain receptor cells are stimulated?
Substance P (for peptide).
78
What does endorphin do to pain signals in the brain and spinal cord?
It inhibits the transmission of pain signals to the brain and can inhibit the release of substance P in the spinal cord.
79
What is kinesthesia and some examples of kinesthetic information?
The awareness of body movement, changes in the skin stretching as body parts move provide kinesthetic information.
80
What is proprioception?
The awareness of where the body and body parts are located in relation to each other in space and to the ground.
81
What are the functions of special receptors located in the muscles, tendons and joints?
They provide information about body movement and the movement and locations of the arms or legs.
These receptors increase kinesthesia and also provide proprioceptive information.
82
What is vestibular sense?
The awareness of the balance, position, and movement of the head and body through space in relation to gravity’s pull.
83
What are the two structures for the vestibular sense and where are they located?
The otolith organs and the semicircular canals. They are both located in the innermost chamber of the ear.
84
What are otolith organs and what are their functions?
Sacs found just above the cochlea which contain gelatin-like fluid within which tiny crystals are suspended.
Head movement makes the crystals to cause the fluid to vibrate, setting off receptors on the inner surface of the sac letting the person know what kind of movement they are performing.
85
What are semicircular canals and what are their functions?
Three somewhat circular tubes filled with fluid that stimulates receptors when rotated.
Each tube/canal is correlated to each plane of motion (x, y, z-axis).
86
What is the sensory conflict theory in relation to vestibular senses?
An explanation of motion sickness in which the information from the eyes conflicts with information from the vestibular senses, resulting in dizziness, nausea and other physical discomfort.
87
What is perception?
Perception is the method by which the brain takes all the sensations a person experiences and allows them to be interpreted in some meaningful fashion.
88
What are the two methods of processing in regards to perception?
Top-down processing, where the use of pre-existing knowledge to organise individual features into a unified whole.
Bottom-up processing, where the analysis of smaller features to build up to a complete perception.
89
What are perceptual constancies?
Circumstances during which stimuli are seemingly automatically perceived in almost the same way by various individuals.
They are also described as perceptions that have the property of remaining stable and unchanging.
90
What are the four main types of perceptual constancies?
Size, shape, brightness and colour.
91
What is a size constancy?
Tendency to interpret an object as always being the same size, regardless of distance from the viewer.
For example, if an object normally perceived to be about 6 feet tall appears very small on the retina, it will be interpreted as being far away.
92
What is a shape constancy?
Tendency to interpret the shape of an object as being constant, even when its shape changes on the retina.
93
What is a brightness constancy?
Tendency to perceive the apparent brightness of an object as the same even when light conditions change.
94
What is a colour constancy?
Tendency to perceive an object as having the same colour under different lighting conditions.
95
What is the Gestalt theory of perception?
It proposes fundamental principles (or laws) for how incoming stimulation is grouped or organised into meaningful perceptual patterns.
96
What is a figure-ground relationship and which theory of perception is it related to?
The tendency to perceive objects or figures as existing on a background and it is related to the Gestalt theory of perception.
97
What are reversible figures and which relationship is related to it?
A visual illusion in which the figure and the ground can be reversed.
It is related to the figure-ground relationship.
98
What are ambiguous figures/images in relation to perception?
Images that allow for more than one interpretation.
99
What are the 8 characteristics in the Gestalt principles of grouping?
Proximity, similarity, closure, continuity, contiguity, common region, elemental connectedness and common fate.
100
Explain the proximity characteristic in the Gestalt principles of grouping.
Tendency to perceive objects that are close to one another as part of the same grouping.
101
Explain the similarity characteristic in the Gestalt principles of grouping.
Tendency to perceive things that look similar as being part of the same group.
102
Explain the closure characteristic in the Gestalt principles of grouping.
Tendency to complete figures that are incomplete.
103
What are subjective contours?
Boundaries/outlines that are perceived but do not appear in the stimulus pattern.
(pacman triangle)
104
Explain the continuity characteristic in the Gestalt principles of grouping.
Tendency to perceive things as simply as possible with a continuous pattern rather than with a complex, broken-up pattern.
105
Explain the contiguity characteristic in the Gestalt principles of grouping.
Tendency to perceive two things that happen close together in time as related.
(ventriloquists)
106
Explain the common region characteristic in the Gestalt principles of grouping.
Tendency to perceive objects that are in a common area or region as being in a group.
107
Explain the elemental connectedness characteristic in the Gestalt principles of grouping.
Tendency to perceive objects that are connected to override elements of similarity and proximity.
108
Explain the common fate characteristic in the Gestalt principles of grouping.
Tendency to group similar objects together that share a common motion, destination, or orientation.
(flock of birds flying together)
109
What is the Law of Prägnanz in relation to the Gestalt principles of grouping?
Tendency for the simplest organization, requiring the least cognitive effort, to emerge as the figure.
(olympic rings being 5 circles instead of 9 disjointed shapes)
110
What is an illusion?
A perception that does not correspond to reality.
Illusions can also be seen as visual stimuli that “fool” the eye, or a distorted perception of reality.
111
What are some examples of illusions?
Hermann Grid (Gray dot illusion)
Ebbinghaus illusion (Attributed to our tendency to use context or surrounding information to determine size)
MÜLLER-LYER Illusion
(Arrow illusion)
112
How does prior learning and experience influence perceptions?
Inferences, predictions or guesses are made using these prior experiences to interpret new sensory information.
113
What is a perceptual set/expectancy?
Tendency to perceive things a certain way because previous experiences or expectations influence those perceptions.
114
What is the difference between habituation and sensory adaptation?
Sensory adaptation is an automatic, involuntary process that involves becoming less sensitive to sensory stimulation at the cellular level.
Habituation is a phenomenon involving a decrease in the perceptual experience when exposed to the same sensory stimuli over time.
115
_________ involves the detection of physical stimuli from our environment and is made possible by the activation of specific receptor cells.
a. Sublimination
b. Perception
c. Sensation
d. Adaptation
c. Sensation
116
The lowest level of stimulation that a person can consciously detect 50 percent of the time the stimulation is present is called:
a. sensory adaptation.
b. just noticeable difference.
c. sensation.
d. absolute threshold.
d. absolute threshold.
117
August loves swimming. When she first dives into the pool, the water seems cold. However, it doesn’t feel cold after staying in the water for sometime. What is a likely explanation for this?
a. sensory adaptation
b. transduction
c. habituation
d. sublimation
a. sensory adaptation
118
Rachel loves to play games on her laptop. But whenever she plays, her laptop’s fans spin up and emit a loud sound. Fortunately, when Rachel is focusing on the game, she cannot hear the noise. This is due to _________ .
a. sensory adaptation
b. sublimation
c. habituation
d. perceptual defense
c. habituation
119
Which of the following is largely determined by the length of a light wave?
a. brightness
b. color
c. saturation
d. duration
b. color
120
Aside from the lens, damage to the _______ can affect the eye’s ability to focus light.
a. retina
b. iris
c. pupil
d. cornea
d. cornea
121
In farsightedness, also known as _______, the focal point is _______ the retina.
a. presbyopia, above
b. hyperopia, beyond
c. myopia, below
d. presbyopia, in front of
b. hyperopia, beyond
122
Collins stares at a lined piece of paper to his left using only his right eye. After a while, he notices a spot on the paper where the lines disappear. This is due to the presence of a _______.
a. blind spot
b. optic chiasm
c. fovea
d. iris
a. blind spot
123
What are the three primary colors as proposed by the trichromatic theory?
a. red, yellow, blue
b. white, black, brown
c. red, green, blue
d. white, black, red
c. red, green, blue
124
Which of the following best explains afterimages?
a. trichromatic theory
b. opponent-process theory
c. color-deficient vision
d. monochrome color blindness
b. opponent-process theory
125
The part of the ear that can be seen is also called the:
a. oval window.
b. pinna.
c. organ of Corti.
d. cochlea.
b. pinna.
126
The oval window is found in what part of the ear?
a. middle ear
b. outer ear
c. inner ear
d. The oval window is not a structure of the ear
c. inner ear
127
Which theory cannot adequately account for pitches above
1,000 Hz?
a. frequency
b. place
c. volley
d. adaptive
a. frequency
128
Ishikawa fell off his bicycle and hurt his right ear. The doctors informed his parents that some parts of his outer ear have been damaged.
Which of the
following treatments might help Ishikawa?
a. a hearing aid
b. a cochlear implant
c. a cochlear implant and a hearing aid
d. No treatment can help him.
a. a hearing aid
129
Which is considered the most common type of permanent hearing loss?
a. frequency-based hearing loss
b. psychological hearing loss
c. conductive hearing loss
d. sensorineural hearing loss
d. sensorineural hearing loss
130
Taste is often called a(n) _______ sense because it works with the molecules of foods that people eat.
a. electrical
b. physical
c. psychological
d. chemical
d. chemical
131
Research has found that taste information is sent to the:
a. pons and medulla.
b. insula and frontal
operculum.
c. suprachiasmatic nucleus.
d. cerebellum and parietal
lobe.
b. insula and frontal
operculum.
132
How often are olfactory receptors replaced by new olfactory receptors?
a. every 2–3 weeks
b. every 12–24 hours
c. every 5–8 weeks
d. every 30 days
c. every 5–8 weeks
133
Olfactory receptors project directly to the _______ and are unique in that signals do not first connect to the thalamus.
a. hypothalamus
b. occipital lobe
c. olfactory bulbs
d. gustatory cortex
c. olfactory bulbs
134
__________ are tactile receptors that are located just beneath the skin and respond to changes in pressure.
a. Pacinian corpuscles
b. Oligodendrocytes
c. Free nerve endings
d. Tactile interneurons
a. Pacinian corpuscles
135
In gate-control theory, substance P:
a. is unrelated to pain.
b. closes the spinal gates for pain.
c. opens the spinal gates for pain.
d. is similar in function to endorphins
c. opens the spinal gates for pain.
136
When you close your eyes and raise your hand above your head, you know where your hand is due to information from:
a. otolith organs.
b. proprioceptors
c. horizontal canals.
d. semicircular canals.
b. proprioceptors
137
Motion sickness often results from conflicting signals sent from the __________ and from the __________.
a. extremities, brain
b. eyes, vestibular organs
c. brain, internal organs
d. conscious, unconscious
b. eyes, vestibular organs
138
When opening a door, the actual image on your retina changes drastically, but you still perceive the door as a rectangle. This is an
example of _______ constancy.
a. size
b. shape
c. color
d. brightness
b. shape
139
Hunters who wear camouflage so that they can blend in with their surroundings are relying on which principle of perception?
a. depth perception
b. shape constancy
c. expectancy
d. figure–ground relationships
d. figure–ground relationships
140
What monocular depth cue can best explain why railroad tracks appear to come together in the distance?
a. overlap
b. convergence
c. linear perspective
d. texture gradient
c. linear perspective
141
The Müller-Lyer illusion occurs more frequently in:
a. men than women.
b. children than adults.
c. people living in a Western culture.
d. individuals living in poverty.
c. people living in a Western culture.
142
Monica’s sense of hearing is perfect. But recently, when her colleague asked her how the weather was, she replied that she was fine. This presumption can be attributed to?
a. bottom-up processing
b. top-down processing
c. perceptual set
d. cognitive dissonance
c. perceptual set
143
Yang loves to build PCs. The first time he did it, the process was difficult. It is much easier now, as he can build a computer in less than an hour. His improved speed and skill can partially be attributed to:
a. top-down processing.
b. autokinetic effect.
c. perceptual set.
d. bottom-up processing.
a. top-down processing.
144
Xian likes a warm bowl of soup. He requires 2 additional tablespoons of salt in half a bowl of soup to feel a difference in taste.
Using Weber’s law, how many
tablespoons of salt does Xian need to add to feel a difference if he has a full bowl of soup.
a. 4
b. 8
c. 2
d. 1
a. 4
145
A study purportedly conducted by James Vicary teaches us what about the power of subliminal perception and its effect on advertising?
a. Subliminal advertising affects a consumer’s decision-making process but only when it involves comfort foods such as popcorn and soda.
b. Subliminal advertising can profoundly affect a consumer’s decision-making process.
c. Subliminal advertising was never supported, since Vicary ultimately admitted that he never truly conducted such a study.
d. Subliminal advertising is effective on those who believe in the
power of the unconscious.
c. Subliminal advertising was never supported, since Vicary ultimately admitted that he never truly conducted such a study.
146
You are having ice-cream and, initially, it tastes very sweet.
After a while, the sweetness seems to decrease. This is most likely due to:
a. habituation.
b. sensory adaptation.
c. perceptual adaptation.
d. transduction.
b. sensory adaptation.
147
Which of the following terms refers to the amplitude of a light wave such as how high or low the wave is?
a. brightness
b. color
c. pitch
d. hue
a. brightness
148
When an ophthalmologist surgically corrects a patient’s vision
through LASIK or PRK, the doctor is making adjustments to the patient’s
a. retina.
b. lens.
c. cornea.
d. iris.
c. cornea.
149
What part of the eye hardens as we age, thus causing many to suffer from presbyopia?
a. lens
b. rods
c. cones
d. vitreous humor
a. lens
150
When going from a brightly lit room to a darkened room, the rods play a role in the process of __________, or our ability to adjust to
seeing in low levels of light.
a. afterimage
b. light adaptation
c. dark adaptation
d. opponent-process theory
c. dark adaptation
151
The hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup are part of the:
a. middle ear.
b. outer ear.
c. inner ear.
d. cochlea
a. middle ear.
152
Ewen has worked as a DJ in various nightclubs. After listening to very loud music for years, he experiences a continuous ringing in both of his ears.
Ewen is most likely suffering from?
a. tinnitus, a nerve-based disorder
b. eardrum damage
c. middle ear bone damage
d. damage to the pinna
a. tinnitus, a nerve-based disorder
153
Studies show that taste preference can typically begin:
a. in the first 3 to 6 months
after birth.
b. by age 1.
c. before a baby is
born.
d. during preschool.
c. before a baby is
born.
154
Santos hit his nose on the post while goalkeeping during an interschool football match. The nurse informs him that the injury is not serious, but he has to keep wearing cotton swabs in his nose for a few hours till the bleeding stops completely. During these hours,
Santos might experience:
a. a heightened sense of taste as he would not be distracted by
smells.
b. a lowered sense of taste as the sense of smell and taste work
together.
c. a complete loss of the sense of taste.
d. no change in his sense of taste
b. a lowered sense of taste as the sense of smell and taste work
together.
155
Petra is a seven-year-old girl who cannot feel any pain. Her parents need to be extra careful when she is playing because she can injure herself without even realizing it. Petra is suffering from?
a. congenital analgesia
b. phantom limbs
c. CIPA
d. kinesthesia
a. congenital analgesia
156
Kiran had a fun time in an amusement park today. During the roller-coaster ride, she had closed her eyes but she could still feel the movement in her body. This is due to the movement of small crystals in the:
a. stirrup.
b. cochlea.
c. gelatin sacs.
d. otolith organs.
d. otolith organs.
157
Catherine is new to ballet and often feels dizzy and out of balance after doing a few continuous spins in her class. What is responsible for this sensation?
a. fluid still rotating in the semicircular canals
b. expansion of the otolith crystals
c. kinesthetic sense
d. visual dissonance
a. fluid still rotating in the semicircular canals
158
Little Ashley went to watch her brother play his first international hockey match. She still remembers how small he appeared from the stands. Ashley could not understand how her big brother looked so small. Which type of constancy did Ashley lack?
a. shape
b. size
c. color
d. brightness
b. size
159
XX XX XX XXXXXX
XX XX XX XXXXXX
XX XX XX XXXXXX
In viewing the items above, seeing three columns of Xs on the left versus three rows of Xs on the right can be explained by the Gestalt principle of __________.
a. similarity
b. closure
c. contiguity
d. proximity
d. proximity
160
From experience, you know that commercial jets typically fly around 500 miles per hour at a height of 30,000 feet. However, as you watch one fly high overhead, it seems to slowly pass by.
What
monocular depth cue best explains this?
a. overlap
b. linear perspective
c. motion parallax
d. texture gradient
c. motion parallax
161
The Müller-Lyer illusion is influenced greatly by one’s
a. culture.
b. age.
c. gender.
d. level of intellect.
a. culture.
162
Tom is a motorcycle mechanic who has worked with all sorts of engines. One day, a person with a single-cylinder engine motorcycle comes to his workshop looking for help. With his past experience to rely upon, Tom was able to finish the job swiftly. This can be attributed to:
a. bottom-up processing.
b. top-down processing.
c. perceptual set.
d. perceptual expectancy.
b. top-down processing.
163
Cade enjoys playing with sparklers on the 4th of July. He loves
watching his sister run with a sparkler and the momentary trail of light that seems to be left behind. Which aspect of our visual system best explains this trail of light?
a. achromatopsia
b. lateral inhibition
c. microsaccades of the eyes
d. persistence of vision
d. persistence of vision
