Psychology 6th Edition By James S. Nairne - Test Bank

Psychology 6th Edition By James S. Nairne - Test Bank   Instant Download - Complete Test Bank With Answers     Sample Questions Are Posted Below   Chapter 5—Sensation and Perception MULTIPLE CHOICE 1.Sensations are: a. the elementary features or building blocks of experience b. the processes used to translate external messages into neural impulses …

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Psychology 6th Edition By James S. Nairne – Test Bank

 

Instant Download – Complete Test Bank With Answers

 

 

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

 

Chapter 5—Sensation and Perception
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.Sensations are:
a. the elementary features or building blocks of experience
b. the processes used to translate external messages into neural impulses
c. the collection of processes used to arrive at a meaningful interpretation of an experience
d. the physical properties of stimuli in the environment
ANS:APTS:1DIF: factualREF:  Psychology for a Reason
2.The elementary features or building blocks of experience are the basis of:
a. perception
b. transduction
c. kinesthetic feedback
d. sensation
ANS:DPTS:1DIF: factualREF:  Psychology for a Reason
3.Perception refers to:
a. the elementary features or building blocks of experience
b. the collection of processes used to arrive at a meaningful interpretation of an experience
c. the process of translating external messages into neural impulses
d. the physical properties of stimuli in the environment
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Psychology for a Reason
4.The collection of processes used to arrive at a meaningful interpretation of an experience is called:
a. accommodation
b. transduction
c. perception
d. sensation
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF:  Psychology for a Reason
5.The small part of the electromagnetic spectrum that is processed by the visual system is:
a. light
b. hue
c. brightness
d. transduction
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
6.The wavelength of the light that is reflected from an object:
a. is a function of the amount of light that falls on an object
b. determines the perceived brightness of a stimulus
c. is the physical distance from one energy cycle to the next
d. determines the amount of accommodation in the vitreous humor
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
7.The dimension of light that produces color is:
a. accommodation
b. hue
c. brightness
d. transduction
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
8.The physical distance from one cycle of electromagnetic energy to the next determines the:
a. hue or color that will be perceived
b. absolute threshold of light
c. brightness that will be perceived
d. intensity of the light wave
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF: Translating the Message (Vision)
9.Based on the relationship between perception and the physical properties of light, you should infer that if the human nervous system were not wired to respond to differences in the wavelengths of reflected light, people would not be able to:
a. detect differences in brightness
b. respond accurately to movement
c. detect differences in colors
d. have full peripheral vision
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
10.An artist is combining pigments to obtain a desired color. The artist is trying to find the right:
a. accommodation
b. hue
c. brightness
d. transduction
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
11.The Cyborgs who live on planet Gamma-Delta-II are able to see infrared, in addition to the normal visual spectrum. This means that compared to humans, the Cyborgs can detect:
a. light waves that have a higher amplitude
b. shorter wavelengths of light
c. light waves that have a lower amplitude
d. longer wavelengths of light
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
12. The intensity of the light that is reflected from an object:
a. is the physical distance from one energy cycle to the next
b. is a function of the amount of light that falls on an object
c. determines the perceived color or hue of a stimulus
d. determines the amount of accommodation in the vitreous humor
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
13.The intensity of reflected electromagnetic waves determines the:
a. brightness that will be perceived
b. subliminal interpretation of the incoming energy
c. hue or color that will be perceived
d. wavelength of the light wave
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
14.An artist is attempting to create just the right amount of brightness in the background of a painting. Which aspect of light is the artist manipulating?
a. accommodation
b. hue
c. intensity
d. transduction
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
15.The mixture or purity of wavelengths in electromagnetic energy influences our perception of an object’s:
a. color saturation or richness
b. brightness
c. absolute threshold
d. sharpness or focus
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
16.Based on the relationship between perception and the physical properties of light, you should infer that if the human nervous system were not wired to respond to differences in the intensity of reflected light, people would not be able to:
a. detect differences in colors
b. detect differences in brightness
c. respond accurately to movement
d. have full peripheral vision
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
17. Transduction refers to:
a. the elementary features or building blocks of experience
b. the collection of processes used to arrive at a meaningful interpretation of an experience
c. the process of translating environmental energy into neural impulses
d. the physical properties of stimuli in the environment
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:conceptualREF:Translating the Message (Vision)
18.The process through which rods and cones convert electromagnetic energy into neural signals is an example of:
a. accommodation
b. sensory adaptation
c. sensory interaction
d. transduction
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
19.The path of a light wave, as it enters the human eye, is:
a. from the cornea, through the lens, and then through the pupil
b. from the pupil, through the cornea, and then through the lens
c. from the cornea, through the pupil, and then through the lens
d. from the pupil, through the lens, and then through the cornea
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
20.The transparent and protective outer covering of the eye is the:
a. cornea
b. lens
c. retina
d. iris
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
21.The cornea is the:
a. transparent and protective outer covering of the eye
b. light-sensitive surface at the back of the eye
c. hole in the center of the eye that allows light to enter
d. ring of colored tissue around the opening in the center of the eye
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
22.The flexible piece of tissue that helps focus light toward the back of the eye is the:
a. cornea
b. lens
c. retina
d. iris
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
23.The lens is the:
a. transparent and protective outer covering of the eye
b. light-sensitive surface at the back of the eye
c. flexible piece of tissue that helps focus light toward the back of the eye
d. ring of colored tissue around the opening in the center of the eye
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
24.The light-sensitive surface at the back of the eye, that contains rods and cones, is the:
a. iris
b. optic nerve
c. retina
d. cornea
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
25.The retina is the:
a. light-sensitive surface at the back of the eye
b. transparent and protective outer covering of the eye
c. hole in the center of the eye that allows light to enter
d. ring of colored tissue around the opening in the center of the eye
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
26.The fovea of the eye:
a. produces a blind spot in individuals with monocular vision
b. helps to focus light accurately on the retina
c. enhances the accuracy of our peripheral vision
d. is the central part of the retina where the cones are concentrated
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
27.The central part of the retina where the cones are concentrated is called the:
a. blindspot
b. optic chiasm
c. fovea
d. lens
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
28.The ability to process fine detail in vision is:
a. visual acuity
b. retinal disparity
c. transduction
d. prosopagnosia
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
29. Visual acuity is the:
a. ability to process fine detail in vision
b. conversion of nervous system impulses into perceived images
c. ability to process color
d. conversion of light waves into nervous system impulses
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
30.Lindsay is having trouble focusing on fine details. She is having problems of:
a.   visual acuity
b.   retinal disparity
c.   transduction
d.   prosopagnosia
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
31.The cells in the eye that convert electromagnetic energy into neural signals are called:
a. bipolar cells
b. rods and cones
c. ganglion cells
d. feature detectors
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
32.In the eye, transduction of the electromagnetic energy into neural impulses occurs:
a. as the light passes through the cornea
b. when the light strikes the rods and cones of the retina
c. when the light passes through the lens
d. in the vitreous humor in the center of the eye
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
33.In vision, the portion of the retina that, when stimulated, causes the activity of higher order neurons to change is the:
a. prosopagnosia area
b. retinal field
c. peripheral area
d. receptive field
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision) MSC:  New
34.Because the photoreceptors are distributed unevenly across the retina, you should expect that your night vision will be best when the image of an object:
a. falls slightly to one side of the fovea
b. is focused directly on the fovea
c. falls directly on the blind spot
d. activates more than one set of feature detectors
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
35.Imagine that the human eye only had rods, and no cones. Based on what is known about the differing functions of the visual receptors, you should predict that under these conditions, people would have:
a. no color vision
b. poor vision in low illumination
c. poor peripheral vision
d. more accurate depth perception
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
36.Dana sees no glowing embers when she looks directly at the fireplace, but when she looks a little to the side, she can see a dimly glowing spot. The best explanation for this is that:
a. dark adaptation occurs faster outside the fovea
b. rods produce more retinal disparity
c. cones provide better acuity
d. rods are more sensitive to light than cones
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
37.The receptor cells in the retina that enable us to distinguish different wavelengths of light are called:
a. cones
b. rods
c. bipolar cells
d. ganglion cells
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
38.In the retina, the cones are the receptor cells that are:
a. the most sensitive in low illumination
b. the most plentiful
c. the most important to our peripheral vision
d. concentrated in the center
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
39.Imagine that the human eye only had cones, and no rods. Based on what is known about the differing functions of the visual receptors, you should predict that under these conditions, people would have:
a. poor vision in bright illumination
b. poor peripheral vision
c. no color vision
d. poor visual acuity
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
40. The group of rods or cones that sends information to a single ganglion cell forms:
a. the optic disk for that ganglion cell
b. the blind spot in each eye
c. the receptive field for that ganglion cell
d. an integrated neural net
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
41.The area of the retina that will trigger the firing of a specific ganglion cell makes up that cell’s:
a. retinal web
b. transduction zone
c. visual pathway
d. receptive field
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
42.The receptive field of a ganglion cell refers to:
a. the range of wavelengths that will cause the cell to fire
b. the hemisphere of the brain that receives the neural signal
c. the area of the retina that will trigger the firing of the cell
d. the portion of the thalamus that causes the cell to fire
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
43.If a retinal cell has a center-surround receptive field, then that cell’s rate of firing will increase the most when:
a. no light falls in the center of the receptive field but light falls in the surround
b. light falls in the center of the receptive field but no light falls in the surround
c. equal amounts of light fall in both the center and the surround
d. no light falls in either the center or the surround
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
44.The point in the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye produces:
a. a fovea
b. a blind spot
c. transduction
d. the optic chiasm
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
45.The blind spot is located in the point in the retina where the:
a. optic nerve leaves the eye
b. fovea is located
c. feature detectors are most plentiful
d. bipolar cells connect with the ganglion cells
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
46.There is a “break” in the dark adaptation curve at about 8 minutes. This occurs because:
a. the rods and cones adapt at different rates
b. the pupil begins increasing in size again at that time
c. the optic chiasm begins to close
d. the last two cone photopigments begin to regenerate rapidly
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
47.Our increasing sensitivity to light in reduced illumination is due to:
a. light adaptation
b. bipolar sensitivity
c. dark adaptation
d. increased neural impulses in the thalamus
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
48.Fifteen minutes after Clarissa entered the dark theater from the brightly lit lobby dark adaptation was:
a. complete in her cones, but was still taking place in her rods
b. still taking place in both her rods and her cones
c. complete in her rods, but was still taking place in her cones
d. complete in both her rods and her cones
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Vision)
49.There was a brief flash of light in Teray’s left visual field. This information would have registered on the
a. left side of each retina before traveling to the right occipital lobe
b. right side of each retina before traveling to the left occipital lobe
c. left side of each retina before traveling to both the left and right occipital lobes
d. right side of each retina before traveling to the right occipital lobe
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
50.After the neural signals from each visual field separate at the optic chiasm, neural fibers are sent to:
a. the thalamus and the hypothalamus
b. the superior colliculus and the cerebellum
c. the thalamus and the superior colliculus
d. the reticular formation and the temporal lobe
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
51.After the neural signals from each visual field separate at the optic chiasm, the majority of the neurons from the optic nerve travel to the:
a. superior colliculus, while 10% travel to the lateral geniculate nucleus in the thalamus
b. left visual cortex, while 10% travel to the right visual cortex
c. lateral geniculate nucleus in the thalamus, while 10% travel to the superior colliculus
d. right visual cortex, while 10% travel to the left visual cortex
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
52.Hubel and Wiesel discovered cells in the visual cortex of cats that responded only to a specific length of line moving in a specific direction. They called these cells:
a. rods
b. feature detectors
c. cones
d. ganglion cells
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
53.Based on the research conducted by Hubel and Wiesel, you should infer that when an individual looks at a vertical line and then looks at a horizontal line, he or she will probably activate different:
a. feature detectors
b. channels within the thalamus
c. sensory thresholds
d. lobes in the cerebral cortex
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
54.Based on the research conducted by Hubel and Wiesel, you should infer that when an individual looks at a curved line and then looks at a straight line, he or she will probably activate different:
a. feature detectors
b. channels within the thalamus
c. sensory thresholds
d. lobes in the cerebral cortex
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
55.When a person has damage to his or her brain that produces prosopagnosia, the individual loses the ability to:
a. see objects that are in motion
b. detect objects that appear in the left visual field
c. see objects that are at rest
d. recognize faces
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
56.When a person has damage to his or her brain that causes him or her to lose the ability to recognize faces that had been familiar before, the person is said to suffer from:
a. aphasia
b. akinetopsia
c. blindness
d. prosopagnosia
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
57.The key idea behind the trichromatic theory of color vision is that:
a. the retina contains three kinds of color receptors
b. increased activation of one type of color cell will decrease activation in another
c. ganglion cells encode most aspects of color
d. each hemisphere of the brain processes color differently
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
58.The theory of color vision which proposes the human eye has three types of receptors that are sensitive to different ranges of light wavelengths is known as the:
a. opponent-process theory
b. trichromatic theory
c. geon theory
d. Gestalt theory
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
59.According to the trichromatic theory of color vision, the primary colors associated with the stimulation of cones on the retina are:
a. red, blue, and green
b. red, white, and blue
c. blue, green, and yellow
d. red, green, blue, yellow, black, and white
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
60.Evidence that some cones are especially sensitive to red light, others to green light, and still others to blue light most directly supports the theory of color vision known as the:
a. trichromatic theory
b. frequency theory
c. gate-control theory
d. opponent-process theory
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
61.Each of the three cone photopigments responds most to different wavelengths of light. These data best support:
a. opponent-process theory
b. trichromatic theory
c. frequency theory
d. top-down processing theory
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
62.Television sets are able to recreate the entire visible spectrum by additively mixing three primary colors. This process is similar to the view of human color vision called
a. trichromatic theory
b. saturation theory
c. opponent-process theory
d. complementary color theory
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
63.The key idea behind the opponent-process theory of color vision is that:
a. increased activation of one type of color cell decreases activation in another
b. the retina contains three kinds of color receptors
c. ganglion cells encode most aspects of color
d. each hemisphere of the brain processes color differently
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
64.According to one theory of color vision, colors are signaled in pairs by neurons that fire faster to one color and slower to another color. This theory is known as the:
a. opponent-process theory
b. trichromatic theory
c. akinetopsia theory
d. geon theory
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
65.Hering’s opponent-process theory suggests that visual receptors are linked in pairs. The opposing pairs that he suggested were:
a. red-yellow, blue-green, and black-white
b. red-green, yellow-white, and blue-black
c. red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white
d. green-yellow, red-blue, and black-white
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
66.Clarence was working in the chemistry lab when there was a small explosion and a flash of yellow. For several seconds Clarence saw blue spots before his eyes. This is best explained using the theory of color vision known as the:
a. trichromatic theory
b. akinetopsia theory
c. opponent-process theory
d. feature-detection theory
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
67.Sarah had some professional portraits taken, and the photographer used a blue flash. For several seconds after each shot Sarah saw spots before her eyes. Based on opponent-process theory, you should predict that the color of the spots that Sarah saw was:
a. most likely red
b. probably green
c. also blue
d. yellow
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
68.Walter was working in the chemistry lab when there was a small explosion and a flash of red. For several seconds Walter reported seeing spots before his eyes. Based on opponent-process theory, you should predict that the color of the spots that Walter saw was:
a. also red
b. green
c. probably blue
d. most likely white
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
69.At the rock concert she attended over the weekend, Veronica noticed that when the red and green spotlights overlapped they seemed to change to a yellow spotlight. This can be explained using the principles of:
a. subtractive color mixing
b. complementary colors
c. additive color mixing
d. hypercomplex feature detection
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
70.Evidence that some cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus fire with an increased frequency when the eye is stimulated by red light, and fire with a decreased frequency when the eye is stimulated by green light, most directly supports the theory of color vision known as the:
a. frequency theory
b. opponent-process theory
c. trichromatic theory
d. gate-control theory
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
71.Based on opponent-process theory of color vision, you should predict that cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus that are inhibited when the eye is stimulated by green light will be activated when the eye is stimulated by:
a. yellow light
b. red light
c. blue light
d. all other colors of light
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
72.According to the opponent-process theory of color vision, you should predict that cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus that are activated when the eye is stimulated by yellow light will be inhibited when the eye is stimulated by light that is:
a. red
b. green
c. blue
d. any other color
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
73.Based on the opponent-process theory of color vision, you could predict that if an individual stared at a red square and then shifted his or her eyes to a white surface, the afterimage of the square would appear to be:
a. red
b. green
c. blue
d. pink
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
74.Based on the opponent-process theory of color vision, you could predict that if an individual stared at a picture of the American flag then shifted his or her eyes to a white surface, the afterimage of the flag would appear to be:
a. red, white, and blue
b. green, white, and blue
c. green, black, and yellow
d. completely yellow
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
75.Currently, our perception of color can best be explained using:
a. a combination of trichromatic and opponent-process theories
b. trichromatic theory, on its own
c. opponent-process theory, on its own
d. neither trichromatic nor opponent-process theory, a new theory needs to be developed
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
76.The results from research studies investigating the way in which the retina encodes information about the color of a visual stimulus support the theory of color vision known as:
a. trichromatic theory
b. opponent-process theory
c. akinetopsia theory
d. gate-control theory
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
77.Currently, the best description of the way in which color is encoded in the visual pathways is that color vision:
a. begins as an opponent process in the retina and later switches to a trichromatic process
b. is an opponent process in the left cerebral cortex and a trichromatic process in the right cerebral cortex
c. begins as a trichromatic process in the retina and later switches to an opponent process
d. is an opponent process in the right cerebral cortex and a trichromatic process in the left cerebral cortex
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
78.Bottom-up processing involves:
a. scanning an object from the bottom to the top when it is first encoded
b. the use of innate principles of organization to aid perception
c. using perceptual illusions to aid in recognizing familiar objects
d. the sensory analysis of the actual environmental message
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
79.When the individual elements of a stimulus determine your perception of that stimulus, you are using:
a. top-down processing
b. bottom-up processing
c. figure-to-ground processing
d. opponent processing
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
80.Processing that is controlled by the physical message delivered to the senses is:
a. top-down processing
b. bottom-up processing
c. figure-to-ground processing
d. opponent processing
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
81.Bottom-up processing:
a. involves scanning an object from the bottom to the top when it is first encoded
b. is controlled by the physical message delivered to the senses
c. involves using perceptual illusions to aid in recognizing familiar objects
d. is controlled by one’s beliefs and expectations
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
82. Processing that is controlled by one’s beliefs and expectations about how the world is organized is:
a. top-down processing
b. bottom-up processing
c. figure-to-ground processing
d. opponent processing
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
83.When what you see out in the word is determined by what you expect to be out there, you are using:
a. top-down processing
b. bottom-up processing
c. figure-to-ground processing
d. opponent processing
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
84.Top-down processing:
a. involves scanning an object from the top to the bottom when it is first encoded
b. is controlled by the physical message delivered to the senses
c. involves using perceptual illusions to aid in recognizing familiar objects
d. is controlled by one’s beliefs and expectations
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
85.Perception results from:
a. top-down processing alone
b. bottom-up processing alone
c. top-down and bottom-up processing working together
d. top-down and bottom-up processing opposing one another
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
86.A moving object high in the sky was seen as an enemy aircraft by the soldier on guard, but as a bird by the bird watcher doing a bird count. This is explained best by:
a. recognition by components theory
b. Gestalt principles of perceptual organization
c. top-down processing
d. transduction
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
87. Graham is a strong believer in UFOs, and the other night he saw three streaks of light flash across the sky in a group. They were actually planes from the local air base, but Graham was convinced he had just seen three spaceships. Graham’s perception of the strange lights in the sky illustrates the influence of:
a. opponent processing
b. top-down-processing
c. bottom-up processing
d. the Gestalt law of common fate
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
88.The Gestalt psychologists believed:
a. we are born with certain organizing principles of perception
b. we are born with certain organizing principles of sensation
c. we learn certain organizing principles of perception during early infancy
d. we learn certain organizing principles of sensation during early infancy
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
89.The laws of proximity, similarity, and closure are all examples of the:
a. behavioral principles of sensation
b. Gestalt principles of sensation
c. behavioral principles of perception
d. Gestalt principles of organization
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
90.The Gestalt law of proximity states that visual elements:
a. that share common features or properties will be perceived as a single group
b. that are moving in the same direction will be perceived as a single group
c. that have gaps will be perceived as complete objects
d. that are close to each other will be perceived as a single group
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
91.The fact that most people perceive individual elements that are close to each other as being part of a single group is consistent with the Gestalt law of:
a. common fate
b. proximity
c. similarity
d. closure
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
92.Looking into the theater, Jarrod saw two groups of people separated by several rows of empty seats and an aisle. This demonstrates the Gestalt law of:
a. common fate
b. proximity
c. good continuation
d. closure
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
93.The Gestalt law of similarity states that visual elements:
a. that are close to each other will be perceived as a single group
b. that are moving in the same direction will be perceived as a single group
c. that share common features or properties will be perceived as a single group
d. that have gaps will be perceived as complete objects
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
94.The fact that most people perceive individual elements that share common features or properties as being part of a single group is consistent with the Gestalt law of:
a. proximity
b. common fate
c. closure
d. similarity
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
95.When Peggy went to the baseball game she quickly separated the fans into the “home crowd” (wearing mostly red), and the “visitors” (wearing mostly blue), even though the fans were fairly evenly dispersed throughout the stadium. Peggy’s perception of the crowd illustrates the Gestalt principle of:
a. figure ground
b. closure
c. common fate
d. similarity
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
96.The Gestalt law of closure states that visual elements:
a. that have gaps will be perceived as complete objects
b. that are close to each other will be perceived as a single group
c. that share common features or properties will be perceived as a single group
d. that are moving in the same direction will be perceived as a single group
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
97. The fact that most people tend to perceive complete objects, even when part of the object is missing, is consistent with the Gestalt law of:
a. proximity
b. common fate
c. similarity
d. closure
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
98.When we look at the night sky and see the Big Dipper as a complete figure, rather than as individual stars, our perception demonstrates the Gestalt principle of:
a. similarity
b. common fate
c. closure
d. proximity
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
99.If lines cross or are interrupted, people tend to still see continuously flowing lines. This is a statement of the Gestalt law of:
a. common fate
b. good continuation
c. similarity
d. closure
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
100.The Gestalt law of good continuation states that lines that:
a. have gaps will be perceived as complete objects
b. cross or are interrupted are still seen as continuously flowing lines
c. share common features or properties will be perceived as a single group
d. are moving in the same direction will be perceived as a single group
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
101.Levon was amazed at a magician’s trick in which a person in a box appeared to be sawed in half. Levon had perceived the head at one end of the box and the feet at the other end of the box, as belonging to a single person, rather than two separate people. This error in Levon’s understanding illustrates the Gestalt principle of:
a. figure-ground
b. proximity
c. common fate
d. good continuation
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
102. The Gestalt law of common fate states that visual elements:
a. that are moving in the same direction will be perceived as a single group
b. that are close to each other will be perceived as a single group
c. that share common features or properties will be perceived as a single group
d. that have gaps will be perceived as complete objects
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
103.The fact that most people perceive individual elements that are moving in the same direction as being part of a single group is consistent with the Gestalt law of:
a. proximity
b. similarity
c. closure
d. common fate
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
104.When Adrian was watching an air show, he saw the group of jets flying in formation as a single unit. Adrian’s perception during the air show illustrates the Gestalt principle of:
a. figure-ground
b. linear perspective
c. common fate
d. closure
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
105.While drifting with the debris in the river current, the fugitive went undetected. However, as soon as he started swimming across the current, he was spotted. This is an example of the Gestalt law of:
a. closure
b. good continuation
c. common fate
d. proximity
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
106.When the band marched in complete unison, they appeared as one large organism. When two members began leading with the opposite foot, they were perceived as a separate group and the unity was broken. This is an example of the Gestalt law of:
a. closure
b. good continuation
c. common fate
d. proximity
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
107. Irving Biederman’s idea that people recognize objects perceptually via smaller elements called geons is known as:
a. bottom-up theory
b. recognition by components theory
c. top-down theory
d. principles of perception theory
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
108.Irving Biederman suggested that part of the perceptual process involves recognition by components. This theory is based on the idea that:
a. there are approximately 150 million basic geons that humans use to recognize complex objects
b. humans have approximately 150 million different types of feature detectors
c. we are born with certain innate processes that aid perceptual organization
d. there are approximately 36 basic geons that humans use to recognize complex objects
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
109.Irving Biederman’s recognition by components theory helps to explain how people can successfully:
a. recognize objects they have never seen before
b. overcome visual illusions
c. perceive depth using only monocular cues
d. identify degraded or incomplete objects
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
110.Biederman’s recognition by components theory states that objects are recognized on the basis of:
a. the activity in single-cell feature detectors
b. top-down processing more than bottom-up processing
c. simple component forms called geons
d. binocular disparity information
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
111.According to Biederman, a geon is:
a. a cell that detects individual features
b. a cell that provides one’s sense of balance
c. a basic form, such as a cylinder or block
d. a color receptor on the retina
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
112. In Irving Biederman’s recognition by components theory, a basic form, such as a cylinder or block is called a:
a. element
b. geon
c. cell
d. soma
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
113.The term used to describe cues about distance that require input from only one eye is:
a. monocular cues
b. binocular cues
c. bipolar cues
d. perceptual constancies
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
114.Monocular depth cues:
a. require input from only one eye
b. require input from both eyes
c. rely on top-down theory
d. rely on bottom-up theory
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
115.The monocular depth cue of linear perspective aids perception because:
a. parallel lines will appear to converge in the distance
b. smaller objects are generally farther away
c. larger objects are generally farther away
d. smaller objects generally lack fine detail
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
116.Linear perspective is a monocular cue to depth that utilizes:
a. the apparent convergence of parallel lines to judge relative distance
b. overlap among various objects to judge relative distance
c. differences in the perceived size of objects to judge relative distance
d. shadows cast by objects to judge relative distance
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
117.The monocular depth cue in which comparably sized objects that produce different-sized retinal images are perceived as varying in distance from the observer is:
a. convergence
b. linear perspective
c. overlap
d. relative size
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
118.The monocular depth cue relative size depends on the fact that:
a. closer objects tend to block objects that are farther away
b. parallel lines will appear to converge in the distance
c. smaller objects generally lack fine detail
d. comparably sized objects produce different-sized retinal images
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
119.Frieda is watching her twin brothers Fred and Ted walk toward her. She knows Fred and Ted are equal in height. Since Fred is creating a larger retinal image than Ted, Frieda knows he is closer to her.  Which monocular cue explains this?
a. convergence
b. linear perspective
c. overlap
d. relative size
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
120.In paintings, artists can often create the impression of depth by drawing one object so it blocks part of the image of an object which is in the distance. Which monocular cue explains this?
a. convergence
b. linear perspective
c. overlap
d. relative size
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
121.The monocular depth cue in which shadows cast by objects on others assist in depth perception is:
a. shading
b. haze
c. overlap
d. convergence
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
122.The monocular depth cue “shading” depends on the fact that:
a. closer objects tend to block objects that are farther away
b. distant objects tend to look blurry and somewhat bluish
c. smaller objects generally lack fine detail
d. shadows cast by objects on others assist in depth perception
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
123. In paintings, artists can often give the impression of depth by drawing some objects so they cast shadows on others.  This is the monocular depth cue:
a. shading
b. haze
c. overlap
d. convergence
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
124.The monocular depth cue in which distant objects tend to look blurry and somewhat bluish is:
a. shading
b. haze
c. overlap
d. convergence
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
125.The monocular depth cue “haze” depends on the fact that:
a. closer objects tend to block objects that are farther away
b. parallel lines will appear to converge in the distance
c. distant objects tend to look blurry and somewhat bluish
d. comparably sized objects produce different-sized retinal images
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
126.Elena perceives the hills in Leonardo da Vinci’s painting as being in the background because they are painted somewhat blurry and with a bluish tint. Leonardo da Vinci made use of the monocular depth cue:
a. shading
b. haze
c. overlap
d. convergence
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
127.In paintings, artists can often give the impression of depth by drawing objects such as train tracks as pairs of converging lines. The impression of depth originates due to the monocular depth cue of:
a. convergence
b. linear perspective
c. binocular disparity
d. stereoscopic imagery
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
128. If you stood on an airport runway and looked into the distance, the sides of the runway would appear to come together in the distance. This is an example of the depth cue known as:
a. convergence
b. linear perspective
c. binocular disparity
d. common fate
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
129.The term used to describe distance cues that are obtained through comparing the differing views from each of our eyes is:
a. monocular cues
b. binocular cues
c. bipolar cues
d. perceptual constancies
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
130.Binocular depth cues:
a. require input from only one eye
b. require input from both eyes
c. rely on top-down theory
d. rely on bottom-up theory
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
131.Retinal disparity refers to:
a. the distance between the retina and the lens of the eye
b. the distance from the blind spot to the optic nerve
c. the difference between the views seen by the left and the right eyes
d. the difference in the number of neurons that go to each of the cerebral hemispheres
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF:  Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
132.Hilda had an operation on her eyes, but the doctors were unable to save the vision in one eye. Based on what is known about visual perception, you should predict that Hilda will:
a. lose her ability to perceive colors accurately
b. no longer be able to utilize binocular depth cues
c. no longer have any perception of depth
d. be more likely to misinterpret perceptual illusions
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:conceptualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
133. The cue for depth that is based on the inward movement of both eyes, in order to keep an object focused on the fovea, is known as:
a. retinal disparity
b. linear perspective
c. synaptic profusion
d. convergence
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
134.Movies are created by rapidly projecting a series of still pictures onto a screen. This creates the illusion that the people and objects that appear on the screen are actually moving. This illusion illustrates:
a. the phi phenomenon
b. the Gestalt law of proximity
c. akinetopsia
d. convergence
ANS:APTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
135.The phi phenomenon is an illusion of:
a. color
b. depth
c. size
d. motion
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF:   factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
136.Margaritte made herself a small book in which the picture on each page was slightly different from the picture on the previous page. She found that the still images appeared to move when she quickly flipped through the pages of the book. The illusion of movement in Margaritte’s homemade book is one example of:
a. the Gestalt law of common fate
b. the phi phenomenon
c. akinetopsia
d. bottom-up processing
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
137.Perceiving the properties of an object to remain the same even though the physical properties of the sensory message are changing is known as:
a. relative size
b. the phi phenomenon
c. perceptual constancy
d. the autokinetic effect
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
138. As Bernardo walks around the oval reflection pool, he always perceives it as an oval. This is due to:
a. relative size
b. the phi phenomenon
c. perceptual constancy
d. the autokinetic effect
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
139.Size constancy refers to our perception that objects:
a. have a constant shape even when viewed from different distances
b. have a constant size even when viewed from different distances
c. become smaller as they move away from us
d. become larger as they move away from us
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
140.Our perception that objects have a constant size even when viewed from different distances is due to:
a. size constancy
b. shape constancy
c. binocular depth perception
d. linear perspective
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
141.As Frank was walking away from Bill, the image that he cast on Bill’s retina got smaller and smaller. However, Bill perceived Frank as staying the same size. This illustrates:
a. size constancy
b. shape constancy
c. binocular depth perception
d. linear perspective
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
142.If people did not have size constancy, objects would appear to:
a. shrink as they moved closer to us
b. be the same size, no matter how far away they were
c. grow in size as they moved closer to us
d. change colors as they moved away from us
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
143.Perceptual illusions are:
a. unrelated to the phenomenon of perceptual constancy
b. due to the visual system’s attempts to generate unstable images
c. a result of maladaptive principles of brain functioning
d. inappropriate interpretations of physical reality
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision) MSC:  New
144.Stereoscopes, 3-D movies, and stereograms all create illusions of depth by relying on the perceptual principle of:
a. convergence
b. motion parallax
c. retinal disparity
d. texture gradient
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Practical Solutions
145.In random-dot stereograms, a three-dimensional image emerges from a meaningless, two dimensional image. This illusion of depth is created through the use of:
a. retinal disparity
b. convergence
c. linear perspective
d. opponent process
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Practical Solutions
146.Six-year-old Sylvana was terrified by the realistic 3-D images of characters on the theme park ride. Her mother told Sylvana to take off her special 3-D glasses for the rest of the ride. Based on the way 3-D movies are created, you should predict that without the special glasses, Sylvana would see:
a. 3-D images of each character that are farther away
b. flat, double-images of each character
c. the background and the scenery, but no images of the characters at all
d. flat images of the characters that are photographic negatives with the colors reversed
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:conceptualREF:Practical Solutions
147.The frequency of a sound is measured in:
a. decibels
b. geons
c. hertz
d. convergence
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing) MSC:  New
148.Hertz are a unit of measure that represent the:
a. loudness of sound waves
b. brightness of light
c. frequency of sound waves
d. hue of light
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing) MSC:  New
149.Humans are capable of detecting sounds that range between:
a. 0 and 1,000 Hz
b. 5,000 and 100,000 Hz
c. 400 and 700 Hz
d. 20 and 20,000 Hz
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
150.The frequency of a sound wave determines the:
a. loudness that will be perceived
b. amplitude of the sound wave
c. pitch that will be perceived
d. absolute threshold of sound
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
151.Compared to the low notes on a piano, the high notes always produce sound waves that have:
a. a higher amplitude
b. a lower amplitude
c. a higher frequency
d. a lower frequency
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
152.Modern stringed instruments are tuned to a higher pitch than they were in the 18th century. This means that stringed instruments in the 18th century produced sounds that were of:
a. higher amplitude than modern instruments
b. lower amplitude than modern instruments
c. higher frequency than modern instruments
d. lower frequency than modern instruments
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing) MSC:  New
153.The amplitude of a sound wave determines the:
a. pitch that will be perceived
b. frequency of the sound wave
c. loudness that will be perceived
d. absolute threshold of sound
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
154.In describing the psychological properties of sound, decibels provide a measure of the:
a. complexity of sound waves
b. amplitude of sound waves
c. frequency of sound waves
d. length of sound waves
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
155.The amplitude of sound is measured in:
a. decibels
b. geons
c. hertz
d. convergence
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing) MSC:  New
156.An orchestral conductor has asked the timpani player to create a louder sound. In terms of amplitude, the conductor is asking the timpanist to produce a higher level of:
a. decibels
b. geons
c. hertz
d. convergence
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing) MSC:  New
157.Based on the relationship between perception and the physical properties of sound, you should infer that, if the human nervous system were not wired to respond to differences in the frequency of sound waves, people would not be able to:
a. detect differences in pitch
b. detect differences in loudness
c. localize sounds accurately
d. have binaural perception
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
158.Based on the relationship between perception and the physical properties of sound, you should infer that if the human nervous system were not wired to respond to differences in the amplitude of sound waves, people would not be able to:
a. detect differences in pitch
b. localize sounds accurately
c. detect differences in loudness
d. have binaural perception
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
159.Permanent hearing loss can result from prolonged exposure to sounds that are:
a. over 90 decibels
b. over 5,000 Hz
c. under 1 decibel
d. under 25 Hz
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
160.The path of a sound wave, as it enters the human ear, is:
a. from the eardrum, to the auditory canal, and through the middle ear
b. from the auditory canal, through the middle ear, to the eardrum
c. from the auditory canal, to the eardrum, and through the middle ear
d. from the middle ear, to the eardrum, and through the auditory canal
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
161.The three small bones that help intensify sound during hearing are contained in the:
a. inner ear
b. outer ear
c. vestibular ear
d. middle ear
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing) MSC:  New
162.The coiled, fluid-filled tube in which sound waves trigger neural impulses is called the:
a. cochlea
b. Eustachian tube
c. semicircular canal
d. auditory canal
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
163.The cochlea is contained in the:
a. semicircular canal
b. inner ear
c. auditory canal
d. middle ear
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing) MSC:  New
164.Marika is hearing-impaired because her auditory receptors and the structure in which they are located were damaged by a strange virus. The virus must have infected the:
a. pinna
b. cochlea
c. semicircular canals
d. tympanic membrane
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
165.The structure within the cochlea that contains the auditory receptors is called the:
a. pinna
b. tympanic membrane
c. basilar membrane
d. auditory canal
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
166.The external flap of tissues that helps capture sound and funnel it down into the auditory canal is called the:
a. pinna
b. tympanic membrane
c. basilar membrane
d. auditory canal
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
167.The part of the ear called the eardrum is also referred to by the technical term:
a. pinna
b. tympanic membrane
c. basilar membrane
d. cochlea
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
168.Research into auditory perception has shown that high frequency sounds cause the basilar membrane to become:
a. activated the most at the end farthest from the oval window
b. activated the most near the oval window
c. activated along its entire length
d. inactivated
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing)
169.The key idea behind the place theory of hearing is that:
a. there are structures in the inner ear that provide us with a sense of the position of our bodies in space
b. we have a system for sensing the position and movement of the various parts of our body
c. the pitch we hear is related to the place where the cochlea’s basilar membrane is stimulated
d. we can locate the place from which a sound originated because of the distance between our ears
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing)
170.According to the place theory of pitch perception, pitch is partially determined by:
a. the frequency of neural impulses traveling along the auditory pathways
b. the location in the cerebral cortex where the sound is decoded
c. how often the same sound has been encountered in the past
d. the location of the activated hair cells on the basilar membrane
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing)
171.The theory of pitch perception that is best able to explain why older people have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds is known as the:
a. frequency theory
b. opponent-process theory
c. place theory
d. binaural activation theory
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing)
172.After a small section of his basilar membrane was damaged, Dimitri experienced a noticeable loss of hearing for high-pitched sounds only. Dimitri’s hearing loss is best explained using the theory of pitch perception known as the:
a. frequency theory
b. Young-Helmholtz theory
c. place theory
d. opponent-process theory
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing)
173.Place theory of pitch perception runs into problems because:
a. neurons in the auditory pathway go through refractory periods
b. hair cells in the basilar membrane do not act independently
c. some areas of the cerebral cortex are insensitive to varying frequencies
d. the bones of the middle ear vibrate at differential rates
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing) MSC:  New
174.According to frequency theory, pitch perception is partially determined by:
a. the frequency of neural impulses traveling along the auditory pathways
b. the location in the cerebral cortex where the sound is decoded
c. how often the same sound has been encountered in the past
d. the location of the activated hair cells on the basilar membrane
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing)
175.Svetlana is having trouble detecting sounds of a certain pitch. However, there is no damage to her basilar membrane.  Her hearing problem is probably best explained by:
a. frequency theory
b. Young-Helmholtz theory
c. place theory
d. opponent-process theory
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing) MSC:  New
176.Due to refractory periods, frequency theory has problems when it comes to:
a. low frequency sounds
b. high frequency sounds
c. low amplitude sounds
d. high amplitude sounds
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing) MSC:  New
177.Frequency theory runs into problems because:
a. neurons in the auditory pathway go through refractory periods
b. hair cells in the basilar membrane do not act independently
c. some areas of the cerebral cortex are insensitive to varying frequencies
d. the bones of the middle ear vibrate at differential rates
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing) MSC:  New
178.When groups of neurons generate impulses rapidly in succession, to provide additional clues about pitch, they are creating:
a. amplitudes
b. refractories
c. geons
d. volleys
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing) MSC:  New
179.When one uses knowledge of the world to generate expectations about what one is perceiving, one is using:
a. bottom-up processing
b. sound localization
c. top-down processing
d. opponent processing
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Hearing)
180.Simon took his car to a mechanic because he heard a strange sound whenever he turned the steering wheel to the left. The mechanic was able to quickly identify the problem, just by listening to the sound the car made. The mechanic’s quick identification of the problem illustrates:
a. bottom-up processing
b. top-down processing
c. sound localization
d. opponent processing
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Hearing)
181.Thor is a computer technician who finds he can tell if a computer’s hard drive is moving out of alignment just by listening to the sound the computer makes. Thor’s ability to identify problems in this way illustrates:
a. top-down processing
b. sound localization
c. bottom-up processing
d. opponent processing
ANS:APTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Hearing)
182.The two major cues that are used to localize sounds are:
a. frequency and intensity differences between the two ears
b. differences in loudness and timbre in each of the ears
c. intensity and timing differences between the two ears
d. differences in pitch and frequency in each of the ears
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Hearing)
183.Jamal was in an accident and lost all the hearing in his left ear. The deafness in his left ear will most likely affect Jamal’s ability to:
a. detect high-pitched sounds
b. localize sounds accurately
c. detect low-pitched sounds
d. separate speech from background noise
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Hearing)
184.Varying a sound’s arrival time at each ear will change:
a. the perceived location of the sound
b. the pitch of the sound
c. the intensity of the sound
d. the comprehension (meaning) of the sound
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Hearing)
185.Trish has an ear infection and has to wear an earplug in her right ear for the next week. The doctor has told her that there will be very little impact on her ability to listen in her classes, since her left ear is fine. For the next week Trish will probably have the most problems:
a. localizing sounds accurately
b. detecting high frequency sounds
c. detecting low frequency sounds
d. understanding speech when there is background noise
ANS:APTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Hearing)
186.Trevor and Julia were walking one night when they heard a loud crash. Trevor was convinced the sound came from directly in front of them and Julia was convinced the sound came from directly behind them. The reason they might have difficulty localizing the sound is:
a. we are able to judge distance better than direction for sounds
b. sound localization is more difficult when it is dark
c. the sound waves would have arrived at both ears at the same instant
d. the sound did not involve speech, and only speech can be accurately localized
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:conceptualREF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Hearing)
187.The physical stimulus for the perception of touch is:
a. electromagnetic energy
b. mechanical energy
c. chemical energy
d. hyperkinetic energy
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Touch
188.Stimulating sensory receptors in the skin causes neural signals to be sent to the:
a. somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe
b. motor cortex in the frontal lobe
c. somatosensory cortex in the frontal lobe
d. motor cortex in the parietal lobe
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Touch
189.The somatosensory cortex primarily receives information about:
a. touch
b. sight
c. hearing
d. smell
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Touch
MSC:  New
190.The somatosensory cortex is located in the:
a. parietal lobe
b. frontal lobe
c. occipital lobe
d. temporal lobe
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Touch
MSC:  New
191.Imagine that researchers discovered a new animal that has larger areas of the somatosensory cortex dedicated to the fingers than to the toes. Based on what is known about the arrangement of neurons within the somatosensory cortex, you should conclude that for this animal, the toes are:
a. more sensitive than the fingers
b. less flexible than the fingers
c. less sensitive than the fingers
d. more flexible than the fingers
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Touch
192. When the temperature of something we touch is warmer than our skin:
a. warm fibers begin to fire and we register the sensation of warm
b. cool fibers begin to fire and we register the sensation of cool
c. both warm and cool fibers begin to fire and we register the sensation of pain
d. neither warm nor cool fibers begin to fire and we register only pressure
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Temperature
193.When the temperature of something we touch is colder than our skin:
a. warm fibers begin to fire and we register the sensation of warm
b. both warm and cool fibers begin to fire and we register the sensation of pain
c. cool fibers begin to fire and we register the sensation of cool
d. neither warm nor cool fibers begin to fire and we register only pressure
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Temperature
194.Eleanor placed her left hand in a pan of cold water and her right hand in a pan of hot water for several minutes. She then moved both hands into a pan of lukewarm water. Based on what is known about the perception of temperature, you should predict that the lukewarm water will initially feel:
a. warm to both her hands
b. cool to her left hand and warm to her right hand
c. warm to her left hand and cool to her right hand
d. cool to both her hands
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Temperature
195.Thaddeus took a lukewarm shower after he got out of the sauna. Based on what is known about temperature perception, you should predict that Thaddeus will initially perceive the shower as:
a. being uncomfortably hot
b. being uncomfortably cold
c. being comfortable, and feeling neither too hot nor too cold
d. alternating between being uncomfortably cold and being much too hot
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Temperature
196.If plastic conducts heat less efficiently than wood does, when we touch something made from plastic we would typically perceive:
a. the plastic object as feeling colder than a wooden object of the same temperature
b. plastic and wooden objects as feeling equally cool to the touch
c. pain when we touch plastic objects but not when we touch wooden objects
d. the wooden object as feeling colder than a plastic object of the same temperature
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Temperature
197.One of the key ideas behind the gate-control theory of pain is that:
a. impulses generated by pain receptors can be blocked in the spinal cord by signals originating in the brain
b. hormones can effectively block the signals of certain neurotransmitters that signal pain
c. pain signals in the brain can be blocked by opposing signals generated in the spinal cord
d. the reticular system can generate signals that will block pain signals as they cross the pons in the lower brain
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Experiencing Pain
198.Which theory states that impulses generated by pain receptors can be blocked in the spinal cord by signals originating in the brain?
a. gate-control theory
b. bottom-up processing theory
c. vestibular-sense theory
d. top-down processing theory
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Experiencing Pain
MSC:  New
199.The gating action proposed in the gate-control theory of pain apparently relies on:
a. small fibers that inhibit nervous system activity and close the pain gates
b. large fibers that inhibit nervous system activity and open the pain gates
c. large fibers that produce nervous system activity and close the pain gates
d. the release of serotonin that inhibits nervous system activity and closes the pain gates
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Experiencing Pain
200.During a battle for his life, the soldier did not notice the cuts he received from the rocks, but when you fell while rollerblading and received similar injuries, you felt significant pain. This is best explained by:
a. bottom-up processing
b. frequency theory
c. assuming you produced more endorphins
d. gate control theory
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Experiencing Pain
201.The brain releases chemicals with painkilling effects. These chemicals are called:
a. endorphins
b. acetylcholines
c. dopamines
d. androgens
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Experiencing Pain
MSC:  New
202.According to the gate-control theory of pain, the release of endorphins by the brain may be responsible for:
a. the feeling of phantom pain that is sometimes experienced in amputated limbs
b. the effectiveness of placebos in reducing the perception of pain
c. an increase in the activity of small fibers, opening pain gates in the spinal cord
d. a decrease in the activity of large fibers, closing pain gates in the spinal cord
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Experiencing Pain
203.If endorphins are released, we should expect the organism to:
a. feel less pain
b. be attracted to the source of the endorphins
c. experience dizziness or nausea
d. see color
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Experiencing Pain
204. Psychologists define kinesthesia as the:
a. sense of balance and movement controlled by the cerebellum
b. ability to sense the position and movement of body parts
c. process that activates pain gates in the spinal cord
d. ability to detect movement using our peripheral vision
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: The Kinesthetic Sense
205.According to psychologists, the ability to sense the position and movement of body parts is called:
a. the vestibular sense
b. kinesthesia
c. sensory adaptation
d. the pacinian sense
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: The Kinesthetic Sense
206.The receptors for our kinesthetic sense are located in the:
a. inner ear
b. base of the spinal cord
c. muscles that surround our joints
d. limbic system
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: The Kinesthetic Sense
207.The muscles that surround our joints contain which of the following?
a. our vestibular sense
b. our gustatory sense
c. our olfactory sense
d. our kinesthetic sense
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: The Kinesthetic Sense
208.A police officer asked Emma to close her eyes and alternate between using her right and left index finger to touch the tip of her nose. Based on what is known about the perception of body movements, you should conclude that in order to successfully complete this task, Emma would need to rely most heavily on her:
a. kinesthetic sense
b. vestibular sense
c. reticular sense
d. ability to avoid sensory adaptation
ANS:APTS:1DIF:conceptualREF:The Kinesthetic Sense
209.According to psychologists, in humans, the vestibular sense is responsible for:
a. our ability to sense the position and movement of body parts
b. our sense of balance and movement
c. our ability to recognize objects using only our sense of touch
d. activation of pain gates in the spinal cord
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:The Vestibular Sense
210.According to psychologists, our sense of balance and movement is called:
a. kinesthesia
b. the vestibular sense
c. sensory adaptation
d. the pacinian sense
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:The Vestibular Sense
211.The receptors for our vestibular sense are located:
a. in the muscles that surround our joints
b. at the base of the spinal cord
c. in the inner ear
d. in the temporal lobe of the cortex
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF:The Vestibular Sense
212.A lot of activity coming from your semicircular canals indicates you are probably:
a. touching something
b. experiencing a change in temperature
c. feeling pain
d. moving
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: The Vestibular Sense
213.The perception of both smell and taste begin with the activity of the:
a. retinal cells
b. chemoreceptors
c. olfactory units
d. somatosensory neurons
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:The Chemical Senses
214.Olfaction refers to our sense of:
a. taste
b. smell
c. balance
d. movement
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Smell
215.Our sense of smell is called:
a. gustation
b. olfaction
c. phrenology
d. kinesthesia
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Smell
216. Before information is sent to the brain, the receptors for the sense of smell send information to the:
a. olfactory bulb
b. gustatory bulb
c. phrenology bulb
d. kinesthesia bulb
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Smell
MSC:  New
217.Many animals release chemicals that cause highly specific reactions when detected by other members of the species. The chemicals are called:
a. hormones
b. steroids
c. protochemicals
d. pheromones
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Smell
218.Gustation refers to our sense of:
a. taste
b. smell
c. balance
d. movement
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Taste
219.Our sense of taste is called:
a. olfaction
b. phrenology
c. gustation
d. kinesthesia
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Taste
220.The receptor cells for taste are called:
a. olfactory bulbs
b. taste buds
c. phrenology nodes
d. kinesthesia cells
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Taste
MSC:  New
221.The receptor cells for taste are located in folds on bumps on the tongue called:
a. olfactory bulbs
b. kinesthesias
c. phrenology nodes
d. papillae
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Taste
MSC:  New
222. Psychologists typically identify four basic tastes. These are:
a. sweet, salty, bitter, and sour
b. sweet, sour, spicy, and piquant
c. sweet, salty, hot, and cold
d. sour, salty, spicy, and bland
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Taste
223.Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic tastes?
a. sweet
b. spicy
c. sour
d. salty
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Taste
224.Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic tastes?
a. bitter
b. sour
c. sweet
d. acidic
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Taste
225.Which of the following has been called the fifth basic taste, which is translated from Japanese as meaning meaty or savory?
a. tsunami
b. sushi
c. umami
d. kaori
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Taste
226.The branch of psychology in which researchers look for ways to describe the transition from the physical stimulus to the psychological experience of that stimulus is called:
a. psychophysics
b. neuropsychology
c. structuralism
d. functionalism
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Stimulus Detection
MSC:  New
227.The absolute threshold for a stimulus is the intensity level at which people can successfully detect the presence of the stimulus:
a. 100% of the times it is present
b. 1% of the times it is present
c. 50% of the times it is present
d. less than 25% of the times it is absent
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Stimulus Detection
228. The intensity level at which people can successfully detect the presence of a stimulus 50% of the times it is present is called the:
a. difference threshold for the stimulus
b. absolute threshold for the stimulus
c. perceptual threshold for the stimulus
d. adaptation threshold for the stimulus
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Stimulus Detection
229.Jordie went to have his hearing tested. Some of the sounds that were presented during the test were so faint that he was unable to detect them. These faint sounds would fall below Jordie’s:
a. difference threshold for sound
b. adaptation threshold for sound
c. absolute threshold for sound
d. level for perceptual invariance
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Stimulus Detection
230.Gilbert thought he could detect the faint odor of smoke coming from the room next door. However, he wasn’t really sure because the odor was very faint and when he tried to smell it again it seemed to have disappeared. Based on research conducted by psychophysicists, you should conclude that the odor from the smoke was:
a. below Gilbert’s difference threshold for smell
b. above Gilbert’s adaptation threshold for smell
c. below Gilbert’s level for perceptual invariance
d. just at Gilbert’s absolute threshold for smell
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Stimulus Detection
231.Mary Beth was eating some cookies and she thought she could detect a faint taste of cinnamon in the cookies. However, when she took another bite the taste wasn’t there. On the third bite she could just make out the taste of cinnamon again. Based on research conducted by psychophysicists, you should conclude that the amount of cinnamon in the cookies was:
a. below her difference threshold for taste
b. just at her absolute threshold for taste
c. above her adaptation threshold for taste
d. below her level for perceptual invariance
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Stimulus Detection
232.The technique used to determine the ability of someone to detect the presence of a stimulus is:
a. signal detection
b. psychophysics
c. systematic introspection
d. functionalism
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Stimulus Detection
MSC:  New
233.Daphne was sitting talking with some friends when she suddenly left the room to check on her baby. She was sure she had heard little Sandra cry out, but when she checked, Sandra was sleeping peacefully. Based on signal detection theory, the fact that Daphne thought she detected her baby’s cry would be considered:
a. a hit
b. a miss
c. a correct rejection
d. a false alarm
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:conceptualREF:Stimulus Detection
234. Cyril was sitting in the hallway outside his chemistry class. Some students said they thought they could smell smoke, but Cyril didn’t smell anything unusual. When they all checked the lab to see if there were any problems, everything was fine and nothing was burning. Based on signal detection theory, the fact that Cyril didn’t smell any smoke would be considered:
a. a hit
b. a miss
c. a correct rejection
d. a false alarm
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:conceptualREF:Stimulus Detection
235.Psychophysicists define the difference threshold for a stimulus as the:
a. smallest difference in the magnitude of two stimuli that an observer can reliably detect
b. largest difference in the magnitude of two stimuli that an observer can reliably detect
c. amount of stimulus energy that must be present for the stimulus to be detected 50% of the time
d. amount of stimulus energy that must be present for the stimulus to be detected 100% of the time
ANS:APTS:1DIF:factualREF:Difference Thresholds
236.The smallest difference in the magnitude of two stimuli that an observer can reliably detect is called the:
a. absolute threshold for the stimulus
b. perceptual threshold for the stimulus
c. adaptation threshold for the stimulus
d. difference threshold for the stimulus
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Difference Thresholds
237.To increase profits, the cereal company wants to reduce the amount of raisins in each cup of cereal, but they don’t want consumers to notice the change. To know how many raisins they can remove, they first need to obtain an estimate of the:
a. absolute threshold for raisins in a cup of cereal
b. difference threshold for raisins in a cup of cereal
c. signal detection threshold for raisins in a cup of cereal
d. hit rate for raisin detection in a cup of cereal
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:conceptualREF:Difference Thresholds
238.Anastasia replaced all the 60-watt light bulbs in her house with 40-watt light bulbs. She claims that the 40-watt bulbs give off the same amount of light, and yet her husband Boris claims that the 40-watt bulbs give off far less light. Based on research conducted by psychophysicists, you should conclude that compared to Anastasia, Boris has:
a. a higher adaptation level for light
b. a lower absolute threshold for light
c. a lower difference threshold for light
d. a higher absolute threshold for light
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Difference Thresholds
239.Jennifer turned the thermostat up from 68 degrees to 70 degrees, however, she still feels that it is cold and wants to turn it up even higher. Jennifer’s roommate claims it is now too hot and she wants to turn the thermostat back down. Based on research conducted by psychophysicists, you should conclude that compared to her roommate, Jennifer has:
a. a lower absolute threshold for temperature
b. a lower perceptual invariance for temperature
c. a higher difference threshold for temperature
d. a higher absolute threshold for temperature
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Difference Thresholds
240.Anthony’s parents ask him to turn his stereo down and he does. Several minutes later they come to his room to ask him why he has not turned the noise down. Anthony claims it is much lower now, but his parents don’t seem to be able to hear the difference. Based on research conducted by psychophysicists, you should conclude that compared to his parents, Anthony has:
a. a higher adaptation level for sound
b. a lower difference threshold for sound
c. a lower absolute threshold for sound
d. a higher absolute threshold for sound
ANS:BPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Difference Thresholds
241.Gerard is making some chicken soup. His roommate tastes it and tells Gerard it is perfect, but Gerard thinks it needs more salt. He adds just a little salt and thinks that now it tastes fine. However, his roommate tastes it again and tells Gerard that now it is ruined because it has too much salt. Based on research conducted by psychophysicists you should conclude that compared to his roommate, Gerard has:
a. a lower absolute threshold for the taste of salt
b. a lower perceptual invariance for the taste of salt
c. a higher difference threshold for the taste of salt
d. a higher absolute threshold for the taste of salt
ANS:CPTS:1DIF:appliedREF:Difference Thresholds
242.Weber’s law states that:
a. the ability to notice a difference in the magnitude of two stimuli is a constant proportion of the size of the standard stimulus
b. the ability to detect a stimulus depends on the proportion of correct hits to false alarms
c. direct perception relies on properties of the environment that remain constant
d. affordances are properties that arise as organisms interact with their environments
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Difference Thresholds
243.Psychophysicists define sensory adaptation as:
a. the tendency of sensory systems to increase sensitivity to a constant source of stimulation
b. the intensity level at which people can detect the presence of a stimulus 50% of the time
c. the tendency of sensory systems to reduce sensitivity to a constant source of stimulation
d. the smallest difference in the magnitude of two stimuli that an observer can reliably detect
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Sensory Adaptation
244.The tendency of sensory systems to reduce sensitivity to a constant source of stimulation is called:
a. perceptual invariance
b. sensory interaction
c. perceptual assimilation
d. sensory adaptation
ANS:DPTS:1DIF:factualREF:Sensory Adaptation
245.Walter has been working at his computer for the past 2 hours and the hum that he found so annoying when he started no longer bothers him. The change in Walter’s sensitivity to the noise from the computer illustrates the principle of:
a. sensory adaptation
b. perceptual invariance
c. perceptual assimilation
d. changing difference thresholds
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Sensory Adaptation
246.Gertrude put on a new watch this morning and found it uncomfortable because it was so much heavier than her old watch. However, at 3:00 o’clock when someone asks her for the time Gertrude finds she has forgotten she is even wearing the watch. The change in Gertrude’s sensitivity to the pressure of the watch illustrates the principle of:
a. perceptual invariance
b. perceptual assimilation
c. changing difference thresholds
d. sensory adaptation
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Sensory Adaptation
247.Brent dives into a swimming pool and instantly feels cold. However, 10 minutes later the pool actually feels comfortably warm. The change in Brent’s sensitivity to the temperature of the pool illustrates the principle of:
a. perceptual invariance
b. perceptual assimilation
c. sensory adaptation
d. changing difference thresholds
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: applied REF: Sensory Adaptation
248.Individuals who wear glasses on their face would always see the frames blocking their vision if the human nervous system didn’t respond to unchanging stimulation through:
a. sensory adaptation
b. perceptual invariance
c. perceptual assimilation
d. changing difference thresholds
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Sensory Adaptation
249.People would constantly be aware of the pressure of their clothing on their skin if the human nervous system didn’t respond to unchanging stimulation through:
a. perceptual invariance
b. perceptual assimilation
c. changing difference thresholds
d. sensory adaptation
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: conceptual REF: Sensory Adaptation
250.Sensory adaptation occurs for:
a. vision alone
b. vision and hearing
c. all the senses except smell
d. each of the senses
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: factual REF: Sensory Adaptation
MSC:  New
TRUE/FALSE
1.The elementary features or building blocks of experience are the basis of sensation.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message MSC:  New
2.The collection of processes used to arrive at a meaningful interpretation of an experience is called perception.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message MSC:  New
3.During vision, changes in the intensity of light, which is determined by the amount of light falling on an object, are generally experienced as changes in color or hue.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
4.When an object is far away the lens in the eye is relatively long and thick; as objects move closer, muscles attached to the lens contract and the lens becomes thicker and rounder.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
5.Of the roughly 126 million receptor cells within each eye, about 120 million are cones and 6 million are rods.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
6.When you move from a brightly lit environment into a dark environment, such as a movie theater, it takes about 20-25 minutes for your eyes to completely adapt to the lower illumination.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
7.After passing the optic chiasm, the majority of the neural impulses from the eyes travel directly to a major relay station in the midbrain called the superior colliculus.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
8.Hubel and Weisel discovered feature detectors in the visual cortex, called simple cells, that responded actively only when a small bar of light, with a specific orientation, was displayed.
ANS: T PTS: 1 Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
9.The trichromatic theory proposed by Young and Helmholtz suggests that when short-wavelength cones are strongly activated, people will perceive colors in the violet to blue range.
ANS: T PTS: 1 Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
10.Hering’s opponent-process theory suggests that the colors red and blue and the colors green and yellow are linked to each other as opposing colors.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
11.According to psychologists, bottom-up processing occurs when we use our knowledge, beliefs, and expectations about the world to interpret and organize what we see.
ANS:FPTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
12.The Gestalt law of good continuation suggests that when lines cross each other, people tend to still perceive continuously flowing, smooth lines.
ANS:TPTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
13.Linear perspective is an example of a binocular depth cue because it requires input from both eyes to create the perception of depth.
ANS:FPTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
14.Psychologically, when the frequency of a sound varies we hear changes in pitch, which corresponds roughly to how high or low a tone sounds.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
15.The amplitude of sound is measured in decibels.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
MSC:  New
16.Within the ear, sound waves are translated into neural impulses by the three small bones within the middle ear.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing)
17.Frequency theory provides the best explanation for why older people often have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing)
18.The somatosensory cortex primarily receives information about touch.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: Touch MSC:  New
19.The vestibular sense refers to the ability to sense the position and movement of one’s own body parts.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: The Vestibular Sense
20.Sensory adaptation occurs for each of the senses except smell.
ANS: F PTS: 1 REF: Sensory Adaptation MSC:  New
COMPLETION
1.Psychologists refer to ____________________ as the fundamental components of an experience, such as patterns of light and dark, bitter or sweet tastes, or changes in temperature.
ANS: sensations
PTS: 1 REF: Psychology for a Reason
2.Changes in color or ____________________ occurred because of changes in the wavelength of light.
ANS: hue
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
3.The process of translating environmental energy into neural impulses is ____________________.
ANS: transduction
PTS:1REF:Translating the MessageMSC:  New
4.In the eye, the ____________________ is the protective outer layer of the eye that with the lens functions to focus the image.
ANS: cornea
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
5.In the eye, the ____________________ is a colored ring of tissue surrounding the pupil.
ANS: iris
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
6.Light first passes through the ____________________ before traveling through the lens.
ANS: pupil
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
7.In the retina, ____________________ are more sensitive to light, so they are useful at night and in any situation in which the overall illumination level is low.
ANS: rods
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
8.On the retina, the central region called the ____________________ contains many more cones than rods.
ANS: fovea
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
9.The ability to process fine detail is visual ____________________.
ANS: acuity
PTS:1REF:Translating the MessageMSC:  New
10.The receptor cells in the retina that enable us to distinguish different wavelengths of light are called ____________________.
ANS: cones
PTS:1REF:Translating the MessageMSC:  New
11.When we enter a room without much light, our eyes undergo a process of ____________________, which is caused by a regeneration process in the rods and cones.
ANS: dark adaptation
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
12.Information that has been detected on the right half of each retina (from the right visual field) is sent to the ____________________ hemisphere.
ANS: left
PTS: 1 REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
13.According to the Ewald Herings’s alternative view of color vision, which is called ____________________ theory, there are receptors in the visual system that respond positively to one color type and negatively to another.
ANS: opponent process
PTS: 1 REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
14.Psychologists use the term ____________________ to refer to the processing that starts with the actual physical message.
ANS: bottom-up processing
PTS: 1 REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
15.The laws of proximity, similarity, and closure are all examples of the ____________________ principles of organization.
ANS: Gestalt
PTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
MSC:  New
16.The fact that most people perceive individual elements that are close to each other as being part of a single group is consistent with the Gestalt law of ____________________.
ANS: proximity
PTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
MSC:  New
17.The fact that most people perceive individual elements that share common features or properties as being part of a group is consistent with the Gestalt law of ____________________.
ANS: similarity
PTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
MSC:  New
18.The fact that most people perceive complete objects, even when part of the object is missing, is consistent with the Gestalt law of ____________________.
ANS: closure
PTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
MSC:  New
19.The fact that most people perceive individual elements that are moving in the same direction as being part of a single group is consistent with the Gestalt law of ____________________.
ANS: common fate
PTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
MSC:  New
20.According to Irving Biederman, ____________________ are simple geometrical forms, such as blocks and cylinders that make up everyday objects.
ANS: geons
PTS: 1 REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
21.Cues about distance that require input from only one eye are known as ____________________ cues.
ANS: monocular
PTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
MSC:  New
22.Cues about distance that are obtained through comparison of the differing views from each of our eyes are known as ____________________ cues.
ANS: binocular
PTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
MSC:  New
23.One can experience ____________________ when inappropriate interpretations of physical reality occur.
ANS: perceptual illusions
PTS: 1 REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
24.The brain can use the degree that the two eyes turn inward, called ____________________, to derive information about depth.
ANS: convergence
PTS: 1 REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
25.The external flap of tissue on the head is called the ____________________ and serves to funnel sound waves into the auditory canal.
ANS: pinna
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
26.The ____________________ membrane is another term for the eardrum.
ANS: tympanic
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
27.Inside the ear, the ____________________ is the bony, snail-shaped processor, where sound energy is translated into neural impulses.
ANS: cochlea
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
28.The word ____________________ literally means movement.
ANS: kinesthetic
PTS: 1 REF: The Kinesthetic Sense
29.The location of the receptors for our kinesthetic sense is in the ____________________ that surround the joints.
ANS: muscles
PTS: 1 REF: The Kinesthetic Sense
30.In each ear, there are three small fluid-filled ____________________ that are lined with hair cells similar to those found in the cochlea.
ANS: semicircular canals
PTS:1REF:The Vestibular Sense
31.According to psychologists, the sense of ____________________ is the result of the vestibular system.
ANS: balance
PTS: 1 REF: The Vestibular Sense
32.When one tilts the head, receptor cells in the ____________________ quickly transmit the appropriate orientation information to the brain.
ANS: vestibular sacs
PTS:1REF:The Vestibular Sense
33.Many animals release chemicals called ____________________, which cause highly specific reactions when detected by other members of the species.
ANS: pheromones
PTS: 1 REF: Smell
34.There appear to be four basic tastes: ____________________, bitter, salty, and sour.
ANS: sweet
PTS: 1 REF: Taste
35.There appear to be four basic tastes: sweet, bitter, ____________________, and sour.
ANS: salty
PTS: 1 REF: Taste
36.There may be a fifth basic taste, called ____________________, which translates from the Japanese as meaty or savory.
ANS: umami
PTS: 1 REF: Taste
37.On the tongue, the ____________________ are the tiny bumps containing the taste buds.
ANS: papillae
PTS: 1 REF: Taste
38.On the tongue, the ____________________ are contained in the papillae or the tiny bumps.
ANS: taste buds
PTS: 1 REF: Taste
39.In signal detection studies, ____________________ are cases in which a target stimulus was judged to be presented when it actually was not.
ANS: false alarms
PTS:1REF:Stimulus Detection
40.The relationship that is called ____________________ states that the ability to notice a difference in the magnitude of two stimuli is a constant proportion of the size of the standard stimulus.
ANS: Weber’s Law
PTS: 1 REF: Difference Thresholds
ESSAY
1.Distinguish between sensation and perception and use appropriate examples to illustrate each of these psychological processes.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Sensation and Perception
2.Describe the three main physical properties of light and discuss the psychological perceptions that are linked to each of these physical properties.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
3.Explain the role of rods and cones in the transduction of light energy and discuss how human vision would be affected if our eyes had no rods.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message
4.Explain the concept of the receptive field and its importance.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message MSC:  New
5.Describe the process of dark adaptation, including the different roles played by the rods and cones in the process.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message MSC:  New
6.Describe the neural pathways from the eye to the cerebral cortex, noting the role of the thalamus, the superior colliculus, and the feature detectors in the visual cortex.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
7.Discuss the key elements of the trichromatic and opponent-process theories of color vision and describe the evidence that supports each of these theories.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Identifying the Message Components (Vision)
8.Outline the key principles of perceptual organization that were described by Gestalt psychologists.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
9.Describe Biederman’s recognition by components theory, and why not all researchers are convinced by the theory.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS:1REF:Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
MSC:  New
10.Explain how humans translate a two-dimensional retinal image into a three-dimensional perception of the world, noting the role of monocular and binocular cues.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Vision)
11.Explain how the illusion of depth is created in stereograms and 3-D movies.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Practical Solutions MSC:  New
12.Describe the two main physical properties of sound and discuss the psychological perceptions that are linked to each of these physical properties.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
13.Explain the role of the structures in the middle and inner ear in the transduction of sound energy.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Translating the Message (Hearing)
14.Discuss the key elements of the place and frequency theories of hearing, and describe the main shortcomings for each of the theories.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Identifying the Message Components (Hearing)
15.Explain how humans localize sound and discuss how our ability to localize sound might be affected if our ears were on the front of our face, just above our eyes.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Producing Stable Interpretations (Hearing)
16.Explain how the body records and processes temperature.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Temperature MSC:  New
17.Explain the gate-control theory of pain.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Experiencing Pain
18.Distinguish between the body senses of movement and balance, and discuss the operation and function of each of these two senses.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: The Vestibular Sense and The Kinesthetic Sense
19.Discuss how psychophysicists can use signal detection procedures to define absolute thresholds for sensory experience and explain why several types of information are required to make an accurate assessment of sensory limits.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS:1REF:Stimulus Detection
20.Define how difference thresholds are determined, and explain Weber’s law, using appropriate examples to illustrate the key aspects of this law.
ANS:
Answer not provided.
PTS: 1 REF: Difference Thresholds

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