Chapter 04

Multiple Choice Questions

1. If you notice that something smells disgusting, then that is an example of _________
A) perception.
B) accommodation.
C) sensation.
D) transduction.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-01
Topic: Sensation and Perception—How We Sense and Conceptualize the World [Introduction]
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) perception.

2. The ability to detect physical energy through our visual or touch systems is known as
A) accommodation.
B) perception.
C) transduction.
D) sensation.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-02
Topic: Sensation and Perception—How We Sense and Conceptualize the World [Introduction]
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) sensation.

3. What are the raw data of experience, caused by the activation of certain receptors located in sensory organs?
A) Accommodations
B) Perceptions
C) Transductions
D) Sensations

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-03
Topic: Sensation and Perception—How We Sense and Conceptualize the World [Introduction]
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) Sensations

4. Which of the following terms applies to the activation of receptors by a stimulus?

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

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-04
Topic: Sensation and Perception—How We Sense and Conceptualize the World [Introduction]
Skill: Factual

1
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) sensation.

5. The belief that our sensory systems are infallible and that our perceptions are perfect representations of the
world around us is called
A) pixilation.
B) perceptionism.
C) naive realism.
D) sensory adaptation.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-05
Topic: Sensation and Perception—How We Sense and Conceptualize the World [Introduction]
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: C) naive realism.

6. Which of the following do researchers use to study how our brains 'fill in the gaps' to create a complete
perception?
A) illusions
B) pixels
C) PET scans
D) blind spots

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-06
Topic: Two sides of the coin—Sensation and perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) illusions

7. The perceptual process of filling-in is guided by

A) preconceived notions and past experience.
B) activation of neuronal patterns specific to an object.
C) the process of transduction in any sense.
D) the raw sensory data that is received in the sense organs.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-07
Topic: Sensation and Perception—How We Sense and Conceptualize the World [Introduction]
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) preconceived notions and past experience.

8. Cells that are triggered by light, vibrations, sounds, touch, or chemical substances are called
A) ganglion cells.
B) bipolar cells.
C) ossicles.
D) sense receptors.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-08

2
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) sense receptors.

9. The conversion of external energy into something that the nervous system can understand is known as
A) transduction.
B) accommodation.
C) perception.
D) sensation.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-09
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) transduction.

10. When you first put your hat on you can feel it quite easily, but after a while you forget that you are wearing a
hat at all—the sensation is gone. What happened?
A) Sensory fatigue
B) Subliminal perception
C) Sensory adaptation
D) Perceptual defence

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-10
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: C) Sensory adaptation

11. The process by which unchanging information from the senses is "ignored" by the sensory receptor cells is
called
A) sensory fatigue.
B) subliminal perception.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) perceptual defence.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-11
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: C) sensory adaptation.

12. In the process known as __________, sensory receptors become less sensitive to repeated presentations of
the same stimulus.
A) sensory fatigue
B) subliminal perception
C) sensory adaptation
D) perceptual defence

3
Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-12
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: C) sensory adaptation

13. Zach and David decide to go exploring the forest behind their farm on a cold December day. They felt very
cold when they initially got outdoors. However, they felt warmer five minutes later, despite having not done
anything to warm themselves. This phenomenon is known as
A) sensory interaction.
B) sensory illusion.
C) transduction.
D) sensory adaptation.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-13
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) sensory adaptation.

14. Sounds that we hear are converted into electrical signals in neurons through a process called
A) sensory adaptation.
B) psychophysics.
C) transduction.
D) signal detection.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-14
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: C) transduction.

15. What is the term for the specialized cells that transduce external stimuli into neural signals?
A) just noticeable differences (JNDs)
B) sense receptors
C) perceptors
D) synesthesia

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-15
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: B) sense receptors

16. Which of the following is conceptually similar to the process of transduction?

A) Hearing a story from a friend and phoning up another friend to tell them the same story
B) Reading something in one language and translating it to another language so that your friend can read it

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C) Taking a picture of a funny sign that you saw on a road trip
D) Forgetting that your sunglasses are on your face because you have been wearing them so long

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-16
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: B) Reading something in one language and translating it to another language so that your friend can read it

17. Activation of our sense receptors is greatest when

A) we are prepared to detect a stimulus.
B) we notice that the stimulus has been turned off.
C) we stop noticing a constant stimulus is present.
D) we first detect the presence of a stimulus.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-17
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) we first detect the presence of a stimulus.

18. Which field of study focuses on how we perceive sensory stimuli based on their physical characteristics.
A) Perception
B) Signal Detection Theory
C) Neuroscience
D) Psychophysics

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-18
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) Psychophysics

19. Jamica is participating in a psychology experiment and has been placed in a room that is pitch black. The
researcher repeatedly asks Jamica to indicate whether or not she has seen a light stimulus. The researcher is
testing Jamica's
A) difference threshold.
B) just noticeable difference.
C) absolute threshold.
D) adaptation threshold.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-19
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: C) absolute threshold.

20. As the number of people talking in a room increases, the stimulus intensity needed to detect a change in the

5
number of people talking becomes
A) larger.
B) smaller.
C) same.
D) finer.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-20
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) larger.

21. The point at which a person can detect a stimulus 50 percent of the time it is presented is called the
A) absolute threshold.
B) range threshold.
C) difference threshold.
D) noticeable threshold.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-21
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) absolute threshold.

22. If you want to know the minimum amount of perfume that you can detect in a room, then you want to know
the
A) absolute threshold.
B) range threshold.
C) difference threshold.
D) noticeable threshold.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-22
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Conceptual/Applied
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) absolute threshold.

23. If you want to determine how loud your music can be before your roommate can detect it, then you need to
establish your roommate's
A) absolute threshold.
B) range threshold.
C) difference threshold.
D) noticeable threshold.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-23
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

6
Answer: A) absolute threshold.

24. During a hearing test, the doctor presented a series of tones to Ann through earphones. The tones were all
identical, but varied from quiet to loud. The doctor asked Ann to raise her hand whenever she started to hear a
sound. The doctor was testing Ann's
A) specific nerve energies.
B) absolute threshold.
C) pitch perception.
D) signal detection theory.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-24
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: B) absolute threshold.

25. The lowest stimulus intensity required for detection is the __________, and the smallest change in stimulus
intensity that we can detect is the __________.
A) absolute threshold; just noticeable difference
B) base value; just noticeable difference
C) response criterion; sensory constant
D) difference threshold; absolute threshold

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-25
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) absolute threshold; just noticeable difference

26. The principle that the just noticeable difference of any given sense is a constant fraction or proportion of the
stimulus intensity being judged is called
A) the opponent process principle.
B) the doctrine of specific nerve energies.
C) the phi phenomenon.
D) Weber's law.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-26
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) Weber's law.

27. Weber's law provides a formulation that is used to determine the

A) largest detectable stimulus.
B) smallest detectable stimulus.
C) largest detectable difference between two stimuli.
D) smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-27

7
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) smallest detectable difference between two stimuli.

28. Julian is getting his eyes tested, and the doctor asks him to indicate when the image on the screen gets
brighter or darker than it was previously. The doctor is trying to determine Julian's
A) absolute threshold.
B) adaptation threshold.
C) just noticeable difference.
D) signal detection.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-28
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: C) just noticeable difference.

29. Alicia is talking on her cell phone to her friend Maya. If Maya is in a crowded subway terminal, Alicia finds that
she has to nearly shout for Maya to be able to hear her. However, when Maya is in a meadow on her
grandparents' farm she can easily tell what Alicia is watching on TV as they talk. This is one illustration of
A) the just noticeable difference.
B) transduction.
C) absolute threshold.
D) signal-to-noise ratio.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-29
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) signal-to-noise ratio.

30. According to signal detection theory, a __________ is when a stimulus is absent, but the participant indicates
that it was present.
A) true positive
B) false negative
C) false positive
D) true negative

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-30
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: C) false positive

31. According to signal detection theory, a __________ is when a stimulus is present but the participant indicates
that it was absent.
A) true positive
B) false negative

8
C) false positive
D) true negative

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-31
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: B) false negative

32. The frequency of true positives, false negatives, false positives, and true negatives allow us to determine if
participants have
A) the correct signal-to-noise ratio.
B) any response biases.
C) detected a just noticeable difference.
D) an absolute threshold for the stimulus.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-32
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: B) any response biases.

33. Sometimes when you are expecting a text message, you think that you feel the buzz of your phone but when
you check it there is no message waiting. This is an example of a __________ according to signal detection
theory.
A) true positive
B) false positive
C) false negative
D) true negative

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-33
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: B) false positive

34. Casey is participating in a psychology experiment where he is asked to indicate whether he heard a sound or
did not hear a sound on successive testing trials. If Casey says he did not hear a sound, and no sound was
presented, his response would be considered a __________ according to signal detection theory.
A) true positive
B) false positive
C) false negative
D) true negative

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-34
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

9
Answer: D) true negative

35. When you check your phone, you find that you have several messages. For some reason you didn't notice the
sound or vibrations when the messages came in, even though you were waiting for your friends to contact you.
According to signal detection theory, your failure to notice the sound or vibration is a
A) true positive
B) false positive
C) false negative
D) true negative

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-35
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: C) false negative

36. Which of the following is consistent with the doctrine of specific nerve energies?
A) The sensation we experience is determined by the sense receptor, not the stimulus.
B) Our brain responds differently when either light or touch activate sense receptors in our eyes.
C) Distinct stimulus energies (e.g., light, sound) cause different sensations in the same sense receptor.
D) Specific nerve energies involve processing in sense receptors but have no links to cortical pathways.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-36
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual

Answer: A) The sensation we experience is determined by the sense receptor, not the stimulus.

37. When you rub your eyes, you can 'see' phosphenes that look like sparks. This phenomenon provides support
for which of the following?
A) Weber's law
B) signal detection theory
C) doctrine of specific nerve energies
D) synesthesias

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-37
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual

Answer: C) doctrine of specific nerve energies

38. The McGurk effect and the rubber hand illusion are examples of ________________ which demonstrate that
we can integrate visual information into our other perceptions.
A) sensory transduction.
B) the doctrine of specific nerve energies.
C) false positives
D) cross-modal processing

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-38
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual

10
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: D) cross-modal processing

39. Hearing the audio track of one syllable (such as "ba") spoken repeatedly while seeing a video track of a
different syllable being spoken (such as "ga") produces the perceptual experience of a different third sound
(such as "da"). This is an example of
A) the McGurk effect.
B) the just noticeable difference.
C) signal detection.
D) the doctrine of specific nerve energies.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-39
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) the McGurk effect.

40. Which of the following is an example of cross-modal processing?

A) the rubber hand illusion
B) transduction
C) Weber's law
D) inattentional blindness

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-40
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual

Answer: B) transduction

41. Some people perceive sounds to have colours, or numbers to have locations. This type of cross-modal
experience is called
A) the McGurk effect.
B) synesthesia.
C) parallel processing.
D) colour constancy.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-41
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: B) synesthesia.

42. When Georgina reads, letters and words take on personality characteristics, such as shy and sweet. Which of
the following terms is used for this altered perception?
A) Synesthesia
B) Inattentional blindness
C) Dyslexia
D) McGurk Effect

Difficulty: 2

11
QuestionID: 04-1-42
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: A) Synesthesia

43. Sarah is a pianist who reports that she hears musical tones as colours. This is one example of
A) the Ponzo illusion.
B) synesthesia.
C) binocular cues.
D) the Ganzfield effect.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-43
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: B) synesthesia.

44. Clay has played professional soccer for seven years and is easily able to tune out the sound of the crowd and
all other irrelevant sensory information during the game. Bruce is a rookie and is often distracted by what his
opponents are saying and the mood of the crowd. Clay and Bruce are showing differing levels of
A) selective attention.
B) parallel processing.
C) absolute thresholds.
D) top-down processing.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-44
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: A) selective attention.

45. According to Donald Broadbent's research using dichotic listening tasks, selective attention acts as a
A) trapdoor.
B) safety net.
C) key.
D) filter.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-45
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: D) filter.

46. Which of the following is an example of how selective visual attention can lead us to miss important
information?
A) The cocktail party effect
B) Synesthesia
C) Colour blindness

12
D) Change blindness

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-46
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: D) Change blindness

47. Savannah is talking to a group of her friends. She is paying attention to their conversation, but she shifts her
attention suddenly when she hears her name in the conversation at a nearby table. Which of the following best
describes Savannah's experience?
A) Dichotic listening
B) Selective attention
C) Cocktail party effect
D) Shadowing

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-47
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: C) Cocktail party effect

48. If you wanted to test whether someone could pay attention to two different conversations at one time, which
of the following tasks would be most useful?
A) parallel processing
B) dichotic listening
C) Ames room
D) ergonomics

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-48
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: B) dichotic listening

49. The cocktail party effect and results from dichotic listening tasks have revealed interesting information about
selective attention. Which of the following is an accurate conclusion based on these results?
A) Information we have filtered out of our attention is still being processed at some unconscious level.
B) Individual pathways of sense receptors are not cross-modal in their processing.
C) Selective attention only allows us to process one channel of input at a time.
D) We constantly engage in dichotic listening and attend to all messages equally.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-49
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: A) Information we have filtered out of our attention is still being processed at some unconscious level.

13
50. Alice went to the local coffee shop and ordered her usual drink, before sitting down to read her book. She
didn't realize that a group of her friends were sitting at a table with a giant sign that said "Happy Birthday Alice!"
even though she walked right past their table. They had to actually tap her on the shoulder before she noticed
them. This is an example of
A) inattentional blindness.
B) shape constancy.
C) change blindness.
D) the binding problem.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-50
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: A) inattentional blindness.

51. Airplane pilots who fail to notice the presence of another plane taxiing across the runway as they are
preparing to land are experiencing a phenomenon called
A) visual agnosia.
B) shape constancy.
C) change blindness.
D) the binding problem.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-51
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: C) change blindness.

52. Which of the following is an example of inattentional blindness?

A) Hearing two different messages delivered to the right and left ears and being asked to repeat one of those
messages and ignore the other
B) Failing to notice a man in a lobster costume skate across the ice at a hockey game because you are busy watching
the puck
C) Different brain regions are responsible for processing aspects of a single stimulus. If one region incorrectly
processes a stimulus, we are blind to what the stimulus is.
D) Reading through your textbook and, realizing that you don't remember what you just read

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-52
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: B) Failing to notice a man in a lobster costume skate across the ice at a hockey game because you are busy
watching the puck

53. __________ relates to our understanding of how our brains combine different pieces of our perception into a
unified whole.
A) Inattentional blindness
B) Shape constancy
C) Change blindness
D) The binding problem

14
Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-53
Topic: The Binding Problem—Putting the Pieces Together
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: D) The binding problem

54. The magic trick known as 'the vanishing ball' has been studied by psychologists, and helps us to understand
how this particular illusion depends upon
A) our mental predictions and expectancies.
B) shape constancy.
C) inattentional blindness.
D) perceptual sets.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-54
Topic: The Binding Problem—Putting the Pieces Together
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: A) our mental predictions and expectancies.

55. Researchers don't entirely understand how our complete perceptions of the world occur. Different aspects of
perception happen in different parts of the brain, and at different speeds, but our experience seems smooth and
complete. Which of the following terms is used to describe this 'mystery'?
A) illusion.
B) Gestalt principles.
C) inattentional blindness.
D) the binding problem.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-55
Topic: The Binding Problem—Putting the Pieces Together
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: D) the binding problem.

56. The colour of light is what psychologists call

A) brightness.
B) hue.
C) timbre.
D) synesthesia.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-56
Topic: Light—The Energy of Life
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) hue.

57. Some animals can see colours that humans cannot see. Which of the following determines that ability?
A) the reflectance of the stimulus

15
B) the visible spectrum of light
C) the number of rods on the retina
D) subtractive colour mixing

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-57
Topic: Light—The Energy of Life
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) the visible spectrum of light

58. Which of the following colours is associated with the shortest wavelengths of light?
A) red
B) violet
C) green
D) yellow

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-58
Topic: Light—The Energy of Life
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) violet

59. Which of the following colours is associated with the longest wavelengths of light?
A) red
B) violet
C) green
D) yellow

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-59
Topic: Light—The Energy of Life
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) red

60. Which of the following colours is associated with the middle of the human visible spectrum?
A) Red
B) Violet
C) Green
D) Ultraviolet

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-60
Topic: Light—The Energy of Life
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) Red

61. Some objects appear brighter than others. Which of the following determines the brightness of an object?
A) The visible spectrum of light

16
B) How much light is reflected by the object
C) Whether the colour mixing is additive or subtractive
D) The colour of the iris

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-61
Topic: Light—The Energy of Life
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) The visible spectrum of light

62. The aspect of colour that corresponds to names such as red, green, and blue is
A) brightness.
B) saturation.
C) hue.
D) fine detail.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-62
Topic: Light—The Energy of Light
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: C) hue.

63. Mixing equal amounts of red, green, and blue produces white light in
A) subtractive colour mixing.
B) the visual spectrum.
C) prismatic refraction.
D) additive colour mixing.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-63
Topic: Light—The Energy of Life
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: D) additive colour mixing.

64. What is the pupil of the eye?

A) It is the white part of the eye.
B) It is the coloured part of the eye.
C) It is the location of the visual receptors.
D) It is the small opening that lets light into the eye.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-64
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: D) It is the small opening that lets light into the eye.

65. When we describe eyes as blue, brown, or hazel, we are referring to the colour of the
A) irises.

17
B) pupils.
C) corneas.
D) scleras.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-65
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) irises.

66. What part of the eye is typically white?

A) sclera
B) iris
C) pupil
D) cornea

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-66
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) sclera

67. The coloured part of the eye that contains muscles to contract or expand the pupil is the
A) iris.
B) lens.
C) sclera.
D) cornea.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-67
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) iris.

68. Which part of the eye is a muscle that regulates the size of the pupil?
A) Iris
B) Lens
C) Sclera
D) Cornea

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-68
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) Iris

69. The amount of light entering the eye is controlled by the

A) pupil.

18
B) lens.
C) sclera.
D) cornea.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-69
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) pupil.

70. Which of the following examples would result in a pupillary reflex?

A) Danille has dropped Belladonna juice into her eyes
B) Kristine is concentrating hard on a math problem.
C) Janelle walks outside into the bright sunlight
D) Tanya is talking to someone that she thinks is very attractive

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-70
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: C) Janelle walks outside into the bright sunlight

71. What structure is on the outside of the eye, covering the pupil and iris?
A) Sclera
B) Cornea
C) Fovea
D) Lens

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-71
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) Cornea

72. The clear, transparent protective coating over the front part of the eye is the
A) cornea.
B) iris.
C) pupil.
D) lens.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-72
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) cornea.

73. The lenses in your eye change shape to focus on objects near or far away in a process called
A) saturation.

19
B) accommodation.
C) transduction.
D) the pupillary reflex.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-73
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) accommodation.

74. Tracey has trouble reading her textbooks that are right in front of her, and James has trouble reading the
board at the front of his classrooms. Based on this information, it is likely that Tracey has __________ and James
has __________.
A) hyperopia; myopia
B) myopia; hyperopia
C) antiacuity; retinal fatigue
D) retinal fatigue; antiacuity

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-74
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) hyperopia; myopia

75. Nearsightedness, also known as __________, results when images are focused __________ the retina.
A) hyperopia; in front of
B) myopia; in front of
C) hyperopia; behind
D) myopia; behind

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-75
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) myopia; in front of

76. Which of the following terms is associated with age-related changes in vision, which is why few first-graders
need eyeglasses, whereas most senior citizens do?
A) Hyperopia
B) Myopia
C) Presbyopia
D) Accommodation

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-76
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: C) Presbyopia

20
77. The change in the shape of the lens in order to focus on a visual image is known as
A) fixation.
B) divergence.
C) convergence.
D) accommodation.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-77
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: D) accommodation.

78. Following the process of accommodation, a fat lens would allow you to focus on __________ objects,
whereas a flat lens would allow you to focus on __________ objects.
A) distant; nearby
B) nearby; distant
C) distant; distant
D) nearby; nearby

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-78
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) nearby; distant

79. What structure is responsible for focusing light toward the back of the eye?
A) Fovea
B) Retina
C) Lens
D) Cornea

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-79
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: C) Lens

80. As we age, we are more likely to need glasses because

A) the lens loses its flexibility.
B) of damage to our retinas.
C) the retina can no longer accommodate subtle changes in light.
D) of damage to our corneas.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-80
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

21
Answer: A) the lens loses its flexibility.

81. The fovea is made up of

A) all rods and no cones.
B) mostly cones with some rods.
C) mostly rods with some cones.
D) all cones and no rods.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-81
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: D) all cones and no rods.

82. Light is focused toward the retina by the

A) iris.
B) lens.
C) sclera.
D) cornea.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-82
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) lens.

83. Which component of the eye contains all of the visual receptors?
A) Retina
B) Sclera
C) Fovea
D) Cornea

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-83
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: A) Retina

84. The __________ is where incoming light is converted into nerve impulses and the __________ is where light is
most sharply focused.
A) retina; pupil
B) optic nerve; cornea
C) blind spot; pupil
D) retina; fovea

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-84
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

22
Answer: D) retina; fovea

85. All of our visual sensory receptor cells are located in the
A) optic nerve.
B) fovea.
C) cornea.
D) retina.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-85
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual

Answer: D) retina.

86. Which of the following is true about cones?

A) They are responsible for black-and-white vision.
B) They are found mainly in the fovea.
C) They operate mainly at night.
D) They rely on the photopigment rhodopsin.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-86
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) They are found mainly in the fovea.

87. Receptor cells in the retina responsible for colour vision and acuity are
A) bipolar cells.
B) ganglion cells.
C) rods.
D) cones.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-87
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: D) cones.

88. It is difficult to distinguish between colours at night because

A) we are seeing primarily with the cones.
B) rods do not adapt to the dark.
C) we are seeing primarily with the rods.
D) the visible wavelength of light changes.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-88
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

23
Answer: C) we are seeing primarily with the rods.

89. Which of the following phenomena is a function of the distribution of the rods and cones in the retina?
A) The moon looks much larger near the horizon than it looks when it is higher in the sky.
B) The light from distant stars moving rapidly away from us appears red.
C) Stars can be seen only with difficulty during the daytime.
D) It is easier to see a star at night if you don't look at it directly.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-89
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual

Answer: D) It is easier to see a star at night if you don't look at it directly.

90. Which cells on the retina are most important for night vision?
A) bipolar cells.
B) ganglion cells.
C) rods.
D) cones.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-90
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: C) rods.

91. Jamie walks from a bright room into a dark room. It will take about __________ minutes for dark adaptation to
be complete.
A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 40

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-91
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: C) 30

92. When Stewart wakes up at night and has to walk from his bedroom to the bathroom in the dark, which part of
the eye is most important?
A) rods.
B) corneas.
C) cones.
D) irises.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-92
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

24
Answer: A) rods.

93. Which of the following is true of rods?

A) They respond to colour.
B) They are found mainly in the fovea.
C) They operate mainly in the daytime.
D) They are responsible for night vision.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-93
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: D) They are responsible for night vision.

94. What is the photopigment in rods that is required for normal visual processing to occur?
A) Vitamin A
B) Rhodopsin
C) Melanin
D) Lipochrome

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-94
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: B) Rhodopsin

95. What nutrient is needed to make the photopigment rhodopsin in rods?

A) Vitamin A
B) Vitamin D
C) Magnesium
D) Phosphorus

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-95
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual

Answer: A) Vitamin A

96. Bundles of axons from ganglion cells make up the

A) optic nerve.
B) optic schism.
C) fovea.
D) rods and cones.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-96
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

25
Answer: A) optic nerve.

97. What carries visual information from the retina to various brain regions?
A) fovea
B) vitreous humor
C) optic nerve
D) optic chiasm

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-97
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: C) optic nerve

98. The place where the optic nerve connects to the retina is called the
A) fovea.
B) optic chiasm.
C) blind spot.
D) superior colliculus.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-98
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: C) blind spot.

99. When the axons of the optic nerve reach the optic chiasm, where do they go?
A) Axons from the right eye cross to the left side, and axons from the left eye cross to the right side.
B) Axons from both eyes meet in the middle before travelling together for the rest of the pathway.
C) Axons all meet in the middle, but then return to their original sides.
D) Half of the axons cross to the opposite side and half stay on their original side.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-99
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: D) Half of the axons cross to the opposite side and half stay on their original side.

100. Axons that leave the eye and travel to the ________________ are particularly important for reflexes.
A) superior colliculus
B) thalamus
C) primary visual cortex
D) temporal lobe

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-100
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

26
Answer: A) superior colliculus

101. What is the difference in function between simple cells and complex cells, in the visual cortex?
A) Simple cells respond to lines of different orientations, while complex cells respond to the whole object.
B) Simple cells are feature detectors, but complex cells are object detectors.
C) Both cells respond to orientation of lines, but simple cells can only respond to lines in specific locations.
D) Both cells are feature detectors, but simple cells can only respond to moving objects.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-101
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: C) Both cells respond to orientation of lines, but simple cells can only respond to lines in specific locations.

102. Research by Hubel and Wiesel demonstrated that cells in the primary visual cortex (V1) respond to lines of
different orientations , and that __________ respond(s) to lines only in a particular location whereas __________
respond to lines in any location.
A) rhodopsin; photopigments
B) ganglion cells; feature detectors
C) bipolar cells; thalamic neurons
D) simple cells; complex cells

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-102
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: D) simple cells; complex cells

103. Simple and complex cells in the visual system are also called __________ because they process lines and
edges to identify objects.
A) Gestalt cells
B) ganglion cells
C) bipolar cells
D) feature detector cells

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-103
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: D) feature detector cells

104. The idea that the eye contains separate receptors for red, green, and blue is known as the __________
theory.
A) opponent process
B) additive colour mixing
C) trichromatic
D) reductive colour mixing

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-104

27
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: C) trichromatic

105. People with normal colour vision typically have three different types of cones on the retina. Which theory of
colour perception is supported by this evidence?
A) opponent process theory.
B) additive colour mixing theory.
C) trichromatic theory.
D) reductive colour mixing theory.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-105
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: C) trichromatic theory.

106. People with only one or two types of cones on their retinas experience different forms of colour-blindness.
Which theory of colour vision is supported by this evidence?
A) opponent process theory
B) additive colour mixing theory
C) subtractive colour mixing theory
D) trichromatic theory

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-106
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: D) trichromatic theory

107. If you stare for 30 seconds at a red object and then look at a blank sheet of white paper, you will see a
greenish image of the object. This phenomenon best supports the __________ theory of colour vision.
A) trichromatic
B) opponent process
C) Young Helmholtz
D) dichromatic

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-107
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual

Answer: B) opponent process

108. According to the opponent process theory of colour vision, the correct pairings of opposite colours are
A) red versus green and blue versus yellow.
B) black versus grey and white versus coloured.
C) blue versus red and green versus yellow.
D) blue versus green and red versus yellow.

28
Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-108
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual

Answer: A) red versus green and blue versus yellow.

109. The trichromatic and opponent process theories of colour vision are not in conflict because each
corresponds to
A) a different portion of the spectrum.
B) the opposite half of perceivable colours.
C) one type of colour blindness.
D) a different aspect of visual processing.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-109
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: D) a different aspect of visual processing.

110. According to __________, colour vision evolved because perceiving colour helped our early ancestors
forage for food.
A) trichromatic theory
B) opponent process theory
C) binocular theory
D) Gestalt theory

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-110
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: A) trichromatic theory

111. Amy is a monochromat. What can we assume about Amy's perceptual abilities?
A) She does not see colour.
B) She sees only red and green.
C) She cannot detect changes in brightness.
D) She has only rods, and no cones on her retinas.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-111
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: A) She does not see colour.

112. Several genes associated with colour vision are found on the X chromosome. Which of the following is
consistent with this information?
A) Opponent process theory of colour vision.
B) Colour perception changes somewhat as we get older.
C) There are more dichromats than monochromats.

29
D) More males than females have colour blindness .

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-112
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: D) More males than females have colour blindness .

113. Which type of colour blindness is most common?

A) trichromatic
B) dichromatic
C) monochromatic
D) cortical

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-113
Topic: Visual Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2b

Answer: B) dichromatic

114. The majority of cases of blindness, such as cataracts and glaucoma,

A) are associated with blindsight.
B) develop at a young age.
C) are treatable.
D) result from brain damage.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-114
Topic: When We Can't See or Perceive Visually
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2c

Answer: C) are treatable.

115. People who are blind often show evidence of 'brain plasticity'. Which of the following would provide that
evidence?
A) The visual cortex becomes inactive, so the brain doesn't waste energy.
B) Portions of the brain associated with vision become physically softer.
C) Parts of visual cortex start responding to other sensory information, like touch.
D) Residual visual signals interfere with other sensory or perceptual processing in the brain.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-115
Topic: When We Can't See or Perceive Visually
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2c

Answer: C) Parts of visual cortex start responding to other sensory information, like touch.

116. Although Don is blind, he can still make correct guesses about the visual appearance of objects presented
to him in an experiment. This example demonstrates the phenomenon of
A) motion parallax.

30
B) motion blindness.
C) visual agnosia.
D) blindsight.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-116
Topic: When We Can't See or Perceive Visually
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2c

Answer: D) blindsight.

117. People who demonstrate 'blindsight' have a particular type of injury or damage. Where is that damage
located?
A) retinas.
B) primary visual cortex.
C) corneas.
D) optic nerves.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-117
Topic: When We Can't See or Perceive Visually
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2c

Answer: B) primary visual cortex.

118. Some research has demonstrated people who are blind often rely on which aspect of auditory perception?
A) Sound localization
B) Echolocation
C) Pitch perception
D) Tympanic vibrations

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-118
Topic: When We Can't See or Perceive Visually
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2c

Answer: B) Echolocation

119. Your friend Stan points to your textbook and asks you to "pass that rectangular thing full of words."
According to the text, Stan is experiencing what deficit in perceiving visual objects?
A) Visual agnosia
B) Blindsight
C) Glaucoma
D) Proprioception

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-119
Topic: When We Can't See or Perceive Visually
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2c

Answer: A) Visual agnosia

31
120. The book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks presents a man who misperceived his
wife as a fashion accessory. This is a case example of what visual phenomenon?
A) Blindsight
B) Visual agnosia
C) Binocular disparity
D) Motion blindness

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-120
Topic: When We Can't See or Perceive Visually
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2c

Answer: B) Visual agnosia

121. Our sense of hearing is called

A) olfaction.
B) proprioception.
C) audition.
D) gustation.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-121
Topic: Hearing—The Auditory System
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: C) audition.

122. Pauly is swimming underwater and his friend Mike yells something at him. In general, could Pauly be able to
hear what Mike said?
A) No, because sound waves don't travel through liquid
B) No, because vibrations cannot be transduced underwater
C) Yes, because sound waves can travel through any gas, liquid, or solid
D) Yes, because molecules flow faster through water than any other medium

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-122
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: C) Yes, because sound waves can travel through any gas, liquid, or solid

123. What are sound waves?

A) The vibration of the molecules of the air surrounding us.
B) The impact of decibels in the air.
C) A form of electronic radiation.
D) Part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-123
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

32
Answer: A) The vibration of the molecules of the air surrounding us.

124. A sound technician just installed new equipment in his recording studio. He will now be able to help singers
and musicians produce better recordings because he can eliminate undesired wavelengths and problems with
pitch. What term describes the characteristic of sound waves that the sound technician is now able to alter?
A) Saturation
B) Amplitude
C) Volleying
D) Frequency

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-124
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: D) Frequency

125. When we use the term 'wavelength' to describe either light or sound waves, we are referring to ___________
for vision and __________ for hearing.
A) Hue; pitch
B) Amplitude; frequency
C) Brightness; loudness
D) Colour; timbre

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-125
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a and 4.3a

Answer: A) Hue; pitch

126. Which of the following properties of sound is the most similar to the brightness of light?
A) Loudness
B) Timbre
C) Pitch
D) Purity

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-126
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a and 4.3a

Answer: A) Loudness

127. Which of the following properties of sound would be the most similar to the colour, or hue, of light?
A) Volume
B) Timbre
C) Pitch
D) Loudness

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-127
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration

33
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.2a and 4.3a

Answer: C) Pitch

128. There are special ring tones for cell phones that can't be heard by adults. Which of the following makes that
possible?
A) Younger adults are more sensitive to lower-pitch tones than older adults.
B) Older adults are more sensitive to higher-pitch tones than younger adults.
C) Younger adults are more sensitive to higher-pitch tones than older adults.
D) Older adults are more sensitive to lower-pitch tones than younger adults.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-128
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: C) Younger adults are more sensitive to higher-pitch tones than older adults.

129. Brightness refers to the intensity, or amplitude, of a light wave. The corresponding term when discussing
sound is
A) hue.
B) timbre.
C) pitch.
D) loudness.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-129
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: D) loudness.

130. An alien from outer space was just captured. Scientists take turns examining the creature. At a press
conference, one of the scientists reports that the alien can hear frequencies between 10 000 and 30 000 Hz. How
does the alien's ability to detect sound compare to a human being's ability?
A) The alien hears the same frequencies as do humans.
B) There is no overlap in the auditory spectrums of the two species.
C) The alien can detect higher frequencies, but humans can detect lower frequencies.
D) Humans can detect higher frequencies; but the alien can detect lower frequencies

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-130
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: C) The alien can detect higher frequencies, but humans can detect lower frequencies.

131. Sounds that are __________ decibels or greater in loudness cause us pain and can cause harm to our
auditory system.
A) 95
B) 110
C) 125

34
D) 145

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-131
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: C) 125

132. The quality or complexity of a sound is referred to as the

A) frequency.
B) timbre.
C) amplitude.
D) pitch.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-132
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: B) timbre.

133. Loudness refers to the __________ of the sound wave, whereas pitch refers to the __________ of the sound
wave.
A) frequency; timbre
B) amplitude; frequency
C) intensity; timbre
D) frequency; amplitude

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-133
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: B) amplitude; frequency

134. The sensory receptors in the ear are found in the

A) ear canal.
B) eardrum.
C) cochlea.
D) pinna.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-134
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: C) cochlea.

135. What is the basic function of the outer ear?

A) To protect the hair cells
B) To concentrate and funnel sound waves to the eardrum

35
C) To provide the first stage of transduction
D) To filter out high-intensity sound waves that can be harmful

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-135
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: B) To concentrate and funnel sound waves to the eardrum

136. The outer ear includes the

A) oval window.
B) eardrum.
C) cochlea.
D) pinna.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-136
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: D) pinna.

137. The ossicles are located in what part of the ear?

A) Outer ear
B) Middle ear
C) Cochlea
D) Inner ear

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-137
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: B) Middle ear

138. What is the role of the ossicles, for hearing?

A) They gather sound waves and funnel them down the auditory canal.
B) They vibrate at the frequency of soundwaves.
C) They hold the hair cells that transduce auditory signals.
D) They release pressure in the inner ear.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-138
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: B) They vibrate at the frequency of soundwaves.

139. What are the hammer, anvil, and stirrup?

A) Types of sound that most people can detect
B) Words often used by audiologists in testing for hearing difficulties

36
C) Tiny bones located in the middle ear
D) Types of cones on the retina

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-139
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: C) Tiny bones located in the middle ear

140. Where would you find hair cells, in the ear?

A) on the ossicles
B) next to bipolar cells
C) on the basilar membrane
D) outside the pinna

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-140
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: C) on the basilar membrane

141. Which of the following are the auditory receptors where sound waves are transduced into neural impulses?
A) Hair cells
B) Organs of Corti
C) Basilar membranes
D) Tectorial membranes

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-141
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: A) Hair cells

142. Once sound waves have been converted into neural activity, the __________ carries them to the brain for
auditory perception.
A) basilar membrane
B) auditory nerve
C) cochlea
D) pinna

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-142
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: B) auditory nerve

143. The place theory of pitch suggests that pitch is determined by the
A) specific hair cells that are stimulated.

37
B) number of hair cells that are stimulated.
C) size of the hair cells that are stimulated.
D) degree of bend in the stimulated hair cells.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-143
Topic: Auditory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: A) specific hair cells that are stimulated.

144. Human perception of high-pitched tones is best explained by __________ theory.

A) volley
B) place
C) frequency
D) opponent process

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-144
Topic: Auditory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: B) place

145. Which theory best explains human perception of low-pitch tones?

A) conductive
B) place
C) frequency
D) opponent process

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-145
Topic: Auditory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: C) frequency

146. If a person hears a tone of 3000 Hz, three groups of neurons take turns sending the message to the brain—
the first group for the first 1000 Hz, the second group for the next 1000 Hz, and a third for the next 1000 Hz. This
principle is known as the
A) volley principle.
B) place principle.
C) frequency principle.
D) relay principle.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-146
Topic: Auditory Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: A) volley principle.

38
147. Which theory proposes that, above 100 Hz but below 5000 Hz, auditory neurons do not fire all at once but in
rotation?
A) Volley
B) Place
C) Frequency
D) Opponent process

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-147
Topic: Auditory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: A) Volley

148. Pete has played lead guitar in a rock band for years. He spent a great deal of time in front of the speakers
during shows, and rarely wore earplugs or headphones. He now hears a lot of buzzing or ringing at all times, and
this condition is known as
A) synesthesia.
B) conductive deafness.
C) tinnitus.
D) nerve deafness.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-148
Topic: When We Can't Hear
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: C) tinnitus.

149. As we age, it becomes more difficult for us to hear __________ sounds in particular.
A) low-frequency
B) high-frequency
C) low- to moderate-frequency
D) moderate-frequency

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-149
Topic: When We Can't Hear
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: B) high-frequency

150. Chandra has trouble hearing because she has suffered damage to her auditory nerve. What type of deafness
does Chandra suffer from?
A) Conductive deafness
B) Nerve deafness
C) Echolocation
D) Binaural deafness

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-150
Topic: When We Can't Hear
Skill: Applied/Conceptual

39
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: B) Nerve deafness

151. Ben suffers from __________ and has difficulty hearing because his eardrum and ossicles of the inner ear
have malfunctioned.
A) conductive deafness
B) nerve deafness
C) echolocation
D) binaural deafness

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-151
Topic: When We Can't Hear
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: A) conductive deafness

152. Which part of your ear is most likely to be damaged by exposure to very loud noises?
A) Eardrum
B) Ossicles
C) Hair cells
D) Pinna

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-152
Topic: When We Can't Hear
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: C) Hair cells

153. Our sense of taste is called

A) the vestibular sense.
B) olfaction.
C) proprioception.
D) gustation.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-153
Topic: Smell and Taste—The Sensual Senses
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: D) gustation.

154. Taste is to __________ as smell is to __________.

A) olfaction; gustation
B) gustation; proprioception
C) proprioception; olfaction
D) gustation; olfaction

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-154
Topic: Smell and Taste—The Sensual Senses

40
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: D) gustation; olfaction

155. Which of the following statements about taste and smell is true?
A) Our nose identifies more odours than our tongue identifies tastes.
B) Our nose and tongue identify approximately the same numbers of odours and tastes, respectively.
C) Our tongue identifies more tastes than our nose identifies odours.
D) Our nose and tongue identify exactly the same numbers of odours and tastes, respectively.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-155
Topic: What Are Odours and Flavours?
Skill: Factual

Answer: A) Our nose identifies more odours than our tongue identifies tastes.

156. Preliminary evidence for two new tastes, ___________ and ___________ suggests that our detection of taste
is more complex than previously thought.
A) umami and sour
B) chocolate and alcohol
C) tangy and greasy
D) fatty and starchy

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-156
Topic: What Are Odours and Flavours?
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: D) fatty and starchy

157. Foods that have the umami taste all contain a lot of which neurotransmitter?
A) serotonin
B) sodium
C) glutamate
D) dopamine

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-157
Topic: What Are Odours and Flavours?
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: C) glutamate

158. How do olfactory receptors recognize or respond to individual odours?

A) by the presence of specific chemical compounds
B) by the shape of the odour molecules
C) by the intensity of the odour profile
D) by the location where the odour molecules land

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-158
Topic: What Are Odours and Flavours?

41
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4 a

Answer: B) by the shape of the odour molecules

159. What are the bumps on the tongue that contain taste buds?
A) papillae
B) olfactory receptors
C) umami
D) taste receptors

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-159
Topic: Sense Receptors for Smell and Taste
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: A) papillae

160. What is the evidence that we may have taste receptors for fat?
A) They can be seen in microscopic analysis of taste buds.
B) Placing fat on the tongue results in changes to metabolism.
C) Umami receptors can also be stimulated by fatty foods.
D) Fat contains high levels of glutamate.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-160
Topic: Sense Receptors for Smell and Taste
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: B) Placing fat on the tongue results in changes to metabolism.

161. According to the authors, we can experience the taste sensation of saltiness
A) only toward the front of the tongue.
B) only at the tip of the tongue.
C) only toward the rear of the tongue.
D) throughout all areas of the tongue

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-161
Topic: Sense Receptors for Smell and Taste
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: D) throughout all areas of the tongue

162. Which of the following is a myth concerning taste sensation?

A) Supertasters are insensitive to bitter tastes so they tend to eat bitter foods often.
B) Umami taste receptors have been found to be associated with the neurotransmitter glutamate.
C) Taste buds for specific tastes (e.g., salty, sweet) are only present on differing areas of the tongue according to the
tongue taste map.
D) Research suggests that people may have taste receptors for fat on their tongues.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-162

42
Topic: Sense Receptors for Smell and Taste
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: C) Taste buds for specific tastes (e.g., salty, sweet) are only present on differing areas of the tongue according
to the tongue taste map.

163. Olfaction interacts with gustation, which allows us to

A) experience a wider variety of tastes than we have taste buds for.
B) represent flavour in multiple areas of the brain.
C) experience complex flavours even when we can't smell.
D) perceive both odour and flavour equally well regardless of which sensory organ detected the stimulus.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-163
Topic: Sense Receptors for Smell and Taste
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: A) experience a wider variety of tastes than we have taste buds for.

164. Which of the following is most likely to be associated with good health outcomes?
A) Having fewer taste buds
B) Having poor olfaction
C) Having extra taste buds
D) Having excellent olfaction

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-164
Topic: Sense Receptors for Smell and Taste
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: C) Having extra taste buds

165. Which of the following people would be most able to comfortably eat food that is bitter or spicy?
A) A supertaster
B) Someone who is depressed
C) Someone with heightened olfactory abilities
D) Someone with a stuffed nose.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-165
Topic: Sense Receptors for Smell and Taste
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: D) Someone with a stuffed nose.

166. Smell and taste sensations converge in the

A) orbitofrontal cortex.
B) gustatory cortex.
C) olfactory cortex.
D) somatosensory cortex.

Difficulty: 2

43
QuestionID: 04-1-166
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: A) orbitofrontal cortex.

167. Our ability to experience so many different tastes, despite the limited number of taste sensations,
demonstrates the interplay between our senses of taste and
A) touch.
B) hearing.
C) vision.
D) smell.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-167
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: D) smell.

168. Certain smells can trigger powerful emotional memories, and smells can influence mood. One reason for
these phenomena is that olfactory cortex is located near and interacts with the
A) limbic system.
B) cerebellum.
C) brainstem.
D) thalamus.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-168
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: A) limbic system.

169. Tasting disgusting food and viewing facial expressions of disgust both activate what area of the brain?
A) Limbic system
B) Gustatory cortex
C) Olfactory cortex
D) Temporal lobe

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-169
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: B) Gustatory cortex

170. Which of the following is likely to distort taste perception, because of changes to neurotransmitter levels?
A) The number of taste buds on the tongue
B) Depression, or antidepressant medications
C) Puberty
D) Colds or allergies

44
Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-170
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: A) The number of taste buds on the tongue

171. Certain neurotransmitters, such as __________, make people more sensitive to tastes in general.
A) serotonin and norepinephrine
B) acetylcholine and dopamine
C) glutamate and anandamide
D) epinephrine and oxytocin

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-171
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: A) serotonin and norepinephrine

172. __________ are odourless chemicals that serve as social signals to members of one's species.
A) Rhodopsins
B) Pheromones
C) Proprioceptors
D) Papillae

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-172
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: B) Pheromones

173. Perfumes or sprays that contain human pheromones are NOT likely to be effective in making you more
attractive to others. Which of the following factors predict this failure?
A) Pheromones are large molecules so it is difficult to transfer them through the air.
B) Human pheromones don't exist.
C) Humans don't have receptors for pheromones.
D) Pheromones act on portions of the limbic system that are generally inactive in humans.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-173
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: A) Pheromones are large molecules so it is difficult to transfer them through the air.

174. In order to detect pheromones, most mammals use the __________, which is located in the bone between
the nose and mouth.
A) olfactory bulb
B) vomeronasal organ

45
C) organ of Corti
D) thalamic nerve

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-174
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: B) vomeronasal organ

175. Which risk is most associated with olfactory disorders?

A) physical injury
B) social isolation
C) poisoning
D) anxiety

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-175
Topic: When We Can't Smell or Taste
Skill: Applied/Conceptual

Answer: C) poisoning

176. The kinesthetic sense refers to our sense of

A) sensitivity to pain.
B) relative weight.
C) relative velocity.
D) body position.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-176
Topic: Our Body Senses—Touch, Body Position, and Balance
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: D) body position.

177. The name given to the sense of our body position is

A) the vestibular sense.
B) gustation.
C) the somatosensory sense.
D) the kinesthetic sense.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-177
Topic: Our Body Senses—Touch, Body Position, and Balance
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: D) the kinesthetic sense.

178. Body position is to __________ as equilibrium and balance are to __________.

A) the vestibular sense; proprioception
B) proprioception; the somatosensory system
C) the kinesthetic sense; proprioception

46
D) proprioception; the vestibular sense

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-178
Topic: Our Body Senses—Touch, Body Position, and Balance
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: D) proprioception; the vestibular sense

179. The somatosensory system responds to sensory information about

A) taste and smell.
B) temperature and pressure.
C) sound and vision.
D) body position and equilibrium.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-179
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: B) temperature and pressure.

180. The skin senses respond to

A) touch, pressure, temperature, and pain.
B) the location of body parts in relation to the ground and to each other.
C) movement and body position.
D) your location as compared to the position of the sun.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-180
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: A) touch, pressure, temperature, and pain.

181. Which of the following body parts would be LEAST sensitive to pain, based on the number of free nerve
endings that are present?
A) Middle of the back
B) Fingertips
C) Lips
D) Feet

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-181
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: A) Middle of the back

182. Information about __________ travels to the spinal cord and brain more quickly than information about
__________.
A) pain; touch

47
B) touch; pain
C) touch; vision
D) pain; vision

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-182
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: B) touch; pain

183. The authors mentioned the interesting correlation between natural red hair and lower pain thresholds
compared to persons with other natural hair colours. This is most likely to be due to the fact that
A) natural pain thresholds cause people to be born with different natural colours of hair.
B) genetic factors that impact pain threshold are also somehow related to hair colour.
C) natural hair colour causes people to have an increased or decreased pain threshold.
D) persons with red hair demonstrate a specific sensitivity to pain in their free nerve endings.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-183
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: B) genetic factors that impact pain threshold are also somehow related to hair colour.

184. People differ in their pain thresholds, and there is evidence that we are capable of withstanding extreme pain
under some conditions. Which of the following is supported by this evidence?
A) Pain is controlled by specific genes that vary across the population.
B) The experience of pain is dependent upon experience, so we just learn to feel pain.
C) Pain has an emotional, so we can learn to control our experience of pain.
D) Pain is primarily controlled by circulating hormones that affect sensitivity.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-184
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: C) Pain has an emotional, so we can learn to control our experience of pain.

185. The gate control model of pain perception argues that neural mechanisms in the __________ are involved in
controlling the flow of sensory input to the central nervous system.
A) thalamus
B) mechanoreceptors
C) somatosensory cortex
D) spinal cord

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-185
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: D) spinal cord

48
186. Which of the following provides evidence that our visual system interacts with our somatosensory system?
A) mirror box treatments for phantom limb pain
B) placebo effects associated with sham therapies
C) seemingly miraculous examples of firewalking
D) the gate control model of pain perception

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-186
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: A) mirror box treatments for phantom limb pain

187. The practice of firewalking has been used to help people build confidence, or even to experience
'enlightenment'. Which of the following is most important for successful firewalking?
A) Administration of specific neurotransmitters
B) Pain insensitivity
C) Using wood that has a low rate of heat exchange
D) Meditation to control somatosensory processing

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-187
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: C) Using wood that has a low rate of heat exchange

188. The ability to detect and keep our balance as we move around in our daily life is known as
A) olfaction.
B) somatosensory information.
C) the vestibular sense.
D) the proprioceptive sense.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-188
Topic: Proprioception and Vestibular Sense—Body Position and Balance
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: C) the vestibular sense.

189. The receptors for the proprioceptive senses are located in the
A) inner and middle ears.
B) temporal and parietal lobes.
C) olfactory and visual cortices.
D) muscles and muscle tendons.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-189
Topic: Proprioception and Vestibular Sense—Body Position and Balance
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5a

49
Answer: D) muscles and muscle tendons.

190. A disorder of the inner ear would be most likely to impact our
A) equilibrium.
B) sense of smell.
C) proprioception.
D) sense of pain.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-190
Topic: Proprioception and Vestibular Sense—Body Position and Balance
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: A) equilibrium.

191. The fluid in our __________ is involved in sensing equilibrium and helping us to maintain balance.
A) spinal cord
B) orbitofrontal cortex
C) semicircular canals
D) vomeronasal organ

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-191
Topic: Proprioception and Vestibular Sense—Body Position and Balance
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: C) semicircular canals

192. There is a door in my office that I tend to push instead of pull, because the door handle is oriented
horizontally instead of vertically. Which discipline within psychology studies these sorts of influences on our
behaviour and experiences?
A) Human factors
B) Social psychology
C) Industrial/organizational psychology
D) Cognitive neuroscience

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-192
Topic: Ergonomics—Human Engineering
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5c

Answer: A) Human factors

193. The fact that our beliefs and expectations often influence our sensory experiences is an example of
A) top-down processing.
B) parallel processing.
C) bottom-up processing.
D) subliminal processing.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-193
Topic: Parallel Processing—The Way Our Brain Multitasks
Skill: Factual

50
Objective: 4.6a

Answer: A) top-down processing.

194. Juanita is holding her cat, Belle. Juanita is getting information about Belle's weight, the sound of Belle's
purrs, the sight of Belle's eye movements, and the expectation that Belle is about to leap to the ground. This
complex experience is the result of
A) bottom-up processing.
B) top-down processing.
C) subliminal processing.
D) parallel processing.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-194
Topic: Parallel Processing—The Way Our Brain Multitasks
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6a

Answer: D) parallel processing.

195. Stanton is taking chemistry with Ms. Neville and has heard many negative stories about her class from his
friends. The fact that his beliefs about Ms. Neville affect his interpretation of her during the school year is an
example of
A) subliminal processing.
B) bottom-up processing.
C) top-down processing.
D) parallel processing.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-195
Topic: Parallel Processing—The Way Our Brain Multitasks
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6a

Answer: C) top-down processing.

196. __________ is conceptually driven, whereas __________ is stimulus-driven.

A) Top-down processing; bottom-up processing
B) Bottom-up processing; top-down processing
C) Difference threshold; absolute threshold
D) Absolute threshold; difference threshold

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-196
Topic: Parallel Processing—The Way Our Brain Multitasks
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6a

Answer: A) Top-down processing; bottom-up processing

197. When our perception of a stimulus, such as a misshapen letter or an image, depends on our knowledge or
expectations, we are using __________ to interpret the stimulus.
A) a perceptual constancy
B) selective attention
C) feature binding
D) a perceptual set

51
Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-197
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: D) a perceptual set

198. The fact that Dale perceives a taxi cab to be bright orange during the day and bright orange at night
demonstrates the concept of
A) the binding problem.
B) dark adaptation.
C) perceptual set.
D) colour constancy.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-198
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: D) colour constancy.

199. Jordan and her friends are in the front row for a rock concert. During the concert, the lead singer moves all
around the stage, but Jordan continues to perceive him as the same height even though the image on her retina
gets longer and shorter as he moves. What accounts for this smooth perception?
A) Perceptual sets
B) Bistable images
C) Perceptual constancy
D) The binding problem

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-199
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: A) Perceptual constancy

200. As the dog runs after a ball, his body is sometimes stretched right out with his head low and sometimes very
condensed with his front paws behind his rear paws. When you watch the dog, you perceive him as the same dog
throughout the entire run. Which principle allows this smooth perception?
A) perceptual sets
B) perceptual constancy
C) bistable images
D) bottom-up processing

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-200
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: B) perceptual constancy

52
201. As Jackie walks through the trees, the sunlight sometimes hits her hair and makes it shine while other times
she is in shadow and her hair looks more dull. When you see her, you never think that her hair is actually
changing colour. What accounts for this smooth perception of Jackie's hair?
A) perceptual constancy
B) bistable images
C) perceptual sets
D) bottom-up processing

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-201
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: A) perceptual constancy

202. What psychological school first identified that visual perception occurs in terms of whole objects rather than
individual component parts?
A) Psychoanalytic
B) Gestalt
C) Behaviourism
D) Humanistic

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-202
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: B) Gestalt

203. As we listen to music, we often are aware of the arrangement of tones into melodies rather than focusing on
individual notes. This auditory perception is compatible with the principles established by
A) humanistic psychologists.
B) Gestalt psychologists.
C) psychodynamic psychologists.
D) behavioural psychologists.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-203
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: B) Gestalt psychologists.

204. The Kanizsa square is used in your text to demonstrate the phenomenon called subjective contours. We
typically 'see' a square even though the image is made of other shapes that give the impression that a square
should be there. What Gestalt principle helps to explain why we perceive subjective contours?
A) Proximity
B) Closure
C) Symmetry
D) Figure–ground

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-204

53
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: B) Closure

205. At a dance, Jack tends to think of people sitting close together as "couples" regardless of whether they are
actually dating. This illustrates the Gestalt principle of
A) similarity.
B) symmetry.
C) proximity.
D) closure.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-205
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: C) proximity.

206. When taking a picture, photographers attempt to draw people's attention toward a particular aspect of the
scene by focusing on that aspect, and leaving the rest of the image slightly blurry. This is one example of the
Gestalt principle of
A) symmetry.
B) figure–ground.
C) proximity.
D) closure.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-206
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: B) figure–ground.

207. Both the Necker cube and Rubin's vase illusion are examples of __________, and we can typically perceive
them only one way at a time.
A) figure–ground images
B) subjective contours
C) bistable images
D) the phi phenomenon

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-207
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: C) bistable images

208. If a patient has a condition called prosopagnosia, which of the following problems will the patient
experience?
A) Colour-blindness
B) Not perceiving pain

54
C) Not perceiving faces
D) Conductive deafness

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-208
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: C) Not perceiving faces

209. Where in the brain would you find 'grandmother cells' that seem to respond to specific faces?
A) fusiform gyrus
B) primary visual cortex
C) hippocampus
D) thalamus

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-209
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: C) hippocampus

210. Our ability to see action in videos, rather than a series of static pictures, is the result of
A) the phi phenomenon.
B) symmetry.
C) closure.
D) good continuation.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-210
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: A) the phi phenomenon.

211. Brianna just bought new lights for her Christmas tree that turn on and off, one at a time. When she puts them
up, it looks as if a single light is moving continuously around the tree. This perception of movement is due to
A) prosopagnosia.
B) feature detectors.
C) the phi phenomenon.
D) opponent processes.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-211
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: C) the phi phenomenon.

212. Craig has a serious disorder that disrupts his perception of movement. He has difficulty with everyday tasks,
such as pouring himself a glass of juice, because he doesn't notice changes in the level of liquid in the glass (i.e.,

55
one moment it is empty and the next it is full). Craig likely suffers from
A) prosopagnosia.
B) motion blindness.
C) visual agnosia.
D) blindsight.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-212
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: B) motion blindness.

213. __________ depth cues require both eyes, whereas __________ depth cues rely on one eye alone.
A) Monocular; binocular
B) Binocular; monocular
C) Trichromatic; monochromatic
D) Monochromatic; trichromatic

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-213
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: B) Binocular; monocular

214. Sandra is staring at a painting where the blades of grass in the front appear close and are very detailed and
the mountains on the horizon appear hazy and farther away. What monocular cue is being used in this painting to
create the illusion of depth?
A) Relative size
B) Linear perspective
C) Texture gradient
D) Height in plane

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-214
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: C) Texture gradient

215. Taylor is driving and when he looks out the window right beside him, mailboxes on the side of the road seem
to fly by, whereas the cows in the field appear to be moving slower. What depth cue is responsible for this
perception?
A) Linear perspective
B) Disparity
C) Convergence
D) Motion parallax

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-215
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual

56
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: D) Motion parallax

216. In a photo of a field full of deer, the deer that seem closer take up more space on the photo than the deer that
seem farther away. Which monocular cue is illustrated in this example?
A) Interposition
B) Relative size
C) Linear perspective
D) Height in plane

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-216
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: B) Relative size

217. In a photo, you can see that the house is farther away than the car because part of the house is blocked from
view by the car. Which monocular cue is illustrated in this example?
A) relative size
B) interposition
C) light and shadow
D) linear perspective

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-217
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: B) interposition

218. A road starts off 10cm wide in the foreground of the painting and is only 2cm wide in the background. Which
pictorial depth cue is illustrated in this example?
A) Linear perspective
B) Disparity
C) Relative size
D) Motion parallax

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-218
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: A) Linear perspective

219. What depth cue is used when our brains use information from our eye muscles to determine how far an
object is away from us?
A) Binocular convergence
B) Motion parallax
C) Height in plane
D) Binocular disparity

57
Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-219
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: A) Binocular convergence

220. At what age do infants show evidence that they can perceive depth, in visual cliff experiments?
A) within days of birth
B) before 3 months
C) between 6 and 14 months
D) not before 2 years

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-220
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: C) between 6 and 14 months

221. In detecting the source of sounds, we tend to rely most heavily on __________ cues.
A) monocular
B) monaural
C) binocular
D) binaural

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-1-221
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: D) binaural

222. Researchers have demonstrated that there are cultural influences on the perception of visual illusions.
Which of the following explains how people could experience illusions differently?
A) genetic differences in visual processing
B) formal education reduces vulnerability to illusions
C) our everyday visual experiences influence expectancies
D) visual illusions depend on language fluency

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-222
Topic: When Perception Deceives Us
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: C) our everyday visual experiences influence expectancies

223. Which of the following provides evidence that perception can occur in the absence of a corresponding
sensation?
A) visual illusions
B) the actions of the thalamus
C) bottom-up processing

58
D) binaural sound localization

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-223
Topic: When Perception Deceives Us
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: A) visual illusions

224. Researchers deem a stimulus to be __________ if it cannot be correctly identified at better than chance
levels.
A) unconscious
B) an illusion
C) bistable
D) subliminal

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-224
Topic: Subliminal Information Processing
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6c

Answer: D) subliminal

225. About halfway through a TV show, Laverne becomes very hungry. What she doesn't realize is that
throughout the first part of the show, a message saying, "Eat!" was repeatedly flashed on the screen at a speed
too fast for her to be consciously aware of it. If her hunger is due to that message, she is responding to
A) selective perception.
B) subliminal perception.
C) cognitive restructuring.
D) stroboscopic perception.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-1-225
Topic: Subliminal Information Processing
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6c

Answer: B) subliminal perception.

226. Matt is considering the purchase of subliminal self-help tapes to aid him in losing weight. His wife, Marge, is
skeptical about this plan and asks your advice. Based on the evidence about subliminal persuasion, what would
you say about the effectiveness of subliminal self-help tapes?
A) They are NOT effective.
B) They are highly effective but only if you believe they'll be effective.
C) More research is needed to assess their effectiveness or ineffectiveness.
D) They are effective.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-226
Topic: Subliminal Information Processing
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6c

Answer: A) They are NOT effective.

59
227. Which of the following summarizes the evidence about subliminal perception and subliminal persuasion?
A) While we do experience subliminal perception, we are unlikely to change important behaviours or decisions based
on its effects.
B) Both subliminal perception and persuasion lead to enduring changes in some behaviours.
C) Neither subliminal perception nor persuasion has been demonstrated in controlled research.
D) Subliminal persuasion depends on subliminal perception, so if the perception occurs then so will persuasion.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-1-227
Topic: Subliminal Information Processing
Skill: Applied/Conceptual

Answer: A) While we do experience subliminal perception, we are unlikely to change important behaviours or decisions
based on its effects.

Fill-in-the-blank

1. Our understanding of the information and events from the world around us comes from processes involving
both __________ and perception.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-01
Page-Reference:
Topic: Sensation and Perception—How We Sense and Conceptualize the World [Introduction]
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: a. sensation

2. When Julius first entered and sat down in the classroom, he felt cold. However, ten minutes later he no longer
feels cold. This change is most likely the result of __________ .

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-02
Page-Reference:
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: a. sensory adaptation

3. Jim is a runner who jogs between 5 and 15 kilometres each morning. As he runs through his route each
morning, he is exposed to millions of pieces of information; however, only a few ever capture his immediate
attention. This ability to choose certain input while ignoring others is called __________ .

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-03
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: a. selective attention

4. When we perceive the world around us we use multiple senses, and the brain somehow creates a unified
perception. The mystery of how this happens is called the __________ .

60
Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-04
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: a. binding problem

5. According to the cocktail party effect, hearing someone say __________ is very likely to cause you to shift
your attention.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-2-05
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: a. your name

6. Marcy was concentrating on writing when the power went out. Because of change __________ , she didn't
notice that anything was different until her laptop battery died.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-06
Page-Reference:
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: a. blindness

7. The __________ of light determines the colour that we see.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-07
Page-Reference:
Topic: Seeing—The visual system
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: a. wavelength

8. The sensory receptors associated with vision are located on the __________ .

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-2-08
Page-Reference:
Topic: The Eye—How We Represent the Visual Realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: a. retina

9. The place where the __________ connects to the retina is called the blind spot.

61
Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-2-09
Page-Reference:
Topic: The eye—How we represent the visual realm
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: a. optic nerve

10. The __________ of a sound is determined by the frequency of the sound waves.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-10
Page-Reference:
Topic: Sound—Mechanical Vibration
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: a. pitch

11. The __________ is the ear structure that converts vibrations into neural activity that can be interpreted by the
brain.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-2-11
Topic: The Structure and Function of the Ear
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3a

Answer: a. cochlea

12. The taste of __________ corresponds to meaty or savoury foods.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-2-12
Topic: What Are Odours and Flavours?
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: a. umami

13. When taste and smell information go to the brain, they go to olfactory and gustatory cortex, but also to the
__________ system, the emotional centre of our brains.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-2-13
Topic: Olfactory and Gustatory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: a. limbic

14. A slap to your back is perceived as less painful than a paper cut on your finger because fewer __________ are
located in your back.

Difficulty: 2

62
QuestionID: 04-2-14
Page-Reference:
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: a. nerve endings

15. According to the gate control model of pain, neural mechanisms in the __________ function as a 'gate'.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-15
Page-Reference:
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: a. spinal cord

16. The phenomenon of __________ perception occurs below the level of conscious awareness.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-2-16
Topic: Subliminal Information Processing
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6c

Answer: a. subliminal

17. There are receptors called __________ that respond to stretch and force changes in your muscles, and these
sensations help you to perceive the orientation of your limbs.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-17
Page-Reference:
Topic: Proprioception and vestibular sense—Body position and balance
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: a. proprioceptors

18. A newly designed computer keyboard reduces discomfort for the wrists and has keys with easy to
understand icons printed on them. Psychologists in the field of __________ were likely involved in this design.

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-2-18
Page-Reference:
Topic: Ergonomics—Human engineering
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5c

Answer: a. human factors

19. The __________ sense uses information from three semicircular canals in the inner ear, and sends that
information to the brain stem to help control balance.

63
Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-19
Page-Reference:
Topic: Proprioception and vestibular sense—Body position and balance.
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: a. vestibular

20. When I read someone's poor handwriting, I can still read words clearly because I use __________ processing
to interpret missing information.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-20
Page-Reference:
Topic: Parallel processing—The way our brain multitasks
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6a

Answer: a. top-down

21. The ability to perceive stimuli consistently despite variations in viewing conditions is called __________ .

Difficulty: 1
QuestionID: 04-2-21
Page-Reference:
Topic: Parallel Processing—The way our brain multitasks
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6a

Answer: a. perceptual constancy

22. When Mr. Goetz writes on the chalkboard, he often leaves small gaps in letters like a, e, or o. However, his
students are able to fill in the missing visual information thanks to the Gestalt principle of __________ .

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-22
Page-Reference:
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: a. closure

23. Lavonna pays attention to and understands her biology lecture, even though she can hear the noise of her
classmates talking. This is an example of the Gestalt principle of __________ .

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-23
Page-Reference:
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: a. figure–ground

64
24. As we look off in the distance, the sides of a road seem to meet rather than staying parallel, as we know they
must. This is an example of the monocular cue of __________

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-2-24
Page-Reference:
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: a. linear perspective

Critical Thinking

1. Some people have argued that vision is the most important of all of our senses. Whether you agree or not,
support this statement with at least three pieces of evidence.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-3-01
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: Answers will vary but should contain at least three of the following points with supporting discussion to earn full
credit.
- Light is fundamental to our biology (finding and evaluating food, mates, danger, etc.) and culture (visual cues of status,
art, direction/maps). Without vision, we couldn't sense or perceive much of anything about light other than the heat
produced.
- Our language is heavily biased by words that refer to seeing; think of all of the times that we've told someone "watch
me/this," "look over here," "I see your point", "You need to look at the problem from another perspective".
- The Gestalt principles and the majority of the illusions mentioned in the text are applicable to vision.
- Most of our cortex devoted to perception is related to vision (including association areas)
- Vision affects our other senses: Dizziness and nausea result when our vestibular and visual inputs are not synchronized,
the McGurk effect demonstrates that seeing influences hearing, visual distraction can influence pain perception.

2. Explain how the gate control model of pain perception relates to people's ability to withstand excruciating
pain. Explain also how distraction and placebos relate to the gate control model.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-3-02
Topic: The Somatosensory System—Touch and Pain
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.5b

Answer: Answers will vary but should contain the following points with supporting discussion to earn full credit.

- Pain is physiological and emotional in nature, involving structures in the limbic system (important for emotion) as well as
in somatosensory cortex (important for perception).

- The gate control model (Melzack & Wall) proposes that the brain can control activity in the spinal cord, which allows us
to block or reduce (or exacerbate) intense pain from consciousness, because neural mechanisms in the spinal cord
function as a "gate" to control the flow of sensory input to the CNS.
- This model also suggests that pain competes with other stimuli for conscious awareness, so distraction should reduce
the experience of pain by taking attention away from it.

- Placebos have been demonstrated to reduce pain-related activity in the spinal cord.

65
- VR exposure to images of snow reduced pain in burn victims undergoing treatments

3. Using an example, explain how top-down processing could cause two people from different backgrounds or
cultures to have very different perceptions of the same stimulus.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-3-03
Topic: Parallel Processing—The Way Our Brain Multitasks
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6a

Answer: Answers will vary widely. For full marks, the answer must include

- a relevant stimulus example (e.g., a food, pain, a visual illusion)

- appropriate use of top-down processing (where knowledge or expectancies, in this case based on culture/socialization,
influence the perception of a stimulus)
- a cultural mechanism that would lead to different knowledge or expectancies between the two people (e.g., people in
one culture sing during childbirth, people in one culture eat raw meat regularly, people in one culture associate the colour
white with death)

Sample answer: If you presented raw fish to someone who grew up eating sushi or other raw meats, and also to someone
who grew up with the expectation that all meat must be cooked, then that same stimulus could lead one person to
perceive the raw fish as appetizing and delicious, whereas the other person might be disgusted by the smell or taste of
the fish. Top-down processing means that our expectations influence how we perceive stimuli, so in this case one person
would expect the food item to taste good and the other would expect the food item to taste bad or be dangerous to health.

Essay

1. What is psychophysics? Define that term, then distinguish between the absolute threshold of a stimulus and
the just noticeable difference (JND) by defining and giving an example of each.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-4-01
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: Answers will vary but should include the following information for full credit.

- Psychophysics is the study of how we perceive sensory stimuli based on their physical characteristics.

- Absolute threshold of a stimulus is the lowest level of a stimulus we can detect on 50 percent of trials when that
stimulus appears by itself. Imagine that a researcher fits us with a pair of headphones and places us in a quiet room. She
asks repeatedly if we've heard one of many very faint tones. Your absolute threshold would be the quietest sound that you
can hear on 50% of the trials in which it is presented.
- Just noticeable difference (JND) is the smallest change in the intensity of a stimulus that we can detect. The JND is
larger for intense stimuli and smaller for less intense stimuli. For example, you would notice if someone lit one candle in a
dark room but you might not notice the effect of one more candle if there are already 50 candles lighting the room.

2. Distinguish between sensation and perception and explain the nature of transduction (with visual and auditory
examples).

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-4-02

66
Topic: Two sides of the coin—Sensation and perception
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: Answers will vary but should include the general points mentioned below for full credit.
- Sensation refers to the detection of physical energy by the senses; perception represents the brain's interpretation of
those sensory inputs.
- Transduction involves the translation of sensory input into a neural code that the brain can understand. For example, if
you see a red ball, the sensory receptors in the eye send a message to the brain indicating the presence of light (and
specifically that particular wavelength of light). Alternatively, if you hear the high frequency from a soprano solo, the
sensory receptors send a message along the auditory nerve to the brain where it is perceived as a high sound.

3. What is synesthesia? Describe what it is, how the brain might cause it, and provide examples of two different
types of synesthesia.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-4-03
Topic: Sensation—Our Senses as Detectives
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.1a

Answer: Answers will vary but should include the following information for full credit.

- A condition in which people experience cross-modal sensations, in which one sense blends with another sense.
- This might result from sensory information going to the wrong place, or sensory signals getting mixed on their way to
cortex, or it could happen because some brain regions process multiple senses (e.g., association areas)
- Note that two of the following should be used as examples:
* grapheme-colour: numbers or letters have specific colours (6 is always blue)
* lexical-taste: words have tastes or flavours ('book' tastes like vanilla)
* mirror-touch: experiencing what others feel (my eye hurt when he got punched)
* chromesthesia: sounds have colour (that song is all blues and greens)
* misophonia: sounds trigger strong emotions (chirping makes me angry)
* personification: symbols have personalities (even numbers are friendly)
* number-form: numbers are seen as mental maps (numbers starting with 1 are flags)
* spatial sequence: symbols or dates have a place (January is to my left and July is to my right)

4. Discuss why selective attention is sometimes beneficial and sometimes detrimental, using an example of each.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-4-04
Topic: The Role of Attention
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.1b

Answer: Answers will vary but should contain the following ideas for full credit.

- Selective attention is helpful in that it minimizes the amount of information that we have to deal with from our
environment by focusing on the most important or relevant. It allows us not to have to sift through all possible
information.For example, this allows us to pay attention to a lecture in class, even though there might be noises out in the
hallway.
- However, this selective attention can come at a price. We may fail to see the "elephant/gorilla in the room" (i.e.,
inattentional blindness or change blindness) if we are too consumed with a particular task. This means that important
information may be missed because we have turned up a particular "channel" for information and aren't watching another
important "channel" at all. For example, if we focus on a conversation when we're driving then we might miss seeing when
the car in front of us slows down, leading to an accident.

67
5. Describe the process of how light enters the eye for sensation and is then transmitted to the brain to be
perceived. Be sure to include all of the parts of the eye that control the sensation of light.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-4-05
Topic: Seeing—The Visual System
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.2a

Answer: Answers will vary but should mention each of the following structures and the role they play in visual perception:
cornea, lens, iris, pupil, retina, fovea, and optic nerve.
- The light enters through the cornea, which is the outermost covering of the eye.
- It passes through the pupil, whose size is determined by the iris.
- The light is then refracted by the lens and focused on the tissue at the back of the eye (the retina).
- On the retina, the rods and cones will detect light. Rods detect best in dim light, and cones in brighter light. Cones detect
different wavelengths of light.
- Rods and cones are tranducers, and convert their activation into neural signals that are sent along the optic nerve.
- The optic nerve exits the eye, and sends those signals to various parts of the brain for perception.

6. Briefly describe the three theories of pitch perception.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-4-06
Topic: Auditory Perception
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.3b

Answer: Answers will vary but should include the following information for full credit.

- Place theory: a specific place along the basilar membrane (and also in the auditory cortex) matches a tone with a
specific pitch; place theory accounts only for our perception of high-pitched tones, namely those from 5000 to 20 000 Hz.

- Frequency theory: the rate at which neurons fire action potentials faithfully reproduces the pitch. This method works well
up to 100 Hz (low-pitched), because many neurons have maximal firing rates near that limit.

- Volley theory: a variation of frequency theory that works for tones between 100 and 5000 Hz (low-pitched). According to
volley theory, sets of neurons fire at their highest rate, say 100 Hz, slightly out of sync with each other to reach overall
rates up to 5000 Hz.

7. Explain why the flavour of food is different when we have a stuffed nose (like from a cold or allergies) versus
when the nose is clear.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-4-07
Topic: Sense receptors for smell and taste
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.4a

Answer: Answers will vary but should include the following information for full credit. (Note the difference between 'taste'
and 'flavour')
- Smell and taste are chemical senses that work in tandem. Our perception of flavour is impacted by our ability to detect
odours from the food we are eating, as well as the ability to detect taste on our tongue.
- There are between 5 and 7 known taste sensations, while there are thousands of different odours that humans are able
to detect. This ability to detect various odours from food influences our interpretation of our eating experiences.
- When our nasal passages are blocked, and odour molecules cannot reach the olfactory receptors, we are only receiving
the information from our taste buds.

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- However, when our nasal passages are open, we get additional information that helps us to experience more complex
flavours from our foods.

8. Name the three body senses and briefly describe each by 1) indicating what each sense allows us to do, 2)
identifying the receptors for each sense, and 3) identifying the parts of the body and/or brain that are important
for each sense.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-4-08
Page-Reference:
Topic: Our body senses—Touch, body position, and balance
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.5a

Answer: Answers will vary but should include the following information for full credit.
- Somatosensory sense: involved with sensing touch, pressure, and pain; relies on mechanoreceptors (located on the
ends of sensory nerves in the skin) for touch and pressure and free nerve endings for touch/temperature/pain. Information
travels through somatic nerves to spinal cord to thalamus to somatosensory cortex or may simply involve a spinal reflex
(for some pain responses).
- Proprioception (kinesthetic sense): sense of body position, proprioceptors in muscles and tendons sense muscle
stretching and force (two types of receptors), which tell us what our bodies are doing. Information travels through the
spinal cord to the brain stem and to the somatosensory and motor cortexes.
- Vestibular sense: sense of balance or equilibrium, involves receptors sensitive to movement of fluid in the semicircular
canals in the cochlea, and that information is sent to the brain stem and cerebellum.

9. What is perceptual constancy? Explain and identify the three main types of perceptual constancies, including
an example of each.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-4-09
Page-Reference:
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6a

Answer: Answers will vary but should include the following information for full credit.

- The process by which we perceive stimuli consistently across varied conditions is perceptual constancy. There are
several kinds of perceptual constancy—shape, size, and colour constancy.

- Shape constancy: we still see a door as a door whether it's completely shut, barely open, or more fully open, even
though these shapes differ markedly from each other.

- Size constancy: our ability to perceive objects as the same size no matter how near or far away they are from us. When
a friend walks away from us, her image becomes smaller. But we almost never realize this is happening, nor do we
conclude that our friend is mysteriously shrinking.

- Colour constancy: is our ability to perceive colour consistently across different levels of illumination. Consider a group of
firefighters dressed in bright yellow jackets. Their jackets look bright yellow even in very low levels of ambient light. That's
because our perceptual apparatus evaluates the colour of an object in the context of background light and surrounding
colours.

10. Identify and describe three of the six main Gestalt principles of perception.

Difficulty: 2
QuestionID: 04-4-10

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Page-Reference:
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Factual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: Answers will vary but should include any three of the following for full credit.

- Proximity: Objects physically close to each other tend to be perceived as unified wholes. For example, people sitting at
the same table are perceived as a group and people sitting a different table are perceived as a different group.

- Similarity: All things being equal, we see similar objects as comprising a whole, much more so than dissimilar objects.
For example, if patterns of red circles and yellow circles are randomly mixed, we perceive nothing special. But if the red
and yellow circles are lined up horizontally, we perceive separate rows of circles.

- Good continuation: We still perceive objects as wholes, even if other objects block part of them. For example, if your dog
is standing behind a tree so that the tree blocks your view of the dog's belly, you don't think that there are two half-dogs
there.

- Closure: When partial visual information is present, the mind fills in what's missing. When the missing information is a
contour, this principle is essentially the same as subjective contours. This Gestalt principle is the main illusion in the
Kanizsa figures.

- Symmetry: We perceive objects that are symmetrically arranged as part of a whole more often than those that are
scattered randomly. For example, a flock of 20 geese flying in formation is seen as a unit, but 20 geese that are
wandering randomly around the park are seen as less of a unit.

- Figure–ground: Perceptually, we make an instant decision to focus attention on what we believe to be the central figure,
and largely ignore what we believe to be the background. We can view some figures, such as Rubin's vase illusion, in two
ways. The vase can be the figure, in which case we ignore the background. If we look again, we can see an image in the
background: two faces looking at each other.

11. Describe how an artist makes use of at least three monocular cues for depth perception to create a three-
dimensional feel in a two-dimensional painting, like the one pictured here.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-4-11
Page-Reference:
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: Answers will vary but a full credit answer should discuss at least three of the cues listed below with a descriptive
example for each.

- Relative size: The artist would depict the object that is farther away as being smaller than the object that is nearer, or
make a close small item the same size as a far large item. The student will also need to discuss specifically how this
would be used, e.g., the fencepost is the same size as the two-story house in the background.

- Texture gradient: The artist would depict the closer objects in greater detail than those farther away. The student will
also need to discuss specifically how this would be used, e.g., the plants in the front of the image have more detail than
the plants at the back of the image.

- Interposition: The artist would place certain objects in front of others to create the sense of depth because the front
object would appear to be blocking the more distant object. The student will also need to discuss specifically how this
would be used, e.g., there are some trees in front of the house, and other trees blocked by the house.

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- Linear perspective: The artist would draw outlines where the lines would converge in the distance. The student will also
need to discuss specifically how this would be used, e.g., if you extended the line of the roof and the line along the eaves,
those two lines would converge in the distance.

- Height in plane: The artist would draw far objects so that they appear higher than the closer objects. The student will
also need to discuss specifically how this would be used, e.g., the house is higher up in the image than the fencepost.

- Light and shadow: The artist would draw the picture so that realistic light and shadow are present. The student will also
need to discuss specifically how this would be used, e.g., the right side of the house is dimmer or darker than the front of
the house, suggesting that light is shining on the front, from the left of the house.

12.

This is the exact figure taken from your textbook (see Fig. 4.27 on p.150). Square A and B are the same color but
we perceive B lighter than A. Why? In your answer, you should define colour constancy, and top-down
processing, then explain how those principles can lead us to see the same colour as different colours under
some conditions.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-4-12
Page-Reference:
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: Colour constancy is our ability to perceive an object's colour consistently across different levels of lighting. Top-
down processing is conceptually-driven processing that is influenced by beliefs and expectations. Colour perception
depends on the surrounding context. We evaluate the colour of an object in the context of background light and
surrounding colours. We also use our expectations about the alternating colours in a checkerboard pattern, and colours in
shade versus light. Here, we perceive a checkerboard pattern of black and white alternating squares, and because of
colour constancy we perceive B to be a lighter colour that is in shade, rather than a darker colour that is in light (like A)

For full marks: define colour constancy, define top-down processing, and use both concepts in the explanation of why B is
perceived as lighter than A (context of shadow, and expectancy about alternating pattern of checkerboard)

13. Briefly explain how damage to each of the following brain areas would affect your ability to visually perceive a
person sitting in front of you: 1) hippocampus, 2) fusiform gyrus, 3) primary visual cortex.

Difficulty: 3
QuestionID: 04-4-13
Topic: Perceptual Hypotheses—Guessing What's Out There
Skill: Applied/Conceptual
Objective: 4.6b

Answer: For full marks, answers should contain at least the following information:

1) Hippocampus: damage here could eliminate cells that respond to specific faces, so you could see and perceive the
person in front of you but might not recognize them (hippocampus is important for memory more generally, and an answer
that was tied to memory problems would also be appropriate)
2) Fusiform gyrus: damage here is associated with prosopagnosia, or face blindness, which would mean that you would
see the person but would not process the face as a face, and may need other cues (like specific hairstyles) to recognize
someone
3) Primary visual cortex: damage here could mean blindness, so that you wouldn't perceive the person visually (note that
a student could raise the issue of blindsight, which would still allow you to react to the presence of a person and move
around them or shake hands normally, even if you didn't 'see' them: this point wouldn't be necessary for a complete

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answer)

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