Question 1

Which of the following generates action potentials that are sent to the brain by the optic nerve?
A) cones
B) rods
C) ganglion cells
D) optic nerves

Accepted Answer

Ganglion cells in the retina generate action potentials that are sent to the brain via the optic nerve. Cones and rods are photoreceptor cells that convert light into electrical signals, but they do not generate action potentials. Optic nerves are bundles of axons from ganglion cells that transmit visual information to the brain, but they do not generate action potentials themselves.

Question 2

Anna is reading her psychology textbook. The light reflects off the words on the page and falls on the sensory receptors in her retina, which results in ________. Then her brain
Interprets the stimuli as particular words, which is called ________.
A) sensation; transduction
B) sensation; perception
C) perception; sensation
D) transduction; sensation

Accepted Answer

Sensation refers to the process of detecting stimuli from environmental cues, while perception refers to the interpretation and understanding of those stimuli. In this scenario, Anna's sensory receptors detecting the light reflecting off the words on the page is an example of sensation, while her brain interpreting those stimuli as specific words is an example of perception. Therefore, the correct answer is B, sensation and perception.

Question 3

Weber's law suggests that the size of a just-noticeable difference depends on the
A) amount of sensitivity to the stimulus.
B) degree of sensory adaptation.
C) size of the initial stimulus.
D) degree of absolute threshold.

Accepted Answer

Weber's law states that the threshold for detecting a stimulus difference is proportional to the magnitude of the original stimulus. This means that the size of a just-noticeable difference (JND) will increase as the size of the initial stimulus increases. The JND is the minimum amount of difference that can be detected between two stimuli. Therefore, the correct answer is C, the size of the initial stimulus, as it directly relates to the JND. The other options, although important factors in perception, are not directly related to Weber's law.

Question 4

Jasmine wants to get Uchenna's attention in the library. She whispers to avoid disturbing other students. However, she speaks so softly that Uchenna cannot hear. Jasmine's voice is
A) below Uchenna's absolute threshold.
B) below Uchenna's difference threshold.
C) above Uchenna's absolute threshold but below Uchenna's difference threshold.
D) below Uchenna's absolute threshold but above Uchenna's difference threshold.

Accepted Answer

Jasmine's voice is below Uchenna's absolute threshold, which is the minimum amount of stimulation needed for him to detect a sensory input (in this case, sound). Therefore, he cannot hear her because her voice is too quiet.

Question 5

For which of the following pairs would it be easiest to detect a difference in weight?
A) a 2-liter bottle of water and a 2.1-liter bottle of water
B) a 5-pound free weight and a 5.5-pound free weight
C) a 20-pound child and a 22-pound child
D) a 1-pound bag of sugar and a 2-pound bag of sugar

Accepted Answer

The difference in weight between a 1-pound bag of sugar and a 2-pound bag of sugar is 100%, which is significantly larger in relative terms compared to the other options, making it the easiest to detect.

Question 6

When Petra jumps into a cold lake, she feels as though she is freezing. After a few minutes, she no longer notices the cold and feels comfortable in the water. This change is best
Explained by
A) signal detection.
B) a just-noticeable difference.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) difference threshold.

Accepted Answer

The change in Petra's ability to feel the cold water is best explained by sensory adaptation, which refers to the process by which sensory receptors become less responsive to constant stimuli. As Petra remains in the cold water, her receptors adapt to the constant temperature, and she no longer perceives it as intensely cold.

Question 7

The minimum amount of change required for a person to detect a difference between two stimuli is referred to as
A) transduction.
B) the signal detection.
C) the absolute threshold.
D) the difference threshold.

Accepted Answer

The minimum amount of change required for a person to detect a difference between two stimuli is referred to as the difference threshold, also known as the just noticeable difference (JND). Transduction refers to the process by which sensory receptors convert physical energy into neural signals, while signal detection is the ability to detect a stimulus in the presence of noise. The absolute threshold is the minimum intensity of a stimulus needed for a person to detect it 50% of the time.

Question 8

Prashanth is participating in a psychology experiment in which he is asked to gradually shrink the image of a square on his computer screen until he can just barely see that it is smaller than
A second square on the screen. Prashanth is trying to create a
A) signal detection.
B) absolute threshold.
C) just-noticeable difference.
D) sensory adaptation.

Accepted Answer

Prashanth is trying to determine the smallest difference in size between the two squares that he can still perceive, which is the definition of a just-noticeable difference (JND). This concept is part of Weber's Law, which deals with the smallest change in a stimulus that can be detected.

Question 9

The area where the optic nerve leaves the retina is referred to as the
A) pupil.
B) cone.
C) fovea.
D) blind spot.

Accepted Answer

The area where the optic nerve leaves the retina is known as the blind spot because there are no photoreceptor cells located in this area, resulting in an inability to detect light.

Question 10

Kendra loves spicy curry, but her husband prefers a mild curry. Starting with a mild curry, Kendra increases the spiciness every time she cooks. One day her husband complains that the
Curry is too spicy. After that, Kendra always makes the curry as spicy as the last time before
Her husband complained. With this exercise, Kendra assessed her husband's
A) difference threshold.
B) absolute threshold.
C) transduction.
D) signal detection.

Accepted Answer

Kendra was able to determine her husband's difference threshold, which is the minimum change in the spiciness of the curry that her husband could detect. When her husband complained that the curry was too spicy, Kendra realized that she had surpassed his difference threshold and adjusted the spice level accordingly. This exercise allowed Kendra to figure out how much spice was just right for her husband's taste preferences.

Question 11

Jason is participating in a psychology experiment in which he is seated in a completely dark room. An initially undetected point of light is gradually made brighter. With each increase, he is asked
If he can see the light. In this experiment, Jason's ________ is being measured.
A) difference threshold
B) absolute threshold
C) just-noticeable difference
D) transduction

Accepted Answer

Jason's absolute threshold is being measured, which is the minimum amount of stimulation necessary for him to detect the light 50% of the time. The other options (difference threshold, just-noticeable difference, and transduction) are not relevant to this particular experiment.

Question 12

Taj wants to create a robot that has sensation but not perception. The robot should
A) react to light but not to the stimuli for taste, smell, or touch.
B) detect external physical energy but not interpret it.
C) understand what things are but be unable to respond to them.
D) construct useful information but be unable to remember it.

Accepted Answer

Sensation refers to the detection of external physical energy by sensory receptors, while perception refers to the interpretation of that sensory information. Therefore, creating a robot with sensation but not perception would mean that it can detect external physical energy but not interpret it or give it meaning. This fits the description provided in option B.

Question 13

Which of the following explains that the greater the size of a chocolate bar, the more of it you will need to slice off before a customer notices that it is smaller?
A) absolute threshold
B) Weber's law
C) signal detection theory
D) sensory adaptation

Accepted Answer

Weber's law states that the just noticeable difference between two stimuli is proportional to the magnitude of the stimuli. In this case, the greater the size of the chocolate bar (stimulus), the more of it will need to be reduced (just noticeable difference) before a customer notices that it is smaller.

Question 14

Mary's brain cannot directly process sound waves to hear what her boyfriend is saying. Instead, her sensory receptors detect sound waves and change them into signals that her brain can interpret
As words in a process called
A) absolute threshold.
B) signal detection.
C) transduction.
D) sensory adaptation.

Accepted Answer

Transduction is the process by which sensory receptors change sensory stimuli into neural impulses that the brain can understand. In this case, the sound waves are converted into neural signals that Mary's brain can perceive as speech.

Question 15

The sense organs' detection of external physical stimuli is called ________, whereas further processing, organizing, and interpreting of those stimuli in the brain is called ________.
A) sensation; perception
B) perception; sensation
C) transduction; perception
D) perception; transduction

Accepted Answer

Sensation refers to the process of detecting external physical stimuli by sense organs, such as seeing light or feeling heat, while perception is the process of further processing, organizing, and interpreting those stimuli in the brain, such as recognizing a particular color or identifying a hot object.

Question 16

When sensory receptors change physical stimuli into signals that the brain can understand, this is called
A) sensation.
B) absolute threshold.
C) sensory adaptation.
D) transduction.

Accepted Answer

Transduction is the process of converting physical stimuli into neural signals that the brain can understand. Sensation refers to the initial process of detecting and encoding sensory information, while absolute threshold refers to the minimum level of stimulus intensity required for detection. Sensory adaptation refers to the process by which sensory receptors become less responsive to a constant or repetitive stimulus.

Question 17

The ________ is a thin inner surface behind the eyeball and it contains sensory receptors.
A) lens
B) retina
C) rod
D) cone

Accepted Answer

The retina is a thin inner surface behind the eyeball and it contains sensory receptors called rods and cones, which are responsible for detecting light and color. The lens is a transparent structure in the front of the eye that helps to focus light onto the retina. Rods and cones are types of sensory receptors located in the retina, and are not the whole structure itself.

Question 18

The minimum intensity of sensory stimulation required before a sensation is detected 50 percent of the time is called
A) the absolute threshold.
B) signal detection.
C) the difference threshold.
D) sensory adaptation.

Accepted Answer

The concept described in the question is the absolute threshold. It is the minimum amount of sensory stimulation that can be detected 50% of the time. Signal detection refers to the ability to detect a signal among other distracting stimuli. The difference threshold is the minimum amount of difference needed between two stimuli to detect a change. Sensory adaptation refers to the decrease in sensitivity to a constant or unchanging stimulus over time.

Question 19

After transduction, the neural signals of vision, hearing, taste, and touch all pass through the
A) hypothalamus.
B) hippocampus.
C) thalamus.
D) amygdala.

Accepted Answer

The thalamus is the relay center for sensory information except for smell, which goes directly to the olfactory cortex in the frontal lobe. The hypothalamus regulates basic survival behaviors and the autonomic nervous system. The hippocampus is important for memory formation and retrieval. The amygdala is involved in emotional processing and memory.

Question 20

During transduction, most sensory information is transmitted first to the ________ before it is sent to the________, where it is interpreted as sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste.
A) thalamus; cortex
B) cortex; thalamus
C) thalamus; pons
D) pons; cortex

Accepted Answer

The thalamus is known as the "relay station" for sensory information, as it receives input from sensory organs and relays it to the appropriate areas of the cortex for processing and interpretation. Thus, during transduction, most sensory information is transmitted first to the thalamus before it is sent to the cortex, where it is interpreted as sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste.

Quiz 5: Sensation and Perception

Which of the following generates action potentials that are sent to the brain by the optic nerve?

Anna is reading her psychology textbook. The light reflects off the words on the page and falls on the sensory receptors in her retina, which results in . Then her brain Interprets the stimuli as particular words, which is called .

Weber's law suggests that the size of a just-noticeable difference depends on the

Jasmine wants to get Uchenna's attention in the library. She whispers to avoid disturbing other students. However, she speaks so softly that Uchenna cannot hear. Jasmine's voice is

For which of the following pairs would it be easiest to detect a difference in weight?

When Petra jumps into a cold lake, she feels as though she is freezing. After a few minutes, she no longer notices the cold and feels comfortable in the water. This change is best Explained by

The minimum amount of change required for a person to detect a difference between two stimuli is referred to as

Prashanth is participating in a psychology experiment in which he is asked to gradually shrink the image of a square on his computer screen until he can just barely see that it is smaller than A second square on the screen. Prashanth is trying to create a

The area where the optic nerve leaves the retina is referred to as the

Jason is participating in a psychology experiment in which he is seated in a completely dark room. An initially undetected point of light is gradually made brighter. With each increase, he is asked If he can see the light. In this experiment, Jason's ________ is being measured.

Taj wants to create a robot that has sensation but not perception. The robot should

Which of the following explains that the greater the size of a chocolate bar, the more of it you will need to slice off before a customer notices that it is smaller?

Mary's brain cannot directly process sound waves to hear what her boyfriend is saying. Instead, her sensory receptors detect sound waves and change them into signals that her brain can interpret As words in a process called

The sense organs' detection of external physical stimuli is called , whereas further processing, organizing, and interpreting of those stimuli in the brain is called .

When sensory receptors change physical stimuli into signals that the brain can understand, this is called

The ________ is a thin inner surface behind the eyeball and it contains sensory receptors.

The minimum intensity of sensory stimulation required before a sensation is detected 50 percent of the time is called

After transduction, the neural signals of vision, hearing, taste, and touch all pass through the

During transduction, most sensory information is transmitted first to the before it is sent to the, where it is interpreted as sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste.