Question 1

In the context of sensation,which of the following receptors is most activated when a person is tickled?
A)Thermoreceptors
B)Chemoreceptors
C)Mechanoreceptors
D)Photoreceptors

Accepted Answer

Mechanoreceptors are responsible for sensing mechanical stimuli such as touch, pressure, and vibration. When a person is tickled, mechanoreceptors located in the skin are activated.

Question 2

In the context of the difference threshold,_____ is the principle that two stimuli must differ by a constant proportion to be perceived as different.
A)Stroop effect
B)Weber's law
C)the law of effect
D)the Ponzo illusion

Accepted Answer

This principle is known as Weber's law, which states that the difference threshold is not a fixed amount but rather a proportion of the initial stimulus intensity. This means that the stronger the initial stimulus, the greater the change needed for a difference to be perceived. Weber's law is relevant in a number of areas, including psychophysics, marketing, and economics.

Question 3

In the context of sensation and perception,_____ is the minimum amount of stimulus energy that a person can detect.
A)noise
B)amplitude
C)perceptual set
D)absolute threshold

Accepted Answer

Absolute threshold is the minimum amount of stimulus energy that a person can detect.

Question 4

In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,a person's ability to sense future events is known as _____.
A)magic
B)levitation
C)precognition
D)telepathy

Accepted Answer

Precognition is the ability to sense future events. It is often associated with extrasensory perception, but is not supported by scientific evidence. Magic, levitation, and telepathy are not related to sensory receptors or the brain's ability to sense future events.

Question 5

If a person hears two sounds that fluctuate in intensity,the point at which he or she can detect the contrast in the sounds is referred to as the _____.
A)difference threshold
B)amplitude
C)absolute threshold
D)saturation

Accepted Answer

The point at which a person can detect a difference in intensity between two sounds is known as the difference threshold or the just noticeable difference.

Question 6

Jenny detects a change in brightness when a 25W light bulb is replaced with a 100W light bulb but not when it is replaced with a 50W light bulb.However,she detects a change if the same 50W light bulb is replaced with a 200W light bulb.The differences in Jenny's ability to perceive these changes can be explained by _____.
A)the Stroop effect
B)Thorndike's law
C)the Ponzo illusion
D)Weber's law

Accepted Answer

Weber's law states that the just noticeable difference (JND) between two stimuli is proportional to the magnitude of the stimuli. In other words, as the magnitude of the stimuli increases, the JND also increases. This explains why Jenny can detect a change in brightness when the light bulb wattage is increased from 25W to 100W (75W difference), but not when it is increased from 25W to 50W (25W difference). It also explains why she can detect a change when the 50W bulb is replaced with a 200W bulb (150W difference). Therefore, the best choice is D, Weber's law.

Question 7

An architect is designing an apartment for his client,who wants to soundproof the interiors so that she cannot hear noises from the outside.In order for the client to be satisfied,the architect should ensure that the walls are thick enough to keep external noises out.In other words,the architect will work to increase his client's _____.
A)absolute threshold
B)perceptual set
C)saturation
D)amplitude

Accepted Answer

The client's ability to hear external noises is related to their absolute threshold, which is the minimum amount of sound required to be heard. The architect can increase this threshold by designing thicker walls to block out external noises. Perceptual set, saturation, and amplitude are not directly related to soundproofing a space.

Question 8

Subliminally presented stimuli:
A)can sometimes be subconsciously perceived.
B)are not recognized by the brain.
C)increase the absolute thresholds for visual images.
D)occur above the level of the absolute threshold.

Accepted Answer

Subliminally presented stimuli can sometimes be subconsciously perceived, meaning that they are processed by the brain without conscious awareness. While they may not be consciously recognized, they may still have an impact on behavior or cognition.

Question 9

Which of the following examples best illustrates extrasensory perception (ESP)?
A)George performs a magic trick.
B)Tony runs faster than the others in a race.
C)Jeff reads another person's mind.
D)Richard levitates in front of an audience.

Accepted Answer

Jeff reading another person's mind is the only example that fits the definition of extrasensory perception (ESP), which involves the ability to obtain information through means beyond the ordinary senses. The other examples involve physical abilities or illusions.

Question 10

Rachel is at home awaiting her son's arrival;she has not seen him for three months.She does not hear his car until it is in her driveway,at which point she runs to the door to greet him.The point at which she can detect the sound of the car 50 percent of the time is her _____.
A)absolute threshold
B)frequency
C)amplitude
D)perceptual set

Accepted Answer

The point at which Rachel can detect the sound of the car 50 percent of the time is her absolute threshold, which refers to the minimum amount of stimulation necessary for detection by a sensory system.

Question 11

Daniel conducts an experiment to see whether he can taste a quarter teaspoon of sugar dissolved in a glass of water.The same quantity of water is used for ten trials.Five out of ten times,Daniel does detect the taste of the sugar in the water.His taste of the sugar five out of ten times represents his _____.
A)taste aversion
B)extrasensory perception
C)synaesthesia
D)absolute threshold

Accepted Answer

Daniel's ability to detect the taste of the quarter teaspoon of sugar in the water five out of ten times represents his absolute threshold, which is the minimum amount of stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus half of the time.

Question 12

John is appalled when he is charged $50 for a cake instead of its usual price of $25.When he is charged $50 instead of $40,he barely notices the difference.In the context of Weber's law,which of the following price increases for a cake would most likely be equally appalling to John?
A)$100 instead of $80
B)$100 instead of $50
C)$60 instead of $50
D)$60 instead of $80

Accepted Answer

Weber's law states that the just noticeable difference (JND) between two stimuli is a constant proportion of the original stimulus. In this case, the JND is the difference between the original price and the price that John finds appalling. When the price is increased from $25 to $50, the JND is $25. When the price is increased from $40 to $50, the JND is $10. Therefore, the price increase that would be equally appalling to John is $100 - $50 = $50.

Question 13

The _____ theory of perception states that detection of sensory stimuli depends on a variety of factors besides the physical intensity of the stimulus and the sensory abilities of the observer.
A)opponent process
B)trichromatic
C)signal detection
D)activation-synthesis

Accepted Answer

The signal detection theory of perception acknowledges that detection of stimuli is not simply a matter of physical intensity and sensory ability, but is also influenced by factors such as an individual's expectations, motivations, and criteria for responding. This theory proposes that there are certain thresholds of sensitivity for a given individual and that response bias can also affect their detection of stimuli.

Question 14

Gary is watching a movie.He can hear the dialogue at all times except when the actors are whispering in a scene.This is because the actors' whispers are too soft for Gary to hear.In other words,the whispers are most likely below the level of Gary's _____.
A)expectation
B)arbitrary value
C)absolute threshold
D)upper limit

Accepted Answer

Absolute threshold refers to the minimum amount of stimulation required for a person to detect a sensory signal. In this case, the whispers are too soft for Gary to detect, indicating that they are below his absolute threshold for hearing.

Question 15

In the context of sensory receptors,chemoreception occurs when:
A)a person punches a wall.
B)a person stares at bright light.
C)a person listens to the radio.
D)a person smells a rose.

Accepted Answer

Chemoreception refers to the detection of chemicals or specific molecules in the environment through sensory receptors. Smelling a rose involves the detection of the chemicals emitted by the flower, making it the best choice for this question. Punching a wall, staring at bright light or listening to the radio do not involve chemoreception.

Question 16

In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,a person's ability to read another person's mind is known as _____.
A)magic
B)levitation
C)precognition
D)telepathy

Accepted Answer

The ability to read another person's mind is commonly referred to as telepathy, which is a concept associated with extrasensory perception (ESP) and psychic abilities. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the existence of telepathy or any other psychic power.

Question 17

Thomas,a war veteran,still experiences occasional aches in the arm that was amputated when he was injured in a war.In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,Thomas's condition best illustrates the phenomenon of _____.
A)extra sensory perception
B)synaesthesia
C)phantom limb pain
D)incubation

Accepted Answer

Phantom limb pain is the sensation of pain or discomfort in a limb that has been amputated. This occurs because the brain still receives signals from the sensory receptors that were once in the limb, even though the limb is no longer there.

Question 18

When a person is paid $5 instead of $10,he or she feels cheated.When the same person is paid $90 instead of $100,it does not seem like a big difference to him or her.However,if the person is paid 90$ instead of $180,he or she feels cheated again.This scenario can be best explained by _____.
A)the Ponzo illusion
B)the Stroop effect
C)Weber's law
D)Thorndike's law

Accepted Answer

Weber's law states that the perceived difference between two stimuli is proportional to the magnitude of the stimuli. In other words, the smallest change in a stimulus that is noticeable to a person is a constant proportion of the original stimulus. This explains why the person in the scenario feels cheated when the difference between the pay is larger (90$ instead of $180) but not when the difference is smaller (90$ instead of $100).

Question 19

Teresa,a young woman,is an object of interest for psychological researchers because her senses work differently from other people.She hears her favorite song when she eats meatballs and she smells fish when she touches a rose.In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,Teresa's experiences best illustrate the phenomenon of _____.
A)extra sensory perception
B)synaesthesia
C)phantom limb pain
D)incubation

Accepted Answer

Teresa's experiences best illustrate synaesthesia, which is a condition where stimulation of one sense leads to experiences in another sense. In this case, her sense of taste is linked to her sense of hearing and her sense of touch is linked to her sense of smell. This is not an example of extra sensory perception, which refers to a perception of information outside the five senses. It is also not an example of phantom limb pain, which is a perception of pain in a missing limb, or incubation, which refers to a period of creative problem-solving when ideas are allowed to incubate in the subconscious mind.

Question 20

Mary requests her neighbor to turn down the volume of his television so that Mary does not hear it.The volume at which Mary cannot hear the television most of the time is:
A)below her absolute threshold.
B)above her difference threshold.
C)above the level of noise.
D)below her expected level of noise.

Accepted Answer

The volume at which Mary cannot hear the television most of the time is below her absolute threshold. The absolute threshold is the minimum level of stimulus intensity needed for a stimulus to be detected. In this case, if the television volume is below Mary's absolute threshold, she will not be able to hear it.

Quiz 4: Sensation and Perception

In the context of sensation,which of the following receptors is most activated when a person is tickled?

In the context of the difference threshold,_____ is the principle that two stimuli must differ by a constant proportion to be perceived as different.

In the context of sensation and perception,_____ is the minimum amount of stimulus energy that a person can detect.

In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,a person's ability to sense future events is known as _____.

If a person hears two sounds that fluctuate in intensity,the point at which he or she can detect the contrast in the sounds is referred to as the _____.

Subliminally presented stimuli:

Which of the following examples best illustrates extrasensory perception (ESP) ?

Rachel is at home awaiting her son's arrival;she has not seen him for three months.She does not hear his car until it is in her driveway,at which point she runs to the door to greet him.The point at which she can detect the sound of the car 50 percent of the time is her _____.

John is appalled when he is charged $50 for a cake instead of its usual price of $25.When he is charged $50 instead of $40,he barely notices the difference.In the context of Weber's law,which of the following price increases for a cake would most likely be equally appalling to John?

The _____ theory of perception states that detection of sensory stimuli depends on a variety of factors besides the physical intensity of the stimulus and the sensory abilities of the observer.

Gary is watching a movie.He can hear the dialogue at all times except when the actors are whispering in a scene.This is because the actors' whispers are too soft for Gary to hear.In other words,the whispers are most likely below the level of Gary's _____.

In the context of sensory receptors,chemoreception occurs when:

In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,a person's ability to read another person's mind is known as _____.

Thomas,a war veteran,still experiences occasional aches in the arm that was amputated when he was injured in a war.In the context of sensory receptors and the brain,Thomas's condition best illustrates the phenomenon of _____.

When a person is paid $5 instead of $10,he or she feels cheated.When the same person is paid $90 instead of $100,it does not seem like a big difference to him or her.However,if the person is paid 90$ instead of $180,he or she feels cheated again.This scenario can be best explained by _____.

Mary requests her neighbor to turn down the volume of his television so that Mary does not hear it.The volume at which Mary cannot hear the television most of the time is: