Question 1

You are listening to music with a wide dynamic range. In the world of amplitude, what do the louder and softer sounds have to do with the air and your ears?
A) The louder sounds cause air to press with more force on your ears.
B) The louder sounds cause the air around your ears to rise in temperature more rapidly.
C) The louder sounds move faster through the air in your ear canals.
D) All of these.

Accepted Answer

Louder sounds have a greater amplitude or intensity, which causes more air molecules to vibrate and therefore move with greater force. This increased force is what causes the sensation of a louder sound and puts more pressure on the ear drum. So, the louder sounds cause air to press with more force on your ears. Option B is incorrect because sound waves do not typically increase temperature in the air. Option C is also incorrect as the speed of sound is constant, and a change in loudness/intensity does not affect the speed of the sound waves in your ears.

Question 2

When reading a book, it does not matter whether you are inside or outside because the black ink of the words on the white pages looks the same. This demonstrates an artist's ability to capitalize on
A) retinal disparity.
B) linear perspective.
C) color constancy.
D) visual illusion.

Accepted Answer

Color constancy refers to the ability of our brain to perceive colors as consistent regardless of the lighting conditions. In this case, whether we are reading inside or outside, the black ink on white pages appears the same due to color constancy. The other choices, retinal disparity, linear perspective, and visual illusion, do not apply in this scenario.

Question 3

A door is still perceived as a rectangle even after we view it from different angles. This is due to
A) linear constancy.
B) retinal disparity.
C) shape constancy.
D) depth cues.

Accepted Answer

Shape constancy allows an object to be perceived as the same shape despite changes in the retinal image due to variations in viewing angle or distance. The perception of a door as a rectangle regardless of viewing angle is an example of shape constancy. Linear constancy refers to the perception of parallel lines as remaining parallel as they recede in the distance. Retinal disparity refers to the slight difference between the images produced by the left and right eyes, which allows for depth perception. While depth cues are important for perceiving three-dimensional space, they do not account for the constancy phenomena observed with shapes.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT used by artists to affect our linear perspective?
A) vivid colors
B) familiar size
C) shading
D) overlap

Accepted Answer

Vivid colors do not affect our linear perspective. Linear perspective is influenced by factors such as familiar size, shading, and overlap.

Question 5

________ cues are ones that depend on the combination of the images in the left and right eyes.
A) Opponent
B) Binocular
C) Gradient
D) Monocular

Accepted Answer

Binocular cues are visual cues that depend on the combination of the images in the left and right eyes. They provide important information about depth and distance perception, such as stereopsis (binocular disparity), convergence, and accommodation. Opponent cues refer to the ability of the visual system to detect differences in color and brightness between neighboring regions of the visual field. Gradient cues, also known as texture gradients, rely on the relative density or spacing of elements in a scene to convey depth and distance information. Monocular cues, on the other hand, are visual cues that can be perceived with one eye only, such as linear perspective, foreshortening, relative size, and occlusion.

Question 6

In depth perception, familiar size, height in field of view, and shading are examples of
A) binocular cues.
B) monocular cues.
C) stereograms.
D) feature detectors.

Accepted Answer

Familiar size, height in field of view, and shading are all monocular cues, which means they can be perceived with just one eye. Binocular cues require both eyes to perceive depth, whereas stereograms are specific images or patterns that create a 3D image when viewed with both eyes. Feature detectors are neurons in the brain that respond to specific visual features.

Question 7

Perceiving three dimensions is called
A) depth perception.
B) perceptual constancy.
C) superposition.
D) shadowing.

Accepted Answer

Perceiving three dimensions is referred to as depth perception.

Question 8

The different pitches of the beeps you hear on a touch-tone telephone are due to differences in the ________ of the beeps.
A) intensity
B) timbre
C) decibels
D) frequency

Accepted Answer

The different pitches of the beeps on a touch-tone telephone are due to differences in frequency. Each number has a unique combination of two frequencies that produces its distinct beep sound.

Question 9

Shape constancy is our ability to
A) switch back and forth between the figure and the ground in a figure-ground problem.
B) have all of our sensory systems working on overload in a highly stressful situation.
C) adapt to the amount of light in the room even if that requires light or dark adaptation.
D) see an object as being the same shape even though we move closer to it or farther from it.

Accepted Answer

Shape constancy refers to our ability to perceive an object as being the same shape even though our distance from it changes. This is important for us to be able to recognize objects no matter how far away or close they may be.

Question 10

You are standing outside with a friend as an airplane flies over your head. You watch as the plane appears to get smaller and smaller and is eventually gone from your visual field. Which aspect of perceptual constancy allows you to understand that the airplane is not shrinking?
A) shape constancy
B) size constancy
C) convergence constancy
D) color constancy

Accepted Answer

Size constancy allows us to understand that the size of an object is constant, despite changes in its distance from us. In this case, the airplane appears to be getting smaller as it moves farther away from us, but we still understand that its actual size has not changed.

Question 11

Your mother's and sister's voices have the same pitch and loudness, but you can tell them apart on the telephone. This is due to the perceptual quality or ________ of their voices.
A) timbre
B) wavelength
C) frequency
D) amplitude

Accepted Answer

Timbre refers to the unique quality of a sound, which allows us to distinguish it from other sounds even if they have the same pitch and loudness. In this case, the timbre of your mother's voice is likely different from that of your sister's, allowing you to tell them apart on the phone. Frequency and amplitude are physical properties of sound waves, while wavelength is related to frequency.

Question 12

Gestalt psychologists emphasize that
A) perception is the same as sensation.
B) we learn to perceive the world through experience.
C) the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
D) sensation has no effect on perception.

Accepted Answer

Gestalt psychologists believed that perception is not simply the sum of individual sensations, but rather is influenced by the larger context or "whole" in which those sensations occur. This is often expressed as the principle that "the whole is more than the sum of its parts." Therefore, choice C is the best answer.

Question 13

The unit of measure for the amplitude of sound is
A) pitch.
B) saturation.
C) timbre.
D) decibel.

Accepted Answer

The correct unit of measure for the amplitude of sound is decibel (dB). Pitch refers to the frequency of sound waves, saturation refers to the intensity or richness of a color, and timbre refers to the quality or tone of a sound.

Question 14

A gestalt is best described as a(n)
A) binocular cue.
B) illusion.
C) configuration.
D) perceptual constant.

Accepted Answer

A gestalt refers to the overall configuration or pattern formed by a group of individual elements. It is not a binocular cue, illusion, or perceptual constant.

Question 15

Which depth cue accounts for why parallel lines appear to grow closer together the farther away they are?
A) texture gradient
B) superposition
C) vertical position
D) linear perspective

Accepted Answer

Linear perspective is a depth cue that refers to the fact that parallel lines appear to converge as they recede into the distance. This can be seen in examples such as railroad tracks or tall buildings seen from the base. As the lines get farther away, they seem to get closer and closer together, creating a sense of depth and distance.

Question 16

Looking at a quarter in your hand casts a different image on your retina compared to looking at a quarter across the room, yet we know that the quarter is the same and retains the same dimensions. This phenomenon is known as
A) size constancy.
B) the figure-ground phenomenon.
C) the Ponzo illusion.
D) gestalt closure.

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described pertains to size constancy, where we perceive objects as maintaining the same size despite changes in their image on our retina. The other options (B, C, D) refer to different perceptual phenomena.

Question 17

If we see a German shepherd standing thirty feet from us, we still recognize its size even though the image on our retina is much smaller than if the dog was directly in front of us. This is primarily due to
A) size constancy.
B) proximity.
C) shape constancy.
D) the figure-ground relationship.

Accepted Answer

Size constancy is the ability to recognize the size of an object regardless of its distance from the observer. In this case, even though the German shepherd is thirty feet away, we still recognize its size due to size constancy. Proximity refers to objects being near to each other, shape constancy is the ability to recognize an object regardless of its orientation, and the figure-ground relationship refers to the ability to distinguish an object from its surroundings. These concepts are not relevant to the scenario described.

Question 18

At a school social gathering, you hear a professor talking about proximity, continuity, similarity, and closure. You deduce that he is knowledgeable about
A) wavelengths and amplitudes.
B) proprioceptive feedback.
C) the opponent-process theory.
D) gestalt principles of perception.

Accepted Answer

The terms "proximity, continuity, similarity, and closure" are associated with gestalt principles of perception, which deal with how we perceive and make sense of visual information. Therefore, the professor is likely knowledgeable about gestalt principles of perception.

Question 19

Disparity plays a role in
A) binocular cues.
B) monocular cues.
C) linear perspective.
D) All of these.

Accepted Answer

Disparity is a binocular cue for depth perception, relying on the slight difference in images between the two eyes to perceive depth. Monocular cues and linear perspective do not involve disparity.

Question 20

The tendency for perceptions of objects to remain relatively unchanged in spite of changes in raw sensations is called
A) monocular constancy.
B) perceptual constancy.
C) linear perspective.
D) the figure-ground principle.

Accepted Answer

Perceptual constancy refers to the ability of the brain to maintain stable perceptions of objects despite variations in the sensory input. This allows us to recognize objects even when viewed from different angles or in different lighting conditions. Monocular constancy refers specifically to the ability to perceive the size and shape of objects as constant when viewed from different distances. Linear perspective is a depth cue that helps us perceive 3D space on a 2D surface. The figure-ground principle is the ability to distinguish an object from its background.

Quiz 4: Sensation and Perception

You are listening to music with a wide dynamic range. In the world of amplitude, what do the louder and softer sounds have to do with the air and your ears?

When reading a book, it does not matter whether you are inside or outside because the black ink of the words on the white pages looks the same. This demonstrates an artist's ability to capitalize on

A door is still perceived as a rectangle even after we view it from different angles. This is due to

Which of the following is NOT used by artists to affect our linear perspective?

________ cues are ones that depend on the combination of the images in the left and right eyes.

In depth perception, familiar size, height in field of view, and shading are examples of

Perceiving three dimensions is called

The different pitches of the beeps you hear on a touch-tone telephone are due to differences in the ________ of the beeps.

Shape constancy is our ability to

You are standing outside with a friend as an airplane flies over your head. You watch as the plane appears to get smaller and smaller and is eventually gone from your visual field. Which aspect of perceptual constancy allows you to understand that the airplane is not shrinking?

Your mother's and sister's voices have the same pitch and loudness, but you can tell them apart on the telephone. This is due to the perceptual quality or ________ of their voices.

Gestalt psychologists emphasize that

The unit of measure for the amplitude of sound is

A gestalt is best described as a(n)

Which depth cue accounts for why parallel lines appear to grow closer together the farther away they are?

Looking at a quarter in your hand casts a different image on your retina compared to looking at a quarter across the room, yet we know that the quarter is the same and retains the same dimensions. This phenomenon is known as

If we see a German shepherd standing thirty feet from us, we still recognize its size even though the image on our retina is much smaller than if the dog was directly in front of us. This is primarily due to

At a school social gathering, you hear a professor talking about proximity, continuity, similarity, and closure. You deduce that he is knowledgeable about

Disparity plays a role in

The tendency for perceptions of objects to remain relatively unchanged in spite of changes in raw sensations is called