Question 1

JND stands for __________.

Accepted Answer

JND stands for Just Noticeable Difference, which refers to the smallest detectable difference between two stimuli that is noticeable to a person. The term is important in the field of psychology and the study of sensation and perception.

Question 2

Neuroscience studies the relationship between stimuli and neural responses.

Accepted Answer

This is true. Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system and how it responds to various stimuli.

Question 3

__________ studies the relationship between psychological events and physical stimuli.

Accepted Answer

Psychophysics

Question 4

Which approach to research in sensation and perception focuses on the measurement of a just-noticeable difference?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which approach to research in sensation and...

Question 5

Describe the Weber's law.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the Weber's law....

Question 6

If the JND for a standard weight of 1,000 g was found to be 50 g, then the JND for a standard weight of 4,000 g would be __________.

Accepted Answer

The JND (just noticeable difference) is a constant fraction of the original stimulus. In this case, the JND for the standard weight of 1,000 g is 50 g. Therefore, the ratio of JND to weight is 50/1,000 = 1/20 or 0.05. To find the JND for the standard weight of 4,000 g, we need to multiply 0.05 by 4,000, which gives us 200 g. Therefore, the JND for a standard weight of 4,000 g would be 200 g.

Question 7

The Fechner's law defines how our perception of the magnitude of a sensory stimulus depends on its physical intensity.

Accepted Answer

The Fechner's law is a psychophysical law that describes the relationship between the physical properties of a stimulus and the sensation and perception elicited by that stimulus. It states that the magnitude of a sensory experience is proportional to the logarithm of the stimulus intensity.

Question 8

The __________ represents the threshold between two sensory experiences (e.g. judging two weights as 'same' or 'different').

Accepted Answer

The answer of The __________ represents the threshold between two...

Question 9

What methodological framework allows to measure how observer decisions are influenced both by sensory factors and by decision factors?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What methodological framework allows to measure how...

Question 10

Describe the two processing stages taking place during a cognitive task defined by the signal detection theory.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the two processing stages taking place...

Question 11

What technique allows to detect changes in neural activity in the brain by measuring changes in blood oxygenation?

Accepted Answer

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows to detect changes in neural activity in the brain by measuring changes in blood oxygenation. This technique is based on the fact that when a brain region is active, it consumes more oxygen and there is an increase in blood flow to that region, which leads to a change in the blood oxygenation level. By detecting these changes in blood oxygenation, fMRI can create maps of brain activity that reflect which areas of the brain are involved in specific tasks or cognitive processes. Computer tomography (CT) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are not used for measuring changes in neural activity in the brain. Electroencephalogram (EEG) can detect changes in electrical activity in the brain, but not changes in blood oxygenation.

Question 12

The field of computational neuroscience has started to rapidly grow since __________.

Accepted Answer

The field of computational neuroscience has seen rapid growth since the 1980s, driven by advances in computing power and theoretical models.

Question 13

Which book by David Marr is thought to have contributed to the emergence of the field of computational neuroscience?

Accepted Answer

David Marr's book "Vision" is considered one of the most influential books in the field of computational neuroscience. It proposed a three-level hierarchy for understanding vision: the computational level, the algorithmic level, and the implementation level. This framework has been widely adopted in the field and has helped to shape research on perception and cognition.

Question 14

_________ is a brain-scanning technique based on X-rays.

Accepted Answer

Computer tomography (CT) uses X-rays to create detailed, cross-sectional images of the brain. CT scans can help diagnose a variety of neurological conditions such as strokes, tumors, and traumatic brain injuries.

Question 15

Which receptors respond to vibration and heavy pressure?

Accepted Answer

Mechanoreceptors respond to mechanical forces such as vibration and heavy pressure. Photoreceptors respond to light, chemoreceptors respond to chemical stimuli, and auditory receptors respond to sound waves.

Question 16

What receptors are characterized by a 'free nerve ending'?

Accepted Answer

Free nerve endings are associated specifically with nociceptors, which are receptors that respond to painful stimuli. These receptors are found throughout the body, and their activation can lead to sensations of pain and discomfort.

Question 17

Which of the following receptors are responsible for the perception of hearing?

Accepted Answer

Hearing relies on the detection of vibrations in the air (sound waves), which are detected by mechanoreceptors in the inner ear. Nociceptors are responsible for detecting pain, chemoreceptors detect chemical stimuli, and photoreceptors detect light stimuli.

Question 18

All the sensory pathways, except for the olfactory pathway, travel to the brain passing through the __________, a structure sited in the middle of the brain above the brainstem which regulates the flow of information around the brain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of All the sensory pathways, except for the...

Question 19

Sensory neurons cannot simultaneously separate out information about different stimulus properties. This principle of neural coding is known as __________.

Accepted Answer

The principle of neural coding that states that sensory neurons cannot simultaneously separate out information about different stimulus properties is known as univariance. Option A refers to neurons responding to a particular range of stimuli, option B refers to the process of action potentials that carry information in neurons, and option C refers to a type of coding where multiple neurons together encode a stimulus property.

Question 20

Individual cortical neurons show a high degree of specialization in all sensory modality, apart from audition.

Accepted Answer

Individual cortical neurons in audition also show a high degree of specialization, particularly in processing specific sound frequencies and patterns.

Quiz 7: Sensation and Perception